NCAA Basketball: Busting Brackets Bracketology
By Doug Winkey
7 Seeds: Notre Dame, Miami, Arizona, Colorado
Notre Dame is strange. They are tied for fourth in ACC play. They beat Iowa in November and Duke in Durham, but they’ve lost their other six games against the RPI top-50. Demetrius Jackson is a star, but might miss out on another chance to show off unless the Irish beat North Carolina, Louisville, Clemson, or Miami to finish out the season.
Miami is another team on the ACC bubble. The Hurricanes are tied with Notre Dame at fourth in the conference and have a much better resume. They are 5-1 against the top-50, but are 3-3 in the past couple weeks. They are good on both ends of the floor, but need an upset over North Carolina or Louisville to really cement their status.
Arizona has struggled this year. They are only 5-4 in Pac-12 play after going undefeated in nonconference play. The Wildcats are likely an at-large bid due to a favorable schedule the rest of the way. Their toughest remaining games are at Colorado, at Utah, and hosting USC. One of those games are key to securing the team’s tournament future.
Colorado has far exceeded expectations. After losing their opening game to Iowa State, the Buffaloes rattled off 11 straight wins. They are currently 6-3 in Pac-12 conference play behind Oregon, USC, and Utah. Colorado is a lock for me if they beast Washington at home and take a road game against the Ducks, Spartans, or Utes. Forward Josh Scott has starred this year, averaging a near double-double with over 17 points and almost 10 rebounds a game.
Next: 6 Seeds