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Bracketology: Noles projected as No. 3 seed after UNC loss

By Kelvin Hunt

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: A view of a hallway leading toward the team entrance area prior to the game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Duke Blue Devils during the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament East Regional Final at Capital One Arena on March 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: A view of a hallway leading toward the team entrance area prior to the game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Duke Blue Devils during the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament East Regional Final at Capital One Arena on March 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /
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No. 11 FSU basketball (14-4, 10-3 ACC) is coming off a disappointing loss in their last outing against North Carolina, who lost Monday night against Syracuse.

A win there would have guaranteed the Noles back-to-back ACC Regular Season titles for the first time in history.

I thought the North Carolina loss would cost the Noles in the NCAA Tournament seedings, but teams ranked ahead of them lost, which helped their cause. The Noles have two games remaining against Boston College and Notre Dame.

Those are two games oddsmakers expect the Noles to win, with Senior night taking place Wednesday with the Noles hosting Boston College.

The Noles are projected as the No. 3 seed in this week’s Bracketology by ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. Lunardi has the Noles taking on No. 14 UNC-Greensboro in the Region 3 bracket hosted in Indianapolis.

If these projections hold(they likely won’t), the Noles would have a realistic shot of making the Sweet 16 with a potential showdown with No. 2 seed Ohio State. Baylor is the No. 1 seed in that projected bracket.

The Noles should receive a double-bye in the ACC Tournament and will likely be favorites to win. If they win their two remaining games and win the ACC Tournament, the Noles might sneak up to a No. 2 seed.

What would happen should the Noles lose any of their remaining games? It’s likely they would fall off the No. 3 projection since the ACC isn’t an elite conference in 2021.

There are only six ACC teams projected to make the NCAA Tournament in the latest Bracketology. The key to FSU basketball is consistency. They have the talent to compete with any team in the country, but their propensity to relax for stretches and play sloppy and careless are a concern.

Here’s to hoping Leonard Hamilton can use the loss against North Carolina as a teaching moment so the team can get hot at the right time.

Next. Leonard Hamilton Receives 5-Year Contract Extension. dark

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