Miami basketball bracketology ahead of hosting Florida State

The Miami basketball team enters their game Saturday against Florida State with wins in 10 of its last 11 games. Florida State defeated Miami 65-64 in Tallahassee on January 22 for the only loss by the Hurricanes since December 1. The surge by Miami has them in the discussion for an NCAA Tournament berth.

Joe Lunardi of ESPN and Jerry Palm of CBS Sports, the two primary college basketball bracketologists have the Miami basketball team in their most recent NCAA Tournament brackets posted on Friday. Lunardi has the Hurricanes on the rise as an eight seed in the East Region against Colorado State.

The projection by Lunardi is that game would be played in San Diego opposite the top seed in the region Arizona. Colorado State is 14-1 this season in their fourth year coached by Niko Medved. Lunardi has Arizona playing Troy in the first round. The Wildcats are 15-1, lead the Pac 12 and are ranked third nationally.

Miami takes a 14-4 overall record and 6-1, first in the ACC into the game Saturday against Florida State. Florida State is 12-5 overall and 5-2 in the ACC. A victory by Florida State would put the Seminoles in first place in the ACC after a season sweep of the Miami basketball team. Miami has an eight-game losing streak versus FSU.

Miami last defeated Florida State 80-74 in 2018. While Miami has struggled the previous seasons with injuries, Florida State has become one of the most consistent programs in the country. Florida State has advanced to the Sweet 16 in each of the last three NCAA Tournaments. The Seminoles won the ACC in 2020.

Palm has Miami as the eighth seed in the Midwest Region against San Francisco in Greenville, South Carolina. San Francisco is 15-4 overall and 2-2 in fifth place in the West Coast Conference. The Dons lost its last two WCC games to BYU and Gonzaga. San Francisco has non-conference losses to Grand Canyon and Loyola.

If Miami defeats San Francisco, Palm has Auburn as the number one seed against the First Four winner between North Carolina-Wilmington and Southern as the potential second-round opponent. The Midwest Regional is in Chicago. Miami has never played an NCAA Tournament game in Greenville or San Diego.

The furthest West Miami played an NCAA Tournament game was 93-80 loss as a five seed to 12th seeded Missouri in 2002 in Albuquerque. Miami last played in the 2018 NCAA Tournament where they lost in the first round in Dallas as a sixth seed to 11th seed and eventual South Regional Champion Loyola.

Saturday is a key game for the Miami basketball team. Florida State, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest are the only games remaining on the Miami schedule against teams ranked higher than them in the NCAA Net Ratings. The Hurricanes defeated the Demon Deacons to begin 2022. Miami plays at Wake Forest on February 12.

Miami is currently 66th in the Net Ratings. The Hurricanes moved up significantly after their victory over North Carolina on Tuesday. Miami is 9-1 at home this season, 1-2 against teams in quadrant one and 4-2 versus quad two opponents. Defeating the higher-ranked teams will help improve a potential NCAA seed.