Teams have two modes on Selection Sunday: Jubilation and utter devastation. There's nothing better than the feeling of getting in as a bubble team -- and nothing more devastating than being one of the teams left off. For every Alabama there's a Baylor, and for every Lipscomb making it in for the first time there's a Louisville being left off.
With that in mind, it's worth looking at the teams making it in, especially teams that defied the odds.
Take Alabama basketball, a bubble team that rode the heroics of Collin Sexton to make its way in. Sexton hit a buzzer-beater against Texas A&M to keep Alabama in contention, before Alabama pulled off an improbable upset against the SEC's No. 1 seed Auburn. Alabama basically had punched its own ticket at that point, but the reaction was in tune with a team with minimal expectations heading into the season.
We’re going DANCING 🕺 🕺 #LetsDance #MarchMadness #SelectionShow #RollTide #BuckleUp pic.twitter.com/Kwtz8Oxyqt
— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) March 11, 2018
Even when you're a lock for the tournament, there's still an air of excitement. North Carolina experienced that when it was announced it would be a No. 2 seed in the West region. Even more exciting? If it plays its best basketball, teams will have a hard time unseating UNC until it would play No. 1 Xavier -- in the Elite Eight.
No. 2 seed in the West Region. Turn up!!!#CarolinaSZN #WhyNot pic.twitter.com/sZsT63ONZj
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) March 11, 2018
UNC fans should be thrilled with this draw. pic.twitter.com/87cnl7j0hs
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) March 11, 2018
The Big Ten is also well-represented in this tournament, with Michigan and Michigan State in particular getting favorable draws.
.@umichbball is headed to Wichita to face Montana in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Let's #GoBlue! #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/NptzTsMmr4
— Michigan Alumni (@michiganalumni) March 11, 2018
1,427 Miles to San Antonio, but @MSU_Basketball only needs one.
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 11, 2018
Midwest Region: No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 14 Bucknell | Detroit, Michigan pic.twitter.com/MhyJkLMXiQ
Big Ten set up nicely in the NIT.
— Dayn Perry (@daynperry) March 11, 2018
Here's a look at some of the other teams as they were announced.
They're in! Let's dance, @OU_MBBall! #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/RgnrZQ78C2
— Univ. of Oklahoma (@UofOklahoma) March 11, 2018
LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/QWTFfz35wi
— Sun Devil MBB (@SunDevilHoops) March 11, 2018
You think the guys wanted to go to Dallas? 🤔 #WreckEm #4To1 #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/050XOKzLZp
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) March 11, 2018
.@UNCGBasketball is ready for the Big Dance! #SelectionSunday #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/j4LhUXZNg4
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 11, 2018
.@PennBasketball is ready to face the Jayhawks! #SelectionSunday #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/246WJT41zu
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 11, 2018
.@HokiesMBB is dancing! #SelectionSunday #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/bwKB3shVve
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 11, 2018
And, of course, the feeling of being the last team in.
That feeling when you’re going dancing pic.twitter.com/VaGEPR2qaR
— Syracuse Basketball (@Cuse_MBB) March 11, 2018
Then, of course, there are the snubs. The teams that battled all season and couldn't quite make it. You often hear that negative emotions have a nasty habit of overpowering positive ones. That goes double for fans.
How does Oklahoma get in, but Notre Dame is out?
— Bryan Sternbergh (@bry_stern) March 11, 2018
notre dame really didn’t make the tournament behind teams like radford
— Pat Guerrieri (@patguerrieri23) March 11, 2018
Lol Syracuse and Arizona state but not Notre Dame😂
— Collin Dreher (@collin_dreher26) March 11, 2018
Someone with zero CBB knowledge would still realize that Notre Dame, USC, and Louisville are objectively better than Syracuse, St. Bonaventure, and Oklahoma. #SelectionSunday
— Jake Peter (@jake_peter_) March 11, 2018
Let's all point and laugh at Louisville and Notre Dame
— Erik, just Erik (@gothlaw) March 11, 2018
USC should’ve been in over Oklahoma
— Alex Whiteside 1⃣7⃣ (@AWhiteside69) March 11, 2018
Bruh the NCAA just don’t like USC period
— Creez (@DreCreez) March 11, 2018
I agree with Charles Barkley - how is Arizona State & Syracuse in & #USC out?!?! Screenshot from @USATODAY article https://t.co/NMnWmnE4Z8 #SelectionSunday USC pic.twitter.com/h1BLR45qlb
— Alexandra Skillman (@AlexandraJo) March 11, 2018
Oklahoma is in, but teams like USC, Notre Dame and Middle Tennessee are not. Crazy. #SelectionSunday
— Michael Gray (@mgrayuga) March 11, 2018
There's a lot to unpack, but there always is on Selection Sunday. For every action there's an equal and opposite reaction. There are going to be a lot of angry fans after today. So please, take it easy on your Notre Dame and USC friends. You're only going to make them angry. And as for teams like Alabama and Syracuse? Your jabs are wasted on them. They'll dance out of the way.