Syracuse is set to step on the court for their noon tipoff against North Carolina State in Greensboro, North Carolina in the second round of the ACC Tournament.
There’s a familiar feeling to this time of year for the Orange. It’s March Madness time, but that’s not all.
The bubble is once again an integral part of the storyline for Jim Boeheim’s team. On the bubble is where Syracuse basketball, once again, finds themselves as they look to stay alive this week.
Boeheim’s been here before, he’ll know what to say to his players to have them ready.
They’ll need at least a couple of wins in order to get off the bubble and on the right side of the conversation for Selection Sunday.
This is the time of year where the bracketologist makes its money. Joe Lunardi of ESPN currently has Syracuse on the outside of the bracket and among the first four teams out — behind Utah St. and ahead of Saint Louis and Seton Hall.
Their wins over North Carolina and Clemson to wrap up the regular season kept the bubble from bursting. So, here we are.
The bracket-busting experts will spend the next few days counting quadrant wins and going over tourney resumes. We’ll watch for what they say about the teams as we get closer to Selection Sunday.
The only sure bet right now, if we’re actually going to listen to the experts, is Syracuse needs at least two wins in the conference tournament to ride their bubble into the Big Dance.
Anything’s possible during March Madness.
Image: Dennis Nett
