It is the time of year again where ESPN’s Joe Lunardi is really diving deep into his famous “Bracketology” updates that he gives every two or three days.
The most recent edition of Bracketology was unveiled Tuesday morning and upon looking, there were three teams on the bubble that, frankly, don’t have any business being near the NCAA Tournament, so here they are and here’s why they don’t belong.
North Carolina Tar Heels: First Four Out
Lunardi has the Tar Heels just barely missing the tournament and it feels like total blue blood and ACC bias.
Yes, they’re 16-11 (9-6 in ACC) this season, but who have they beaten? North Carolina has one win against a ranked opponent this season and that win came all the way back in December against a UCLA team that is not ranked anymore.
The Tar Heels are 1-10 in Quad 1 games this season, giving them the most losses in Quad 1 games by any ACC team. Their last two games against ranked opponents ended in losses by 17 and 20.
The only way North Carolina should be able to get into the NCAA Tournament is if it runs the table and gets the automatic bid from winning the ACC Tournament.
Arkansas Razorbacks: Last Four In
Jon Calipari’s first season in Fayetteville has not gone according to plan, as his Arkansas team sits at 15-11 (4-9 in SEC).
Yet somehow, even with a conference record that is five games below .500 and a record of 3-9 in Quad 1 games, Lunardi has the Razorbacks as one of the last four teams in.
The Razorbacks do have quality wins over both Michigan and Kentucky, but that’s really about it. They have put up a fight against some of the nation’s best teams recently, but almost winning doesn’t count for anything.
With remaining games against No. 15 Missouri and No. 21 Mississippi State, Arkansas has a chance to improve its resume a bit before heading into the SEC Tournament. A loss to either of the two teams should knock the Razorbacks completely off the NCAA Tournament bubble.
Indiana Hoosiers: Next Four Out
A record of 2-8 in a 10-game stretch and still being even close to a projected tournament team is laughable, but that is exactly where Lunardi has Indiana.
The Hoosiers are 6-9 in the Big Ten and have just one win over a Top 25 opponent all season long. They are 3-11 in Quad 1 games, and they have just one win in the last month.
Indiana ranks 14th out of 18 teams in the Big Ten in both points per game scored and allowed. A team of their caliber belongs nowhere close to a tournament bid.
Certainly, things could change and all three of these teams could catch fire before seasons end, but as of now, they should not be close to consideration.
