On the first day of March 2021, two proud basketball programs that have long been fixtures of the tournament found themselves standing at the edge of exclusion. Duke and Michigan State, accustomed to March as a season of certainty, now face a few remaining games that will decide whether their long runs of appearances continue. The shadow of a canceled tournament the year before and a season bent by postponements gives this moment a particular weight, as if the familiar rhythm of March itself is being tested.
Duke and Michigan State Face Long Odds as March Madness Bids Hang in the Balance
Two regulars, a handful of games, and odds well below even
On the first day of March 2021, two proud basketball programs that have long been fixtures of the tournament found themselves standing at the edge of exclusion. Duke and Michigan State, accustomed to March as a season of certainty, now face a few remaining games that will decide whether their long runs of appearances continue. The shadow of a canceled tournament the year before and a season bent by postponements gives this moment a particular weight, as if the familiar rhythm of March itself is being tested.
On the first day of March 2021, the Duke Blue Devils and Michigan State Spartans were still waiting to learn whether they would make the field. Both are regular fixtures of March Madness, and both had stumbled through disappointing seasons with only a few games left to change their fates. The stakes feel heavier this year, after the 2020 tournament was canceled and this season was stretched thin by postponements.
Duke had been surging, winning four straight games with key victories over Virginia and Syracuse. Then Louisville ended the run, and Team Rankings now gives the Blue Devils a 25 percent chance at an at-large bid. They must win both remaining games, against Georgia Tech and the rival North Carolina Tar Heels, or risk ending a 24-year streak of appearances.
Michigan State's story has been one of sharp turns. Three consecutive statement wins over Indiana, Illinois and Ohio State lifted the Spartans, only for a humbling 18-point loss to Maryland to undercut that momentum. Its odds sit slightly higher, at 30 percent, but the remaining schedule is unforgiving: a rematch with Indiana and two games against rival Michigan, which are likely losses. Unless Michigan State pulls off a major upset, its 22-year tournament streak is in jeopardy.
Both programs now stand in the same uncertain place, a handful of games away from deciding whether their long March traditions survive.
On the first day of March 2021, two of college basketball's most dependable tournament teams were still waiting to find out whether they would be part of the field at all. The Duke Blue Devils and the Michigan State Spartans, both regulars in March Madness, had put together surprisingly poor seasons, and each had only a few games left to change the picture.
The timing carries extra weight. The 2020 tournament was canceled because of COVID-19, and this season has been stretched out by repeated postponements. With the 2021 edition only a few weeks away, the anticipation is higher than usual, which makes the possible absence of two historic programs more noticeable.
Duke had been rolling. The Blue Devils won four straight games, including significant victories over the Virginia Cavaliers and the Syracuse Orange. The Louisville Cardinals ended that run on Saturday. According to Team Rankings, Duke now has a 25 percent chance of landing an at-large bid.
Two games remain, and the Blue Devils need to win both to keep a real shot. The first is against the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets, set for tomorrow. The second is the finale against the North Carolina Tar Heels, a classic rivalry game. If Duke falls short, it risks ending a 24-year streak of tournament appearances.
Michigan State's recent stretch looked similar until it didn't. The Spartans strung together three consecutive statement wins, over the Indiana Hoosiers, the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Then they lost to the Maryland Terrapins by 18 points, an embarrassing result that threatens the momentum they had built.
Team Rankings puts Michigan State's at-large chances at 30 percent, slightly ahead of Duke's. The schedule, though, is less forgiving. The Spartans play Indiana again, then face rival Michigan twice. According to the source's assessment, they will be the second favorite in both of those games and are likely to lose them, which would hurt their qualification hopes further.
That leaves Michigan State's own 22-year tournament streak in danger unless the team pulls off a major upset. Both programs are in the same position: a handful of games, odds well below even, and a long record of appearances on the line. Duke's matchups with Georgia Tech and North Carolina, and Michigan State's trio against Indiana and Michigan, will decide whether either streak survives.
Citazioni salienti
Duke needs to win both remaining games, against Georgia Tech and North Carolina, to stand a chance at qualifying.— Essentially Sports
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