Duke plays like top overall seed
Blue Devils defeat Virginia again in ACC
The unveiling of the top 16 seeds by the NCAA tournament selection committee provided a glimpse into the future. But Saturday’s game slate also served as a reminder there’s plenty of basketball to be played in the next five weeks up until Selection Sunday.
In a battle between two forecasted No. 1 seeds, Duke again outdueled Virginia. The Blue Devils started the day as the top overall seed, per the committee’s assessment, and ended the day with an even stronger profile. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, suffered only their second loss of the season, but this one was a much more convincing loss and on their home court.
Villanova was perhaps the most notable snub on the selection committee’s list of top four seeds in each NCAA tournament region, and the Wildcats had an opportunity to beat a No. 3-seeded Marquette team on the road. Instead, they lost for the first time in Big East play and the Golden Eagles got a statement win to bolster their already impressive resume behind Markus Howard’s 38 points. More than that, it was a statement win that punctuated the progress of the Steve Wojciechowski era in Milwaukee.
February victories don’t have the same flare as March victories. But they hold just as much weight on a team’s credentials and on a program’s trajectory. A look at the biggest winners and losers from Saturday’s action:
Winners
Michigan: The Wolverines (22-1, 11-2 Big Ten) are in contention for a No. 1 NCAA seed, so beating a Wisconsin team that squeaked in as one of the top 16 seeds in Saturday’s bracket unveiling will surely bolster Michigan’s resume. It also avenged one of this team’s only Big Ten losses (Wisconsin beat UM on Jan. 19) and is a bounce-back from last weekend’s loss to Iowa. The Big Ten is vastly improved this season, which means if Michigan keeps winning, a top seed is definitely attainable.
Michigan State: The Spartans (19-5, 10-3 Big Ten) snapped a three-game losing streak by toppling Minnesota 79-55 at home. That skid had pushed MSU out of contention for an NCAA No. 1 seed, but the committee still thinks this team has the goods on its portfolio to be a No. 2. Saturday’s win helped keep Tom Izzo’s veteran group in the Big Ten title picture, but more important was a much-needed psyche boost.
North Carolina: The Tar Heels (19-4, 9-1 Atlantic Coast) survived in overtime in a home win against conference bottom-feeder Miami (Florida) that would’ve served as a huge resume stain had they lost. UNC, currently projected as a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament and a contender to win the ACC alongside Duke and Virginia, avoided the type of setback that would’ve impacted both their long-term postseason and conference title pursuits. Freshman guard Coby White’s 33 points and six assists helped save the day for the Heels.
Kentucky: The Wildcats (20-3, 9-1 Southeastern) kept their nine-game winning streak going by holding off Mississippi State 71-67 on the road. Every victory is meaningful as UK tries to chase Tennessee in the SEC standings but also in terms of its NCAA seeding; Kentucky was the top overall No. 2 seed in the bracket reveal and is one of the teams poised to leapfrog Gonzaga or Virginia at the No. 1 line if those teams stumble enough.
LSU: The Tigers (19-4, 9-1 SEC) aren’t getting as much noise as Tennessee or Kentucky in SEC play, but they’ve slowly become a contender to play spoiler. LSU’s 83-78 win over Auburn helped keep it near the top of the SEC standings ahead of Tuesday’s test at Kentucky. The Tigers were also mentioned as one of the teams on the cusp of a No. 4 seed during the bracket reveal, so their overall credentials are being aided by a much strong SEC this season (No. 3 in the NET rankings).
Utah: Parker Van Dyke drained a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer to help lift the Utes past UCLA, storming back from a 22-point deficit. While Utah might be out of NCAA tournament consideration, as most Pac-12 teams are, it was a thrilling win that could initiate momentum heading into the conference tournament, when an automatic bid is on the line.
Nevada: The Wolf Pack (23-1, 10-1 Mountain West) exacted revenge on the only team that has beaten them this season, New Mexico. This game was a blowout, with Nevada trouncing the Lobos 91-62 at home. It was certainly payback after the Wolf Pack had lost by 30 to New Mexico in January. This win kept Eric Musselman’s team far atop the Mountain West and in strong standing to keep a No. 4 seed or better on Selection Sunday.
Losers
Villanova: The Wildcats (19-5, 10-1 Big East) hadn’t lost since mid-December and had a chance to win at the buzzer at Marquette for a signature road victory that could’ve pushed them into the equation as a top-four seed. Instead, they came up just short in a 67-66 nailbiter to make it interesting in the Big East title race. A Feb. 27 rematch with the Golden Eagles can’t come soon enough for Jay Wright’s group.
Virginia: The Cavaliers (20-2, 8-2 ACC) were beaten by a more athletic, offensively gifted Duke team in Saturday’s 81-71 decision. Every time it chipped away at the Blue Devils’ lead, there was a counterpunch that kept Virginia out of reach. But UVA likely won’t have to face Duke in the NCAA tournament until the Final Four, and coach Tony Bennett’s team still has the resume worthy of a No. 1 seed based on its nation-best NET ranking and seven Quadrant 1 (top-30 home/top-75 road) wins.
Virginia Tech: The Hokies (18-5, 7-4 ACC) got snubbed in the NCAA bracket reveal — as one of the several teams left out of the top 16 seeds unveiled by the committee. And they didn’t do anything to change the committee’s perception in a 59-51 road loss to Clemson. Virginia Tech went 5-for-19 from 3-point range in the loss. That’s back-to-back losses for the Hokies this past week after losing to Louisville at home.
Louisville: The Cardinals (17-7, 8-3 ACC) were one of the last two teams to notch top-four seeds in Saturday’s bracket reveal. But a 75-70 overtime road loss to Florida State likely pushed Louisville to the No. 5 line. The Cardinals’ No. 14 NET heading into Saturday plus the sixth-best non-conference strength of schedule in the country hold major weight. But one bad loss, to Pittsburgh, is the resume stain that is holding Chris Mack’s team back.
Iowa State: The Cyclones (18-6, 7-3 Big 12) were also one of the top 16 seeds in the bracket reveal but likely pushed themselves out of that top tier with a 9283 loss to TCU at home. Big 12 losses like this won’t ruin ISU’s profile given how tough the league is as a whole, but it’s an example of how the conference beats up on each other with its parity. The loss also push’s Steve Prohm’s group down from the top of the league standings after entering Saturday tied for first place. ❚ Conference standings, 7C