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Miami Hurricanes are a Tenth Seed in Latest Bracket Matrix Consensus Ratings

By Alan Rubenstein

Jan 12, 2017; Coral Gables, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes guard Ja'Quan Newton (0) takes a shot against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second half at Watsco Center. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeat the Miami Hurricanes 67-62. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 12, 2017; Coral Gables, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes guard Ja'Quan Newton (0) takes a shot against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second half at Watsco Center. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeat the Miami Hurricanes 67-62. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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With wins in five of their last seven games, the Miami Hurricanes have put themselves in a good position down the stretch to be on the right side of the bubble in the NCAA Tournament. The Bracket Matrix currently has the Hurricanes as the top rated tenth seed.

The Bracket Matrix is a composite of over 100 websites that predict the NCAA Tournament Bracket throughout the year. The Matrix describes itself this way:

“The Bracket Matrix tries to collect most bracketologists’ opinions of how the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament bracket will look like each year.  This page measures how closely each bracketologist matched the work of the selection committee. This emphasizes seeding as much as picking the correct teams in the field.”

The Hurricanes are currently 17-8 overall and 7-6 and tied for eighth place in the ACC. Their spot in the NCAA Tournament as a consensus tenth seed is tenuous, but better than when they were listed among the first four out about three weeks ago.

All of the sites are updated at least as recently as February 11. The Hurricanes are listed as in the tournament on all the sites but four. They are listed as high as a seventh seed and as low as a 12th seed among the sites that have them making the tournament.

Miami’s game against Clemson Saturday is crucial. They have to win the games they will be favored to win. This could arguably be the last regular season game they are favored in this season.

The Hurricanes play three of their last four on the road. They travel to number 14 Virginia who is listed as a consensus number three seed in the matrix, return home to face number 18 Duke who is projected as a four and then travel to Virginia Tech and Florida State to finish the regular season.

The Hokies are projected as a consensus ninth seed and the Seminoles as a second seed. The Clemson game is essential and winning at least one if not two of the other four games will also be critical.

The Hurricanes are 12-2 at home this season, 3-4 on the road and 2-2 on a neutral court. One of the neutral court wins includes a victory over Winthrop in December at American Airlines Arena.

Miami currently sits 50th in the RPI with a schedule strength of 59th. They are 1-5 against the top 25 and 1-2 against teams 26-50 in the RPI. Twelve of their 17 victories have occurred against teams ranked 100th or below in the RPI, including six 200 or below.

The ACC has allowed them to rise quickly in the RPI. Can they stay there with the brutal schedule they have in their remaining four games?

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    • The Hurricanes non-conference strength of schedule and RPI are likely to be scrutinized closely. They rank 90th in their non-conference RPI and 262nd in the NC SOS. That is likely to hinder their chances. That’s why getting taking care of their final two home games and getting a win on the road are crucial and would almost guarantee them a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

    The pre-eminent bracketologists are Jerry Palm of CBS Sports and Joe Lunardi of ESPN. Palm has the Hurricanes as an eighth seed in Tulsa playing against ninth seed Michigan. He also has Miami on the rise.  The winner would likely be waiting for Baylor according to Palm.

    Lunardi also has the Hurricanes in Tulsa. He has them as a ninth seed playing Wichita State in the Midwest region. The winner of that game would likely have Kansas waiting for them.

    There are not too many teams with a more difficult schedule down the stretch than Miami. That’s why the game against Clemson is crucial. They could very easily lose their last four games. That would put them at 18-12 going into the ACC Tournament.

    If Miami beats Clemson and somehow splits the last four games. They would likely be in the tournament. They will also get a chance at a boost in their first game in the ACC tournament. Miami is currently tied for eighth with Virginia Tech (who they would play if the tournament started this weekend), a game a half ahead of Wake Forest who is 11th in the ACC.

    Next: Miami Hurricanes Suspend Ja’Quan Newton for Three Games

    The bottom six teams in the conference tournament have to win two games just to get to the quarterfinals. Finishing in the top nine would at least give the Hurricanes a first round bye. With two weeks remaining in the regular season and over three weeks remaining until the NCAA Tournament pairings are announced, the Hurricanes still have some work to do.

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