LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — What’s at stake for the University of Louisville men’s basketball team Saturday night in Charlotte, other than their shot to win the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament for first time in program history by taking down top-ranked Duke?
Perhaps an opportunity to climb from a No. 6 seed to a 5-seed when the 68-team NCAA Tournament bracket is announced late Sunday afternoon.
The Cards have already hit the 5-seed line on some bracket projections, but the consensus still has Pat Kelsey’s surging team as a 6-seed.
And, yes, some would argue a 6-seed is better than a 5-seed, because if a 5-seed wins its first two games it will run directly into a No. 1 seed (Auburn, Duke, Houston or likely Florida) in the Sweet Sixteen.
With Kentucky, there is no debate. Even after the Wildcats’ one-sided, 99-70, loss to Alabama in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament late Friday night, Mark Pope and his injured squad have enough Quad I victories for a No. 3 seed.
And Indiana?
It will be one long held breath in Bloomington until the bracket results are posted on CBS Sports Selection Show. Most brackets have IU in the field, but few would be surprised if Mike Woodson’s 19-13 squad was snubbed, especially after IU’s quick one-and-done exit against Oregon in the Big Ten Tournament.
I’ve checked the numbers multiple times on Saturday. I’m sharing the current outlook from five of my favorite projections:
The Bracket Matrix, which averages the numbers from 104 sources.
Joe Lunardi, the godfather of bracketology, who’ll have more air time on ESPN than Stephen A. Smith this weekend.
Mike DeCourcy, a thoughtful, insightful Hall of Fame sports writer who shares his work with Fox Sports.
Dave Omman, a long-time bracketologist, whose work regularly scores well at the Bracket Matrix.
1-3-1 Sports, a 12-season veteran bracketologist whose work ranks second over the last 3-plus years at BracketMatrix.
LOUISVILLE (27-6, No. 23 in NCAA NET formula)
Bracket Matrix: The second-highest No. 6 seed, ranked behind BYU but ahead of UCLA and Illinois.
Joe Lunardi: No. 6 seed, playing Vanderbilt or San Diego State in Providence, R.I.
Mike DeCourcy: No. 5 seed, playing Yale in the South Regional.
1-3-1 Sports: The second No. 6 seed, ranked behind Mick Cronin and UCLA but ahead of St. Mary’s, Illinois and BYU.
Dave Omman: A No. 6 seed, opening in Milwaukee against Baylor or San Diego State, with a potential second-round game against Kentucky or UNC-Wilmington.
The post BOZICH | Latest NCAA men’s tournament forecasts for UofL, UK, IU first appeared on Voxtrend News.
