Syracuse women’s basketball unranked; seeded 10th in latest bracketology

Some good news and some bad news about the Syracuse Orange Women’s hoops team was released on Tuesday.

First, the bad news.

As expected, the Orange are now unranked in both the Associated Press and the USA Today/WCBA Coaches’ Polls. ‘Cuse fell out of the Coaches’ Poll after losing to both of its ACC opponents this week. Syracuse lost at current No. 2 Notre Dame on December 28, and then to unranked Virginia on New Year’s Eve.

Two of Syracuse’s three losses are versus top-five opponents. The other came against No. 5/3 Mississippi State in Las Vegas in mid-December.

Four ACC schools are currently ranked in both polls. Joining Notre Dame (No. 2/2) is Louisville (No. 3/4), Florida State (No. 11/12), and Duke (No. 17/18). The Orange have yet to play against the three latter schools. Florida State visits the Carrier Dome on Sunday January 7 for that matchup.

Syracuse received three votes in the AP Poll and technically rank in at No. 31 in the nation.

Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

Now for the good (or at least, better) news.

Syracuse currently sits as a No. 10 seed in ESPN’s Charlie Creme’s latest Bracketology rankings. Syracuse moves down from a No. 9 seed into Creme’s vision of the Lexington Region, which includes ACC rival Louisville as the region’s No. 1 seed.

Eight ACC teams are selected in Creme’s bracket as of January 2.

• No. 1 (seed) Notre Dame, Louisville
• No. 3 Florida State
• No. 5 Duke
• No. 8 NC State
• No. 10 Syracuse, Georgia Tech, Miami

Creme’s bracket has No. 10 Syracuse playing against No. 7 Michigan State in the first round. The winner of that game would face the winner of No. 2 South Carolina and No. 15 Gardner-Webb.

Syracuse is no stranger to bracketology. Quentin Hillsman’s bunch has been called to dance for each of the last five seasons. ‘Cuse earned a No. 8 seed in last year’s tournament and fell to juggernaut No. 1 Connecticut in the second round. Two years ago, Syracuse earned a No. 4 seed and rode it to the National Championship Game. They lost to No. 1 Connecticut, 82-51, in that contest.

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Corey Crisan is the Orange Women’s Basketball reporter for TNIAAM. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @cdcrisan for coverage all season long.