It wasn’t exactly the Final Four anyone was expecting. When the NCAA tournament opened last year, Butler and VCU were an unlikely pairing. Now both of those teams could be grouped together again — and not in the way either wants.
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With less than two weeks left before Selection Sunday, Butler and VCU are in jeopardy of not making the tournament. This shouldn’t be a huge surprise, however. As our Campus Confidential blog pointed out Monday, if these teams fail to make it, this would be the fourth time in the past five years two Final Four participants were denied entry to the field.
Since at-large bids began in 1975, there have been 10 years in which two Final Four teams from the previous season failed to land a spot in the tournament. There have been 12 years when all semifinal teams made it the next year.
Butler (18-13) won’t get in unless it wins the Horizon League tournament (but keep in mind it wasn’t supposed to do much last season either).
But VCU again could be the cause of great consternation over what happens to it on Selection Sunday. The Rams, already with 25 wins, are on the sidelines of most bracket projections. They could end up with 27 wins and still not reach the tourney. However, they are 64th in the RPI — they were 51st a year ago.
VCU coach Shaka Smart wasn’t worried about that right now. His goal: win the CAA tournament and avoid all debate.
“We have five days to prepare for our first CAA game. I don’t know how I feel,” he said on a conference call. “I certainly want to be in NCAA tournament if that’s what you’re asking. We set that goal, and that’s something we want to do. If that didn’t happen, we certainly would be disappointed. But I’m not worried about that. I’m focused on right now. There’s too much past and too much future that’s being thrown at me and our guys, and we’re not having it.”
At least defending champ Connecticut and Final Four participant Kentucky are locks to make the tourney (barring a major Huskies collapse).
But VCU and Butler have work left to do or they’ll be forced to join an unwanted list.
– John Keim
