ESPN releases updated Bracketology ahead of huge Saturday of college basketball
Ahead of a fantastic Saturday slate of college basketball, Joe Lunardi of ESPN has updated his Bracketology.
Before getting into it, Lunardi wrote an excerpt about one of his more surprising projections — the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Kentucky Wildcats in his Last Four In.
“It’s not every day that we look at the ‘Last Four In’ list and see names like North Carolina and Kentucky. Then again, it’s not every day that two of the top three winningest programs in college basketball history are a combined 2-15 against Quadrant 1 foes,” prefaced Lunardi. “And one of those Q1 victories — North Carolina over Ohio State — came against a team that entered play Thursday with a losing record.
“This is, by any measure, not good for a pair of blue bloods who were projected for the Final Four. Instead, the First Four might be their actual destination. Wow.”
Alas, the disappointing seasons of North Carolina and Kentucky are one of the many storylines in college basketball at the moment, as the 2022-2023 season has been more unpredictable than many believed it would be.
Regardless, below is the full field for Lunardi’s Bracketology, with March Madness just a month away.
ESPN’s Updated NCAA March Madness Bracketology:
Last Four Byes: Nevada, USC, Oklahoma State, Boise State
Last Four In: New Mexico, North Carolina, Kentucky, Texas A&M
First Four Out: Memphis, Wisconsin, Seton Hall, Oregon
Next Four Out: Wake Forest, Utah State, Charleston, Florida
South Region (Louisville)
No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 16 Alcorn State/Fairleigh Dickinson
No. 8 Pittsburgh vs. No. 9 Auburn
No. 5 TCU vs. No 12 Liberty
No. 4 Xavier vs. No. 13 Southern Mississippi
No. 6 Creighton vs. No. 11 Clemson
No. 3 Iowa State vs. No. 14 UC Santa Barbara
No. 7 Maryland vs. No. 10 Nevada
No. 2 UCLA vs. Eastern Washington
West Region (Las Vegas)
No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 16 TAMU-CC
No. 8 Michigan State vs. No. 9 Florida Atlantic
No. 5 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 12 VCU
No. 4 Marquette vs. No. 13 Utah Valley
No. 6 Illinois vs. No. 11 North Carolina/Texas A&M
No. 3 Kansas State vs. No. 14 Colgate
No. 7 San Diego State vs. No. 10 USC
No. 2 Texas vs. No. 15 UNC Asheville
Midwest Region (Kansas City)
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 16 UMES/Morehead State
No. 8 NC State vs. No. 9 Northwestern
No. 5 Indiana vs. No. 12 Oral Roberts
No. 4 Gonzaga vs. No. 13 Drake
No. 6 Rutgers vs. No. 11 Boise State
No. 3 Virginia vs. No. 14 Princeton
No. 7 Duke vs. No. 10 Missouri
No. 2 Kansas vs. No. 15 Youngstown State
East Region (New York)
No. 1 Houston vs. No. 16 Rider
No. 8 Arkansas vs. No. 9 West Virginia
No. 5 Miami vs. No. 12 Kent State
No. 4 UConn vs. No. 13 Hofstra
No. 6 Iowa vs. No. 11 New Mexico/Kentucky
No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 14 Furman
No. 7 Providence vs. No. 10 Oklahoma State
No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 15 Vermont