Choice Sunday is the second of reality for faculty basketball groups hoping to make it to the large dance. However for a number of unfortunate groups every year, it turns into Rejection Sunday as they watch the NCAA males’s event bracket unveiling collectively solely to listen to Greg Gumbel name out different groups’ names.
This 12 months’s Choice Sunday was no exception, with many bubble groups anxiously awaiting their destiny. Some had surged into event competition in March, whereas others stumbled into Choice Sunday with a string of losses. Some groups had demanding schedules and barely made it above .500, whereas others had spectacular information however lacked high quality wins to safe a spot within the event. No matter their circumstances, all of them hoped for a shot at March Insanity, however just a few have been fortunate sufficient to see their goals come true.
Largest Snubs
Rutgers (19-14, 10-10, NET: 40, KenPom: 35)
Regardless of being projected to make the NCAA event in virtually each mock bracket, the Scarlet Knights’ uncommon profile made them weak to exclusion. Their non-conference schedule lacked challenges, and their efficiency within the Huge Ten season confirmed they may beat any group and lose to anybody.
On the one hand, Rutgers had spectacular wins in opposition to Purdue and Penn State and pushed Purdue once more into the Huge Ten quarterfinals. Additionally they beat Indiana and Maryland. Then again, their 2-4 document in Quadrant 3 video games was the worst amongst bubble groups, and so they suffered embarrassing losses to last-place Minnesota, Nebraska, Temple, and Seton Corridor. The Scarlet Knights’ inconsistency in the end price them a spot within the event, leaving them to surprise what may need been.
Clemson (23-10, 14-6, NET: 57, KenPom: 64)
Clemson’s résumé had a lot going for it as a bubble group, together with an above-.500 document in Quadrant 1 and a pair of video games and spectacular wins in opposition to Penn State, Pittsburgh, Duke, and NC State. Additionally they had a strong 14-6 document in a down ACC.
Nonetheless, their non-conference schedule ranked a lowly 334th, and their quite a few losses in Quadrant 3 or 4 video games have been their undoing.
The choice committee has all the time been important of weak non-conference schedules, and Clemson’s actually match that invoice. However their losses to 28-loss Louisville, South Carolina, Boston School, and Loyola Chicago sealed their destiny. It’s powerful to make the NCAA event with hideous defeats in your résumé, even with spectacular wins. Sadly for Clemson, their lack of consistency and poor scheduling selections price them a spot within the event this 12 months.
North Carolina (20-13, 11-9, NET: 46, KenPom: 47)
North Carolina made painful historical past on Choice Sunday by turning into the primary group to overlook the NCAA event for the reason that subject expanded to 64 groups in 1985 after being ranked because the AP preseason No. 1 group. Regardless of having 4 returning starters from final 12 months’s nationwide runner-up group, the Tar Heels by no means discovered their type this season. They struggled in Quadrant 1 video games, solely managing two wins, with one coming in opposition to a struggling Ohio State group that completed second-to-last within the Huge Ten.
Even a strong efficiency within the ACC quarterfinals was wanted to safe North Carolina’s spot within the event. The Tar Heels fell to Virginia in a defensive battle, and disappointment was evident on their faces as they realized their destiny. For a group with such excessive expectations, lacking the event was a tricky tablet to swallow and a reminder that success in faculty basketball isn’t assured.
Vanderbilt (20-14, 11-7, NET: 81, KenPom: 80)
In response to Bart Torvik’s T-Rankings, Vanderbilt has been the Thirtieth-best group within the nation since February 1st. The Commodores completed the season sturdy, successful 10 of their final 12 video games, together with victories over Kentucky, Mississippi State, Auburn, and Tennessee. If Choice Sunday have been primarily based on the 68 groups taking part in the perfect on the finish of the season, Vanderbilt can be a lock. Nonetheless, the committee evaluates the complete physique of labor, which incorporates Vanderbilt’s early season losses to Grambling and Southern Miss. These losses, mixed with their low NET rating of 81 and KenPom rating of 80, labored in opposition to them.
Finally, Vanderbilt was in the same place to the 2022 Texas A&M Aggies. Just like the Aggies, the Commodores hit their stride too late within the season. Regardless of their spectacular end, Vanderbilt’s early season struggles proved too difficult to beat within the eyes of the choice committee.