Sean Miller couldn’t get his ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats in the NCAA Tournament field, nor could he help his brother do the same with Indiana.
But at least the Pac-12 earned three NCAA Tournament bids in exactly the same manner as Miller described last week as a “utopia†scenario — that is, having Oregon win the Pac-12 Tournament, with Washington and ASU gaining at-large bids.
The Ducks were — indicating they would not have made the field if they didn’t beat Washington in the Pac-12 Tournament final — while the  seed and a play-in game for a No. 11 seed.
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“Maybe if a team like Oregon can get all the way to the (Pac-12) championship. … “ Miller said last Monday. “Utopia would be three teams. I sure hope we could get at least two in, but there’s some other conferences that have a pretty good argument.â€
However, Archie Miller’s Indiana team finished 17-15 and despite having six Quadrant 1 wins, a qualification Sean Miller defended Monday.
“He kind of skews the argument toward a team like that,†Sean Miller said of his brother. “I think they played more quad one games than maybe any team in the nation. If you were a team like Indiana, what you would say is like, ‘Man, how couldn’t that have great meaning.'"
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ finished the season 2-8 against teams that made the NCAA Tournament field: The Wildcats lost twice to Oregon and ASU, lost to Washington and Baylor at home, and beat Montana at home. In the Maui Invitational, they beat sixth-seeded Iowa State but lost to Gonzaga and Auburn.Â
THE BRACKET! |
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness)
The hottest team in the Pac-12, if not anywhere, Oregon has a chance to reach the Sweet 16 with a first-round game against Wisconsin in San Jose, just a short flight away. The winner of that game will face the winner between Kansas State and UC Irvine.
No. 12 seeds beat No. 5 seeds making them often a trendy upset pick in NCAA Tournament brackets.