The road to March Madness has been anything but ordinary, with previous reigning teams falling, and underdogs rising to the top. Teams have been fighting for their tournament lives, and North Carolina’s colleges are at the very center of the fight.

North Carolina:

Remember the UNC Basketball team of last March? The team that was ranked No. 1 in the AP preseason poll, has fallen to the outskirts of the bubble. The runner-up of the 2022 NCAA tournament is not even projected to have an at-large bid. After their four-game losing streak to Iowa State, Alabama, Indiana, and Virginia Tech that knocked them out of their No. 1 ranking, the team’s season took a turn for the worse. However, after their upset win against the sixth-ranked Virginia Cavaliers and the Florida State Seminoles, they might just sneak into the tournament. 

Duke:

In a similar sense as the Tar Heels, the Duke basketball team fell as well. After losing Coach K last season, people were unsure of how the Blue Devils would perform. Once ranked No. 7, Duke has become unranked. However, their win over NC State pushes them higher in the ACC seeding. The upsets of their losses to Clemson, Virginia Tech, NC State, and Wake Forest have led to their 11-6 conference record. Although their season has not been what we’re used to, the Blue Devils are projected to have an at-large bid to the tournament. 

NC State:

The Wolfpack has exceeded expectations this season. Peaking at a No. 22 in week 14, the Wolfpack are set to be the No. 7 seed in the South. Their recent wins against the Tar Heels and Wake Forest might get them an at-large bid to the tournament. 

Alabama:

The No. 2 ranked team, Alabama, has turned heads with only one loss in their conference games so far. After a nine-game win streak, the Crimson Tide climbed from the No. 20 in the preseason rankings. They are a favorite to cut down the nets in April, with a 15-1 conference record.

Kansas:

The defending champion Kansas Jayhawks are predicted to be right in the thick of things again this year. Being ranked No. 1 in the Big 12, the team picked up right where they left off last year. An 11-4 conference record has basically guaranteed them a top seed in the NCAA tournament.

March Madness is no doubt going to be full of excitement. And despite lackluster seasons, North Carolina’s colleges are sure to be in the middle of all the madness.