Look: Latest Bracketology Has 2 Blue Bloods In First Four Out
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - APRIL 01: North Carolina Tar Heels players stretch on the court during practice before the 2022 Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four at Caesars Superdome on April 01, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Rob Carr/2022 Getty Images)
For many conferences, the 2022-23 regular season is over and their only hope of getting into the NCAA Tournament is to win their conference title. But a few NCAA blue bloods still have a chance to get in via at-large bids - though not according to one analyst.
In the latest edition of Bracketology with Joe Lunardi, ESPN analyst Joe Lunardi penciled in Michigan and North Carolina in his "First Four Out" along with Clemson and Arizona State.
North Carolina just beat Virginia, but have a road game against Florida State and their season finale against Duke coming up. Even if they split those two games, they'd finish the regular season with 19 wins and would probably need to make a deep run in the ACC Tournament.
As for Michigan, they finish the season with two tough road games - at Illinois and at Indiana - before the Big Ten Tournament. At 17-12 right now, they definitely need a win to stay alive.
Michigan have missed the NCAA Tournament several times since the late-90s, but have not missed the NCAA Tournament when finishing the season with a winning record sine the 80s.
As for North Carolina, they have not missed the tournament at all since 2010 and only three times in total since 1975.
Can Michigan or North Carolina rally to make the NCAA Tournament this year?
