3 prestigious NCAA basketball teams that might miss March Madness featuring Michigan State, and more
It has been a wild year across college basketball, as shown in the rankings. This has paved the way for some tough decisions regarding March Madness and the seeding that will occur. With the tournament rapidly approaching, a few notable programs may be on the outside looking in on selection Sunday.
Prestigious NCAA Teams that could miss March Madness
#1. Michigan State
Michigan State has been a staple in the NCAA tournament dating back to before Tom Izzo's tenure. The school has won two NCAA Championships and made the final four 10 times. The last time the school did not make the cut for March Madness was in 1997.
It has been an up-and-down season for the Spartans. They hold a record of 19-11 and have gone 11-8 in conference games. Their season got off to a rough start, which included losses to Gonzaga, Alabama, and Notre Dame. They have picked it up to end the season and have won five of their last seven games.
While they have been far from perfect, Michigan State still looks to be on target to get into the tournament. They rank 31st in the NET and 27th according to KenPom Rankings. ESPN's latest projection from Joe Linardi has Michigan State penciled in as the seventh seed.
It may not have been the flawless season they hoped for, but look for the Spartans to take advantage of their postseason opportunity once it arrives.
Iowa hit 5 threes after being down by 13 with 94 seconds remaining. MSU went 5/6 from the FT line to close out regulation.
Iowa beat Michigan State 112-106 in overtime.
College basketball.
https://t.co/VKTqlp9fYn
#2. Villanova
Villanova has made the NCAA Tournament 39 times in its program's history. They have won the championship three times, appeared in the final four seven times, and have not missed March Madness since 2004. After a final four run last year, the stage was set for Villanova, but they have struggled throughout the season.
One notable change was Jay Wright stepping down at the conclusion of last season. Kyle Neptune stepped into his role and has led the team to a 16-15 record and gone just 10-10 in conference play.
The Wildcats will need a strong performance in the Big East Tournament to solidify their resume. Villanova enters as the sixth seed and will face off against 11th-seeded Georgetown in the opening round. This matchup will tip off on March 8 and the automatic March Madness bid that a conference tournament victory results in will not be taken lightly.
The Wildcats have been playing better basketball of late. They have ended the season going 6-2 over their last eight games, including an away victory over 19th ranked Xavier. Freshman Cam Whitmore has found his stride and senior Justin Moore returned to the floor after missing the start of the season as he recovered from his Achilles tear, so don't count them out.
Villanova has shown signs of peaking at the right time, but it may be too late in the season for this to fully matter. Expect them to leave it all on the line in the conference tournament and for this to make-or-break their March Madness future.
#3. North Carolina
After losing in the NCAA Tournament Championship last year, the bar was set high for North Carolina. The program has appeared in the tournament 52 times, including 21 Final Four runs and six championship victories.
However, their outlook for this year got significantly grimmer after a 62-57 loss to Duke on Saturday. UNC led 57-56 with under two minutes to play, but failed to score a point after this and could not come up with a victory.
The Tar Heels are now 19-12 on the year and have gone 11-9 in conference play. Most Bracketology predictions believed they needed a win over Duke in the regular season finale to solidify their chances of making March Madness. They will now need a deep ACC Tournament run (and perhaps a tournament victory) to secure their spot in the NCAA Tournament.
While they have a talented and experienced roster that was looking to build off last season, the results have not been there for North Carolina.
Duke sweeps North Carolina 🧹🧹
The Blue Devils defeat the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill and spoils UNC's Senior Night. https://t.co/E5S84Y1nyX
With so many regular tournament favorites uncertain this year, conference tournaments are notable storylines to keep an eye on. Several prestigious programs will be playing with plenty to prove and look to secure their March Madness future. It also speaks to the changing college basketball landscape and the emergence of new top teams.
It has already been a hectic season and we are in for a terrific tournament.