Another week, another two wins for the Miami Hurricanes Men’s Basketball team.
Last Saturday, Miami avoided the last possible ‘bad’ loss on their schedule by dispatching Boston College 76-54 in Coral Gables. Then on Tuesday, the ‘Canes hit the road to contribute to SMU’s recent slide by defeating the Mustangs 77-69.
Miami has now clinched the No. 3 seed in the ACC Tournament, which comes with a double bye into the Quarterfinals.
As for the NCAA Tournament, Miami climbed another seed line in most brackets
(and if SB Nation updated their bracket today, the ‘Canes probably would have climbed there too).
CBS currently has Miami as a 6 seed, which is frankly most appropriate given Miami’s resume: an AP ranked team with a Top 30 Net rank, no Quad 3 or 4 losses, and a winning Quad 1 record. In fact, the NCAA Committee could easily justify Miami as 5 or even a 4 seed considering that the Hurricanes are healthy and peaking as they head into the tournament. Miami has finished the season 7-1, with the lone blemish a last-possession loss at Virginia.
Miami finishes its regular season tomorrow March 7th at home against Louisville at 2:00PM on ESPNU. Louisville is seeded equal or above Miami in bracketology, so this is an excellent opportunity for Miami to continue pushing up the seed line. A 6 or even 5 seed is well within reach without having to win the ACC Tournament.
As for the rest of the ACC, the conference as a whole is looking at 7 to 9 bids:
- Duke looks firmly entrenched as the top overall seed for the NCAA Tournament. Even an unlikely 0-2 finish probably would not move Duke off a 1 seed.
- North Carolina, who has held steady the last few weeks around the 5 or 6 seed line, goes to Duke on Saturday night. A win for the Tarheels would mean an improbable sweep for UNC and could launch the Tarheels into the 3 or 4 seed line.
- Virginia looks like a Top 4 seed and finishes its season hosting bubble team, and rival, Virginia Tech.
- Virginia Tech is probably outside looking in, but slaying the Cavaliers would be a HUGE bump to the Hokies’ resume and would likely push them over the bubble hump.
- SMU has lost three straight games and is now squarely on the bubble. On3 and CBS have them as a play-in team, when just a few weeks ago most brackets pegged them as safe around an 8 or 9 seed. If the ACC only gets 7 bids, it’s because SMU completed its collapse and lost its regular season finale to Florida State.
- NC State is another team that was safe a few weeks ago, but has dropped 5 of its last 6 games (including an awful 96-90 loss to Notre Dame last Saturday). Should NC State lose their home finale against Stanford, Wolfpack fans may be sweating on Selection Sunday.
- Clemson was teetering towards the bubble after losing four straight, but managed to right the ship against Louisville last Saturday. Although the Tigers can safely presume they’ll be dancing, they should avoid losing tomorrow’s home clash against ACC-basement dweller Georgia Tech.
- Cal is the only other ACC team with a possible at-large path to the tournament, and that path took a major hit with a home loss to Pitt last Saturday. Tomorrow’s game at Wake Forest is now a must win, and Cal probably needs a win or two in the ACC Tournament to put them back on the right side of the bubble.
- Florida State completely turned its season around and is now one of the hottest teams in the country. The Seminoles started 7-11 (0-5) but have finished 9-3 (9-3) including wins at Miami, at SMU, at Virginia Tech, and at Clemson. If first year head coach Luke Loucks had the Seminoles marginally more competitive to start the season, the Seminoles would easily be an NCAA Tournament at-large selection. Don’t be surprised if FSU makes a run in the ACC Tournament, or bursts SMU’s bubble tomorrow.
