How historic upset Saturday in college basketball affects 2022 NCAA Tournament

Saturday was a history-making day in the sport of college basketball. The landscape of the sport was shaken, as the top six teams in the nation suffered a loss on the same day in advance of the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

Now, the attention turns to the after-effects of Gonzaga, Arizona, Auburn, Purdue, Kansas and Kentucky suffering losses in the same day. Luckily, ESPN’s college basketball expert Joe Lunardi laid out the implications.

First, Lunardi stated the the No. 1 seeds won’t look too different leaving Saturday as they did going into the day.

“We ended almost exactly where we started,” revealed Lunardi. “The top three teams on the morning seed list — Gonzaga, Arizona and Kansas — all lost major road games in hostile environments. Three of the teams in the best position to supplant them — Kentucky, Purdue and Texas Tech — suffered the same fate.

“At the end of the carnage, Baylor was the only top-10 team to improve its seed. The Bears began the day sixth overall and ended up fourth overall. That gives the defending NCAA champions the final 1-seed. Just don’t write it in ink. Baylor visits Texas on Big Monday.”

Additionally, while the losses were shocking, Lunardi stated that the damage to their tournament resumes will be minimal.

“Auburn, Kentucky and Purdue all slipped a single spot on the seed list,” wrote Lunardi. “The only seed to change was Auburn, which fell from fourth overall to fifth and a No. 2 seed in the bracket. Kentucky and Purdue only slid within the 2-seeds. So the so-called damage was relative and, in essence, minimal.

Lunardi: ‘It’s the common and obvious thread connecting all of Saturday’s upsets.’

Continuing, Lunardi stated that Gonzaga’s loss won’t hurt them bad in the long run.

“Some will say Gonzaga suffered the worst loss in the top 10, but only if they’ve never been to Moraga,” wrote Lunardi. “The Zags stay right where they started, joining a long list of marquee programs to be reminded of the two worst four-letter words in the sport: road game. It’s the common and obvious thread connecting all of Saturday’s upsets.”

Finally, the highest-ranked team to get a win Saturday was No. 7 Duke. Additionally, they did so on the road in a hostile environment — something no one above them could do. Lunardi stated it could do wonders for their standing in the top ten, and the NCAA Tournament.

“Not only did the Blue Devils win, they did so on the road, a feat to be celebrated under the circumstances,” wrote Lunardi. “They also looked the part of a No. 1 seed. The problem for Duke is that, no matter how impressive it plays down the stretch, it cannot match the résumé wins of the non-ACC powers this year.

“There could be considerable momentum behind the Blue Devils, especially given the Coach K angle, but it should tell us something that Duke — despite being the only winner on the top two lines — leapfrogged just a single team in the seed list. The Blue Devils and Purdue swapped the seventh and eighth positions. It was a day to cherish, not build a new bracket. At least not yet.”