March Madness is here, bringing its annual dose of drama and unpredictability. Duke have taken the overall top seed on Selection Sunday.
They are joined by Arizona, Michigan, and defending champion Florida on the top line. But the tournament also welcomes teams like Miami (Ohio), who, despite an impressive 31-1 record, had to fight their way into the bracket.
Miami’s Uphill Battle to the Tournament
Miami (Ohio) are an 11-seed. They face SMU in a First Four game on Wednesday. After some debate, their single loss last week briefly turned them from a sure thing into a bubble team. They now have the same opportunity as the other teams in the field: a chance to win and advance.
Eian Elmer of Miami said he was very confident of selection. He noted that leaving out a team that went 31-0 in the regular season “just wouldn’t look right for the sport”.
Keith Gill, chair of the selection committee, explained Miami’s position. They were not the last of the 37 at-large teams slotted into the field. However, they were ranked last of those 37 teams because of their 339th-ranked strength of schedule and zero wins against Quadrant 1 opponents.
Gill noted positive factors for Miami. These included the nation’s second-ranked scoring offense, a “strength of record” in the top 30 and “wins above bubble” in the top 40.
Duke and Michigan Lead Championship Odds
The full slate of games begins Thursday and Friday. The national champion will be crowned in Indianapolis on April 6.
- Miami are an 8½-point underdog against SMU.
- They are a 1,500-1 longshot to win it all, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
According to DraftKings, Duke are the favourite to win the national championship at +300. Michigan are just behind at +360.
Miami’s odds are still better than the near-impossible odds of filling out a perfect bracket.
They will have a chance to win and advance, with no selection committee, bracketologists or former coaches-turned-TV experts deciding their fate.