South Carolina bracketology (3/12): Gamecocks' loss to Georgia in SEC Tournament equals a big hit

Depending on your bracketologist of choice, the South Carolina Gamecocks are either directly in the main field of the NCAA Tournament, headed to the First Four in Dayton, or out altogether. Here's the latest bracketology roundup (updated at 11:57 pm on 3/12):

ESPN: Joe Lunardi has the Gamecocks as a last four in team and headed to the First Four in Dayton against Saint Mary's of the West Coast Conference. The winner of that one would be projected to take on sixth-seeded Iowa as an 11 seed in the South region.

SB Nation: Chris Dobbertean has the Gamecocks now as a first four out team. Dobbertean cites the team's poor strength of schedule (271) and their bad losses (Mizzou, Mississippi State, Tennessee) as factors that will see the Gamecocks out altogether.

USA Today: Shelby Mast has the Gamecocks in the First Four matched up against Michigan as a "Last Four In" team. The winner is projected to take on Notre Dame in a 6/11 matchup in the West region and is paired with third seed Indiana and 14th-seeded Middle Tennessee from Conference USA.

Fox Sports: Stewart Mandel has Carolina directly in the field. He slates the Gamecocks as a ten seed in the East region matching up against the Pac-12's Oregon State. They're projected to be paired with two seed West Virginia and 15th-seeded UNC Asheville from the Big South.

CBS Sports: Jerry Palm has the Gamecocks missing the tournament altogether after previously having them as a ten seed.

The sum total: the Gamecocks might be sweating it out either way. But if they miss, the experts won't be pointing to just the loss to UGA, but to the losses to Mizzou, Alabama, Mississippi State, etc - games that should have been wins, but weren't, and might mean the difference between a bid in the field of 68 and a spot in the NIT.

Check back for updates as the latest projections come in through the night.