Every year, there’s a robust discussion around the bubble for the men’s NCAA tournament, and 2023 was no different. While the bubble felt a little less tenuous this year — there were not a lot of teams that had a huge argument to get into the field and very few bid-stealers from conference tournaments — there are still those that will question or praise the committee’s choices.
After announcing the entire bracket for March Madness, CBS shared the committee’s eight teams that made up the last four in and the first four out. Three ACC teams landed in that octet, the only conference with more than one representative in that grouping.
Pitt fell on the good side of the line, despite having a net ranking lower than three of the four teams left out. Preseason No. 1 North Carolina is the first to go from that expectation before any games are played to not making the tournament, and Clemson’s bad losses (South Carolina, Louisville and Loyola Chicago) kept the Tigers out.
Oklahoma State was the first team left out of the Big Dance, with Nevada being the last to sneak in.
The last four in and first four out for the men's 2023 NCAA Tournament 👀 pic.twitter.com/kzTgm02M4O
— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 (@sportingnews) March 12, 2023
Two of the last four in — Mississippi State and Pitt — play Tuesday evening in the First Four in Dayton for a chance to face off against 6-seed Iowa State in the Midwest.
