Kentucky is a consensus No. 3 seed in NCAA Tournament projections

Heading into this week’s SEC Tournament, Kentucky is a consensus No. 3 seed in the latest NCAA Tournament projections.

The ‘Cats have fluctuated up and down from a No. 2 and a No. 3 seed over the last month, and seem to be settling into the No. 3 seed unless they can make a big run in Hoover. D1Baseball and On3’s projections have Kentucky off the bubble and presumably locked into its third consecutive NCAA Tournament, but 11point7 has the ‘Cats among the “Last Four In.”

Kentucky remains the No. 3 in the Corvallis Regional in On3’s projections, paired with No. 1 Oregon State (No. 9 overall seed), No. 2 UC Irvine and No. 4 San Diego. Oregon State traveled to Lexington for the 2024 Super Regional and fell to the ‘Cats in two games.

D1Baseball has moved Kentucky from a No. 2 to a No. 3 seed in the Conway Regional, joined by No. 1 Coastal Carolina, No. 2 NC State and No. 4 USC Upstate.

Finally, 11point7 has the ‘Cats as the No. 3 seed in the Chapel Hill Regional, paired with No. 1 North Carolina, No. 2 Northeastern and No. 4 Bryant. Northeastern may just be the most dangerous mid-major in the entire field, as it boasts a 45-9 record this season.

Before locking up with No. 12 seed Oklahoma in the First Round of the SEC Tournament on Tuesday, Kentucky boasts a 29-23 (13-17) record with an RPI of No. 36. It has a non-conference RPI of No. 50, a ninth ranked strength of schedule and a 187th ranked non-conference strength of schedule. Finally, the ‘Cats are 8-18 vs. 1-25 RPI teams, 4-1 vs. 26-50 RPI teams, 7-2 vs. 51-100 RPI teams and 10-2 vs. 101-200 RPI teams.

Nick Mingione’s team should be safe no matter the result in Hoover, but a definitive win over the Sooners on Tuesday would cast away all possibilities that the ‘Cats are left on the bubble. They should still be fine heading into the Selection Show with a 29-24 (13-17) record, but the program may be a bit on edge until it hears its name called.

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