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Miami Hurricanes Stay a Six Seed in Latest Bracketology

By Alan Rubenstein

Mar 17, 2017; Tulsa, OK, USA; Miami Hurricanes guard Davon Reed (5) shoots over Michigan State Spartans guard Alvin Ellis III (3) during the second half in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2017; Tulsa, OK, USA; Miami Hurricanes guard Davon Reed (5) shoots over Michigan State Spartans guard Alvin Ellis III (3) during the second half in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Joe Lunardi’s post NBA Draft deadline keeps the Miami Hurricanes as a sixth seed in the latest ESPN bracketology.

Lunardi updated his bracket on June 1, eight days after the deadline for players to remove their names from the NBA Draft. He kept the Miami Hurricanes as a sixth seed but moved them from the South to the East region. He still has the Hurricanes playing the winner of one of the First Four games in Dayton.

Lunardi projects that Miami will face the winner of St. Bonaventure and Arkansas. The Bonnies have not appeared in the NCAA Tournament since 2012. They lost their opening round game to Florida State as a 14 seed that season.

That was St. Bonaventure’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 12 years and just their second in the previous 34. They have not won a NCAA Tournament game since advancing to the Final Four in 1970 under Basketball Hall of Famer Bob Lanier.

6Miami

11St. Bonaventure / 11Arkansas

3West Virginia

14OAKLAND

Arkansas won their first-round game against Seton Hall last year. They gave National Champion North Carolina everything they could handle in the second round.

The Razorbacks came back from a 15 point first half deficit and eventually took a five-point lead with 3:28 remaining in the game. North Carolina scored the last 12 points of the game to capture a 72-65 victory.

A win in the first round game for the Hurricanes would set up a meeting with the winner of West Virginia or Oakland. West Virginia reached the Sweet 16 last season before losing to National Runner-up Gonzaga.

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The Mountaineers defeated Miami’s Atlantic Coast Conference Rival Notre Dame in the second round to reach the West Regional Semifinal. West Virginia would be moving up from a four seed in this year’s tournament to a three per Lunardi. Bob Huggins loses several key players. Returning scorer Javon Carter is back this coming season.

Oakland is coming off a 25-9 season but has not been in the NCAA Tournament since the second of back to back appearances in 2011. Their only significant loss from 2017 is forward Jalen Hayes.

Legendary coach Greg Kampe has been at Oakland for 18 years and has a 319-262 record. He has led the Raiders to four regular season conference championships and three tournament titles.

The projected sixth seed has been pretty consistent throughout the postseason for the Hurricanes. That is conflicting with several of the outlets that have Miami ranked as high as 11th in the too early preseason top 25.

Next: Miami Hurricanes 2017-18 Non-Conference Basketball Schedule is Out

In his ESPN.Com Insider column (behind a pay wall), Lunardi declared that the official bracketology began “today” (June 1). The transfer market over the summer should still evolve slightly. There are also some undecided high ranking recruits yet to announce where they will be attending college.

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