Arizona State basketball on NCAA Tournament bubble in 2023 March Madness projections
March Madness #MarchMadness
The Arizona State basketball team has some work to do to make the NCAA Tournament, according to the latest projections for March Madness.
But Bobby Hurley’s team still has a chance after its amazing buzzer-beater upset of Arizona on Saturday.
Recent bracket predictions for the men’s college basketball national championship tournament have ASU still on the bubble to earn a berth in the elite postseason tourney.
Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.
Can the Sun Devils (20-9 overall, 11-7 in Pac-12) play their way into the tournament?
They have games remaining at UCLA (Thursday) and at USC (Saturday) before the Pac-12 Tournament, which runs from March 8 through March 11.
Here’s the latest NCAA Tournament projections for the Arizona State men’s basketball team:
More:Arizona State’s shot vs. Arizona: ‘Ball don’t lie,’ ‘karma’ help Sun Devils stun Wildcats
ESPN: Arizona State last team in NCAA Tournament field
Joe Lunardi has the Sun Devils as a No. 11 seed in the Midwest, facing another No. 11 seed, Wisconsin in a First Four game with the winner advancing to play No. 6 seed Kentucky in the East Region.
He wrote: “It really is a game of inches — or, more accurately, seconds. Arizona State’s Desmond Cambridge Jr. hits a 60-foot buzzer-beater to shock Arizona — in Tucson, for the extra exclamation point — and suddenly the Sun Devils are the last team in the projected field instead of outside the cut line. The margins are indeed that thin in late February and into March, when fortunes turn in less than a second. Which is why we watch, of course, and perhaps it’s the perfect coda to this final bracket of February.”
Inside the Hall: ASU sneaks into NCAA Tournament bracket after upset win
Andy Bottoms has Arizona State as a No. 11 seed in the South Region and playing No. 11 seed Mississippi State in a First Four game with the winner then facing No. 6 Northwestern.
He wrote: “A miracle shot gave the Sun Devils a massive road win at Arizona and vaulted them back into the field. ASU is now 9-8 in the top two quadrants, with several of those victories coming in road/neutral games where they are 10-4. A Q4 overtime loss at Texas Southern looms large, but the Sun Devils can bolster their case with games at UCLA and USC this weekend.”
More:Arizona State’s case for NCAA postseason improves, but two big challenges remain
CBS Sports: Sun Devils in ‘first four out’ for NCAA Tournament berth
Jerry Palm lists ASU in his “first four out” after their win over Arizona. it’s an improvement, he didn’t have them there before being the game against the Wildcats.
NCAA.com: ASU just out of NCAA Tournament field
Andy Katz also puts the Sun Devils in the “first four out” for an NCAA Tournament March Madness berth after the team’s win over Arizona.
USA TODAY Sports: ASU among ‘first four out’ for March Madness
The site has Arizona State, along with North Carolina, Michigan and Utah State as the teams in the “first four out” category for the tournament. Before ASU’s win over Arizona, the Sun Devils had been in the “next four out” group behind that group.
More:Arizona State stuns rival Arizona with half-court shot by Desmond Cambridge
Sporting News: ASU on cusp of NCAA Tournament berth
Bill Bender puts Bobby Hurley’s team in the “first four out” group of the tournament heading into the final week of the Pac-12 regular season.”
Teamrankings.com: Arizona State has a 47% chance to earn spot in NCAA Tournament field
The Sun Devils have a 4% shot at being the Pac-12’s automatic bid in the tournament. They have an 44% shot at getting an at-large bid, according to the site.
Last week, the Sun Devils were given a 12% shot to earn a spot in the field by the site.
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona State basketball’s NCAA Tournament odds rise after upset win over Arizona