Today’s the day we learn the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team’s fate. After finishing the season 20-13 (8-10 in the ACC), SU has done all it can do for its resume. Now, the NCAA Tournament committee decides whether or not they’ll make the field.
As we’ve been discussing for days now, there’s a very crowded group on the bubble this season, and every team is (including the Orange) is incredibly flawed -- either by computer rankings, results or both.
All of that speculation will end, however, at 6 p.m. ET tonight. You can watch Selection Sunday on TBS or streaming on NCAA.com.
As a refresher, they’ll be announcing all 68 teams in the field in alphabetical order first. Then, once all but tourney diehards and those 68 fan bases tune out (why would you do this, NCAA?), they’ll reveal the actual bracket. So at least if we’re disappointed, we won’t need a three-hour show to get there.
Right now, Bracket Matrix has us among the “First Four Out,” along with Louisville (ahead of us), Oklahoma State and Middle Tennessee. The final at-large teams there include Oklahoma, Texas, St. Mary’s and Arizona State. You could pick apart any of those cases, just like you can any of the teams left out here.
Also, the selection committee is doing things slightly different this year, as you’ve likely heard. A rundown of the “quadrant” nonsense, quality road wins and everything else adjusted within the team sheets is here.
Consider this your open thread for the afternoon, and early part of the selection show. We’re also rooting pretty heavily for Rhode Island in the Atlantic 10 Tournament today. A loss to Davidson would remove another at-large spot from the field.