Kentucky projected as a No. 1 seed in updated ESPN Bracketology

Is it ever too early for a little March Madness bracket talk? It probably is for you and I, but for ESPN and Joe Lunardi, it is always Bracketology time.

With practice officially underway for the Kentucky Wildcats and Big Blue Madness only days away now, the time is getting closer that we will see this new-look Cats take the court in a meaningful basketball game at Rupp Arena.

After four impressive games in the Bahamas, Lunardi still has the Cats as the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region. That first round matchup would take place close to Lexington in Columbus (OH).

For the first weekend, Lunardi is projecting that Kentucky would face the winner of Nicholls State and Howard. The Cats actually open the regular-season against the Bison as well. With a win, they would then face off against the winner of UConn and Virginia Tech.

The other No. 1 seeds, according to Lunardi, would be Gonzaga (as the first overall), North Carolina, and Houston.

Kentucky will be seeking its first NCAA Tournament win since 2019 this season, and earning a top-seed definitely helps in the quest to secure that victory.

It is still super early, but once again folks across the country see the Cats as a national title contender.