Each March, for a handful of unlucky teams, Selection Sunday becomes Rejection Sunday.
They gather together to watch the unveiling of the NCAA tournament bracket only to endure the anguish of their school’s name not popping up.
In a welcome surprise, this year’s biggest snubs didn’t exclusively hail from outside the five football power leagues and the Big East. In fact, the highest-profile bubble team left out of the NCAA tournament was an ACC traditional power many expected to not only make the field of 68 but avoid the First Four.
Louisville was the most high-profile at-large candidate left out of the field, passed over in favor of the likes of UCLA, Wichita State, Drake and Utah State.