FSU Basketball: Noles Still Ranked High In NCAA Tournament Predictions

FSU basketball got their 20th win of the season this weekend and is still getting love as one of the top seeds in the latest tournament predictions.

With Sunday’s blowout win over the Clemson Tigers, FSU basketball did something they hardly ever get done this early in the year – the Seminoles got their 20th win of the season and came even closer to cementing their first NCAA Tournament berth since the 2011-12 season.

The Seminoles have seven games left in the regular season (just two against ranked teams) and can enhance their seeding in the postseason party with each and every additional win. The ‘Noles have never been seeded higher than third in the tournament – a distinction the program has done three times in the 11 tournaments they have been in since the field started to be seeded.

According to some of the top bracket experts across the country, FSU basketball is sitting in a position to not only reach that mark – but maybe even do better. Let’s start with ESPN’s Bracketology expert Joe Linardi, who has the Seminoles starting off close to home:

"East Region First Round (Orlando)No. 3 FLORIDA STATE vs. No. 14 Florida Gulf CoastNo. 6 St. Mary’s vs. No. 11 Middle Tennessee State"

If the ‘Noles get out of the first two rounds, they would head to New York City for the next two rounds – meeting the other top seeds in the region barring upsets (No. 1 Villanova, No. 2 Arizona and No. 4 Cincinnati). Linardi also has 12 other teams in the 68 squad field who the Seminoles have played so far this season.

Over at FOX Sports, Stewart Mandel has FSU basketball in the similar region and starting off in the same location, but gives them slightly more love:

"East Region First Round (Orlando)No. 2 FLORIDA STATE vs. No. 15 UNC-AshevilleNo. 7 Xavier vs. No. 10 Michigan"

Florida State Seminoles Basketball

Mandel thinks that Villanova will also be the top seed in the East Region, but believes No. 3 will go to West Virginia and No.4 to UCLA – while also thinking a dozen of the Seminoles’ opponents this season will head to the Big Dance.

CBS Sports thinks the Seminoles will head to the South Region as the No. 2 seed, facing No. 15 East Tennessee State in the opener in Orlando and playing the winner of No. 7 Xavier / No. 10 Michigan State in the second round if they advance. That region’s next rounds would be played in Memphis with No. 1 Baylor, No. 3 UCLA and No. 4 Creighton filling out those top seeds.

Finally, NBC Sports’ College Basketball Talk has the Seminoles as a No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region opening in Orlando against No. 15 Bucknell before facing No. 7 Northwestern / No. 10 California in the next round. If they advance, the next weekend would be in Kansas City with likely foes No. 1 Kansas, No. 3 Arizona and No. 4 Wisconsin.