USA Today lists UNC basketball as first team out

The USA Today Sports’ latest mock bracket has the UNC basketball program out of the field of 68.

The UNC basketball program lost another must-win game to save its season on Sunday, dropping a road contest to NC State. The Tar Heels entered that game on the wrong side of the bubble in most mock brackets, and the loss didn’t help their cause.

But how much damage did it do? Apparently, it didn’t drop them far down the list of teams on the bubble.

USA Today Sports released its latest bracket projections ahead of the big week of games. And North Carolina is sitting in the first four out section as team No. 69, making it the first team out of the bracket.

Joining UNC on the bubble are Utah State, Penn State and Texas Tech. Ahead of those teams in the last four in part of the bubble are Southern California, Memphis, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

It’s pretty simple what North Carolina has to do to be considered for the field of 68. With four games left, it needs as many wins as possible plus an ACC Tournament win. If it fails to do that, it will be the first preseason No. 1 team to miss the NCAA Tournament.

The road ahead is tough but it begins Wednesday night at Notre Dame.

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