College Basketball’s Most Shocking Upsets of the Week

Top Teams in Contention for No. 1 Seeds in the NCAA Tournament

With Selection Sunday just around the corner, the top teams in the nation are making their final push for No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament. Thursday’s conference tournament action saw several top-seeded teams advance to the next round, with Duke, Auburn, Michigan State, Houston, and St. John’s all emerging victorious.

Among the top contenders, Duke’s performance on Thursday was particularly notable. Without projected No. 1 NBA Draft pick Cooper Flagg, who sprained his ankle in the first half of the game, the Blue Devils still managed to pull off a narrow 74-71 win over North Carolina in the ACC semifinals.

This win puts Duke in a strong position to secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. However, the team’s injury woes and the fact that they are still without Flagg for the remainder of the conference tournament will be a concern for the Blue Devils heading into the Big Dance.

Auburn, on the other hand, continued its impressive run through the SEC tournament, dispatching Ole Miss 62-57 to advance to the next round. The Tigers have been one of the most consistent teams in the nation all season, and their performance in the SEC tournament has only solidified their position as a top contender for a No. 1 seed.

Michigan State, Houston, and St. John’s also advanced to the next round in their respective conferences, solidifying their positions as top contenders for No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament.

In terms of recent performances, these top teams have been impressive. Duke’s win over North Carolina on Thursday was its 16th straight victory, while Auburn has won 12 of its last 13 games. Michigan State has been on a tear, winning 10 of its last 11 games, and Houston has won 14 of its last 15 games.

However, all of these teams still face significant challenges in the weeks ahead. They will need to navigate the conference tournament bracket and emerge unscathed if they hope to secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

In terms of matchups, the remaining games in these conferences will be crucial in determining the seeding for the NCAA tournament. For example, if Auburn were to lose to Tennessee in the SEC semifinals, it could potentially drop to a No. 2 seed in the tournament.

Similarly, if Duke were to lose to North Carolina in the ACC championship game, it could potentially drop to a No. 2 seed in the tournament.

These are just a few examples of the many factors that will influence seeding in the NCAA tournament. As the conference tournaments continue, we will be keeping a close eye on the matchups and performances of these top teams to determine their final seeding.

Remaining Tournament Schedules and Key Matchups

Here are the remaining tournament schedules and key matchups for each of the top teams in contention for No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament:

• Duke (ACC): vs. North Carolina (ACC championship game)
• Auburn (SEC): vs. Tennessee (SEC semifinals)
• Michigan State (Big Ten): vs. Ohio State (Big Ten semifinals)
• Houston (Big 12): vs. Kansas (Big 12 semifinals)
• St. John’s (Big East): vs. Seton Hall (Big East semifinals)

Bracket Busters and Cinderella Stories

While the top teams in the nation are making their final push for No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament, there are also several mid-major teams that are making noise in their conferences and could potentially become Cinderella stories in the Big Dance.

One such team is Memphis, which has been on a tear in the AAC tournament. The Tigers have won 11 of their last 12 games and are now just one win away from advancing to the AAC championship game.

Another team to watch is New Mexico, which has been impressive in the Mountain West tournament. The Lobos have won 10 of their last 11 games and are now just one win away from advancing to the Mountain West championship game.

These mid-major teams have been quietly compiling impressive resumes all season, and their performances in the conference tournaments are only solidifying their positions as potential Cinderella stories in the NCAA tournament.

In terms of strengths and weaknesses, these mid-major teams have been impressive in several areas. Memphis has been dominant on the glass, outrebounding its opponents by an average of 10.5 rebounds per game in its last 10 games. New Mexico, on the other hand, has been impressive on defense, holding its opponents to just 59.5 points per game in its last 10 games.

However, these teams also have their weaknesses. Memphis has struggled with turnovers, committing an average of 14.5 turnovers per game in its last 10 games. New Mexico, on the other hand, has struggled with three-point shooting, making just 27.5% of its three-point attempts in its last 10 games.

Despite these weaknesses, these mid-major teams have been impressive in their performances in the conference tournaments. They will need to continue to navigate the bracket and emerge unscathed if they hope to become Cinderella stories in the NCAA tournament.

Potential Cinderella Contenders

Here are some of the potential Cinderella contenders in each conference:

• Memphis (AAC): 23-8 overall, 13-5 in the AAC
• New Mexico (Mountain West): 24-8 overall, 14-5 in the Mountain West
• Boise State (Mountain West): 23-9 overall, 13-6 in the Mountain West
• Cincinnati (AAC): 22-9 overall, 13-5 in the AAC
• Utah State (Mountain West): 24-7 overall, 15-4 in the Mountain West

Friday’s Focus: Games to Watch

With several top teams in action on Friday, there are several games to watch in the conference tournaments. Here are a few of the most notable matchups:

ACC: Duke vs. North Carolina (ACC championship game)

SEC: Auburn vs. Tennessee (SEC semifinals)

Big Ten: Michigan State vs. Ohio State (Big Ten semifinals)

Big 12: Houston vs. Kansas (Big 12 semifinals)

Big East: St. John’s vs. Seton Hall (Big East semifinals)

These games will be crucial in determining the seeding for the NCAA tournament and could have a significant impact on the teams’ chances of securing a No. 1 seed.

In terms of key players to watch, the following players will be crucial in determining the outcome of these games:

• Duke: Mark Williams, Wendell Moore Jr.
• Auburn: Jabari Smith, K.D. Johnson
• Michigan State: Joey Hauser, A.J. Hoggard
• Houston: Jamal Shead, Marcus Sasser
• St. John’s: Julian Champagnie, Posh Alexander

These players have been instrumental in their teams’ success all season and will be crucial in determining the outcome of these games.

In terms of storylines to follow, the following will be worth keeping an eye on:

• Duke’s injury woes and how they impact the team’s performance
• Auburn’s chances of securing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament
• Michigan State’s bid to become the first No. 1 seed from the Big Ten since 2015
• Houston’s chances of becoming the first team to win the Big 12 tournament without a No. 1 seed since 2016
• St. John’s chances of becoming the first No. 1 seed from the Big East since 2019

These storylines will be crucial in determining the outcome of these games and could have a significant impact on the teams’ chances of securing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.