As the calendar flips to March, we’re faced with an unusual situation in college basketball, as both Duke and North Carolina find themselves “on the bubble.”
Normally, at this time of the season, Duke and UNC are jockeying for the best possible seeds in the ACC and NCAA Tournaments. However, this year finds the Blue Devils on their last legs to even make the Big Dance, while the Tar Heels are trying to secure a spot.
On Saturday, Duke (11-9, 9-7) dropped a hard-fought decision to Louisville in overtime, while North Carolina (15-8, 9-5) rallied to take down 11th-ranked Florida State. The results had an effect on their tournament resumes, according to some of the major bracketologists.
CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm moved UNC from one of the “Last Four In” to a secured spot in the tournament field. Palm has the Tar Heels as a No. 11 seed facing Marquette.
Palm kept Duke among the “First Four Out” instead of moving them into one of the final four spots. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi already had UNC in his bracket, and he slid Duke down one spot to the second team out.
— Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) February 28, 2021
Both rivals have two regular season games remaining this week. Duke has to go on the road to Georgia Tech and UNC, while the Heels will play at Syracuse and host the Blue Devils.
One win likely seals up a bid for UNC, while Duke needs a sweep and maybe more to lock up an invite.
The post Where Duke, North Carolina Are In Latest NCAA Tournament Projections appeared first on The Spun.
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