Conference tournament season has brought unexpected twists and turns, creating a challenging situation for teams on the NCAA Tournament bubble. North Carolina State's remarkable run in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament saw them secure the automatic bid as the No. 10 seed, knocking a bubble team out of contention. Their victory over North Carolina in the final further complicated the bubble scenario, as the Tar Heels must now rely on an at-large bid.
Meanwhile, Oregon's triumph over Colorado in the Pac-12 Tournament added to the bubble drama, leaving another team on the outside looking in. N.C. State's head coach, Kevin Keatts, highlighted the caliber of teams his squad defeated during their title run, underscoring the competitive nature of conference tournaments.
With only 10 out of 32 conference tournaments won by the top seed so far, the unpredictability of March Madness is evident. The absence of No. 1 seeds in the upcoming tournament title games further adds to the intrigue, with potential bid thieves looming large.
In the AAC Tournament final, the clash between Alabama-Birmingham and Temple could potentially impact the bubble if top-seeded Florida Atlantic fails to secure an automatic bid. The implications of bid thieves are more pronounced in major conferences, where at-large spots may have to be allocated to teams that were previously considered locks for the NCAA Tournament.
As Selection Sunday approaches, teams like Virginia, Pittsburgh, and Wake Forest find themselves in a precarious position, with their tournament hopes hanging in the balance. Coach Keatts advocated for the strength of the ACC, emphasizing the deserving nature of multiple bids for the conference.
Overall, the conference tournament season has added an extra layer of complexity to the NCAA Tournament selection process, with bubble teams anxiously awaiting their fate as the field is finalized.
For more college basketball updates and alerts, stay tuned to AP Top 25 basketball coverage throughout the season.
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