Bracketology 2023: Final projected field of 68 ahead of Selection Sunday

Who’s in? and Who’s out?

First Four

These four teams are breathing a sigh of relief as their names pop up on the screen even though they are headed to Dayton for the First Four. If the bracket had come out a week ago both Pittsburgh and Providence would’ve been safely in the field, but Pitt ended the season losing three of four including a 27-point loss to Duke in the ACC Tournament and the Friars ended their season losing four of their last five. Now they face off in Dayton with the winner taking on the No. 6 seed in the Midwest Texas A&M. The other Dayton game pits North Carolina State and Nevada with the winner placed in the East region against No. 6 Creighton.

First four out

Just missing the field on Selection Sunday can be extremely painful with teams left to wonder if one more win would’ve gotten them in. Unfortunately for Arizona State, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma State, and Clemson that will be the case. Losing to USC in what amounted to an elimination game ended the dream for Arizona State and in the Big 12 someone has to lose games and when 70% of the league makes the tournament someone is going to miss the cut and that is the case for the Cowboys. Vanderbilt ended the year playing their best basketball of the season, which is what you want as a coach, but falling short of the SEC title game left the Commodores a tick short.

Next four out

Even though Wisconsin, North Carolina, Michigan, and Oregon are the next four out, they all would’ve likely needed to make their conference tournament finals or even win it to make the field. The four teams combined for just two postseason wins with only Oregon even making the semifinals of the PAC-12 tournament.

A lot has been written about the Tar Heels but their 2022-23 season has to be seen as one of the more disappointing ones in college basketball in recent memory, going from national runner-up and preseason No. 1 to failing to qualify for the Big Dance.