Syracuse, Missouri Seek Improbable NCAA Bids
![Syracuse has been to he Final Four five times under head coach Jim Boeheim.](https://d.ibtimes.com.au/en/full/1799781/syracuse-has-been-he-final-four-five-times-under-head-coach-jim-boeheim.jpg?w=736&f=f41073ca89b97eaf9041ba9ac88340f3)
Many college basketball teams have no chance to participate in March Madness without winning their conference tournament, but a few long shots have taken one step toward earning an unlikely bid to the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Syracuse was shockingly dominant in their first game of the ACC Tournament, handing Florida State a 96-57 loss. Boston College pulled off an 82-77 overtime upset over Wake Forest, a likely NCAA Tournament team. Missouri advanced in the SEC Tournament by defeating Ole Miss Wednesday.
What are the odds that any of those teams make the 2022 NCAA Tournament?
BetMGM gives Syracuse 20/1 odds to win the ACC Championship, which would come with an automatic NCAA Tournament bid. Boston College is the biggest remaining long shot in the ACC with 33/1 odds. Missouri's quest to win the SEC Tournament is deemed a near impossibility with 250/1 odds.
Updated ACC betting at @BetMGM
— John Ewing _ (@johnewing) March 10, 2022
Duke -145
UNC 600
VaTech 800
Miami 900
ND 1000
UVA 1400
Cuse 2000
BC 3300
Highest Ticket%: North Carolina 30.2%
Highest Handle%: Duke 80.5%
Biggest Liability: Duke
If Syracuse can win its next game, the Orange will have a real shot at making it to March Madness. However, the team’s NCAA Tournament hopes are likely to be erased by Thursday afternoon.
Syracuse takes on Duke Thursday in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals. Buddy Boeheim, Syracuse’s best player and the ACC’s leading scorer, won’t play because of a one-game suspension for punching a Florida State player in the stomach. In their two regular-season meetings, Duke beat Syracuse by a total of 45 points.
Duke is favored by 15.5 points over Syracuse. The Orange are 16-16 on the season.
Boston College is a 7.5-point underdog against Miami in Thursday’s quarterfinal matchup. The Eagles overcame greater odds Wednesday, upsetting Wake Forest as 10-point underdogs.
After an 11-19 season, Boston College has won two straight ACC Tournament games. The Eagles haven’t won three straight games since early December.
Missouri is an 11.5-point underdog against LSU in their next SEC Tournament game. The Tigers are 12-20 on the season, though they have challenged some of the conference’s top teams. Missouri beat Alabama on Jan. 8 and only lost by a point to Auburn, which was ranked atop the AP Top 25 Poll during their Jan. 25 matchup.
It’s been four years since a team made the NCAA Tournament with a losing record.
![Jim Boeheim Syracuse](https://d.ibtimes.com.au/en/full/213289/jim-boeheim-syracuse.jpg?w=736&f=a24ecc8681e50995cf4b3118243d47cb)
Photo: Getty