Which Nuggets will be watching the bubble on selection Sunday?
By Ben Handler
The NBA takes a bit of a backseat Sunday evening as the bracket is revealed for the men’s NCAA tournament. Selection Sunday is practically a national holiday, as people across the world rush to fill out their brackets and take part in March Madness.
I’m sure after the Nuggets wrap up their game with the Mavericks, some of the players will rush to the screen to see if their school made the field, or what seed they earned. Including the two-way guys, Denver has 16 players who played Division I college basketball.
Nikola Jokic from Serbia and Vlatko Cancar from Slovenia are the only players who came from overseas and didn’t attend a college in the United States. Here’s a look at all the schools represented by the Nuggets, and whether they have a chance to go dancing or not.
Tournament locks
Kentucky (Jamal Murray): Kentucky didn’t have a great year by their own lofty standards, but they are a lock to make the field and have multiple NBA prospects.
Kansas (Christian Braun): Another team that had a down year by their standards. The Jayhawks are still a lock to make the tournament and will likely secure a top 5 seed.
Arizona (Aaron Gordon & Zeke Nnaji): The Wildcats had a couple of letdowns late in the season, but still had a great year and should be in line for a top 2 seed.
Gonzaga (Julian Strawther): The Zags also took a step back this season and lost their conference regular and postseason to St. Mary’s. But they’ll be dancing like usual this season.
Clemson (Hunter Tyson): The Tigers had a good year and benefitted from the ACC being fairly weak this season. They’ve won enough games to secure their spot.
Alabama (Braxton Key): The Tide rolled in one of the best conferences in the country, and will surely be in the field despite bowing out early in the SEC Tournament.
Bubble watch:
Virginia (Jay Huff & Braxton Key): When the Cavaliers lose it looks gruesome with their slow-paced defensive style. But it does help them win a lot of games by controlling the tempo. They may have done just enough to get in, but bid-stealing schools like NC State may boot them out.
Texas A&M (DeAndre Jordan): A&M had some impressive wins in the conference tourney to boost their resume, including knocking out Kentucky for their fifth win in a row. That should be enough to get them in, but all these low-seeds winning conference tournaments have made things dicey.
Villanova (Collin Gillespie): It’s been a rough year for Nova, and their OT loss to Marquette in the Big East Tournament was probably the final nail in their coffin. Still, they’ve got an outside shot.
No chance
Boston College (Reggie Jackson): The Eagles had a decent year, but not nearly enough for a tourney bid in a weak ACC.
Missouri (Michael Porter Jr.): The Tigers were basically the watering can of the SEC this season.
UCLA (Peyton Watson): It was a rough year for the Bruins as they finished the campaign with a losing record. So long, Pac-12!
Washington (Justin Holiday): Another disappointing Pac-12 team that will be starting next year with a new coach in a new conference.
Penn State & Siena (Jalen Pickett): Sorry Jalen, but neither of these schools has a shot.