Sayonara, Seminoles
I wouldn't have thought this before this afternoon - but Florida State isn't looking good right now.
The Seminoles, who fell 78-68 to last-place Wake Forest in the first round of the ACC tournament, entered the game needing a win to feel secure about their place in the NCAA tourney field.
They had to feel pretty good coming in - with a triumph over Miami in their season finale following a huge victory over then-top-ranked Duke earlier last week.
That left FSU at 19-8 overall and 9-7 in the ACC - but it also left them a middling 56th in the latest RPI.
That number is not going to be helped by a loss to 107th-rated Wake Forest.
Another problem is going to be the upset fever that seems to have taken hold this week. Syracuse, apparently in need of a win or two in the Big East tourney to get off the bubble and into the Big Dance, got what they needed and more with heart-pounding wins over Cincinnati and Syracuse in the last two days.
Then there was the surprise defeat of George Washington by Temple in the A-10 tourney - ostensibly taking another at-large bid off the table.
And it's not even Friday yet. A lot can and likely will happen between now and Selection Sunday.
But hey, it's not like the 'Noles can complain. All they had to do was beat the 12 seed in a 12-team tournament, and they were in like Flynn.
Happy NIT'ing.
- Chris Graham