Bracketology 2023: Ranking all 18 teams on the bubble in terms of safety
By Joey Loose
NC State: 23-10 (12-8 in ACC) NET: 37
If you’ve been following along then you know that NC State’s metrics are about to take a tumble after they were blasted for the second time this season by Clemson, this time in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals. Factoring in that the Wolfpack have just a single Quad 1 win, albeit a blowout win over Duke, and you can understand why NC State will be on the edge of its seats for the upcoming days.
Fortunately, they did manage to show up in an impressive win against Virginia Tech to open the ACC Tournament, but a 26-point loss to Clemson really dulls the effect. NC State should be safely in the NCAA Tournament, but losing three of your final four games with these kinds of performances does not do yourself any favors. The lack of Quad 1 success will hurt with the Committee and they’ll certainly be judged against their peers, with an 0-4 record against Clemson and Pittsburgh a clear black eye.
Oregon: 19-13 (12-8 in Pac-12) NET: 47
No matter what seems to happen to the Ducks this season, they’re still right there in a position to contend for the NCAA Tournament. It hasn’t necessarily been pretty this season, with home losses to UC Irvine and Utah Valley certainly not doing wonders for their resume. When you also factor in a 12-8 mark against a relatively weak Pac-12, Oregon is not in the best of shape, but their fate is still in their hands.
The Pac-12 Tournament is where they need to make their mark and they’ve succeeded to this point. The Ducks got a win against Washington State in the quarterfinals but will face a much more significant test against UCLA in the semifinals. Honestly, if Oregon can pull off this upset, they might find themselves in the field of 68. Their 19-point win against Arizona is what’s keeping them alive on the bubble but a second impressive win over a top-tier team would move the needle in their favor.