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LEXINGTON — Kentucky basketball couldn't have ended the regular season with less momentum.
A loss to Texas A&M in its road finale. Then, a setback to Florida on senior day at Rupp Arena.
But the NCAA Tournament projections for UK and coach Mark Pope have remained fairly steady.
As of March 8, the Wildcats' average seed on Bracket Matrix is 6.89. That's down slightly from their 6.24 average March 3, prior to the loss to the Aggies.
Through games on March 8, Kentucky's NET ranking was 27, one spot lower than last week.
Bracketologists.com, which seeds its bracket using NET rankings alone, updated its projections March 8 and slotted the Wildcats as a 7-seed; the site predicted a rematch with Indiana, which UK beat in Lexington on Dec. 13. Bracketville released its newest bracket March 9 and has Kentucky as the West Region's 6-seed, traveling to San Diego to meet 11th-seeded Miami-Ohio — college basketball's last unbeaten team.
Here's a look at Kentucky's NCAA Tournament résumé as of March 9, as well as projections from a variety of national outlets:
NET ranking: 28
KenPom ranking: 27
Quad 1 record: 5-10
Quad 2 record: 5-2
Quad 3 record: 3-0
Quad 4 record: 6-0
ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi's newest projections went live March 8. He has UK as a 7-seed in the Midwest Region. Lunardi forecasts Kentucky heading to Philadelphia to battle 10th-seeded Iowa.
CBS Sports published its latest bracketology piece March 9. CBS also has the Wildcats in the Midwest and taking on the Hawkeyes in Round 1. The difference between ESPN and CBS? The latter has UK down one seed line (No. 8) and Iowa up one (No. 9).
USA TODAY's Paul Myerberg, Erick Smith and Eddie Timanus combined to create a bracket for the network, which was released before games tipped off March 7. USA TODAY had UK as a 6-seed, heading to Portland for the first round. The site projected Kentucky awaiting the winner of a First Four matchup between 11-seeds SMU and New Mexico.
The SEC Tournament is on tap for Kentucky this week.
UK, the 9-seed, plays in the event's opening game at 12:30 p.m. ET Wednesday. It will face the No. 16 seed, last-place LSU. The Wildcats won the only regular-season matchup with the Tigers, as freshman center Malachi Moreno sank the game-winning jumper at the buzzer in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Jan. 14.
If Kentucky wins, it seals a spot in the second round opposite No. 8-seed Missouri at 12:30 p.m. Thursday. Another UK victory clinches a berth in the quarterfinals, where top-seeded Florida would await at 1 p.m. Friday.
Regardless of how UK fares in the league tournament, it's merely a precursor to Selection Sunday. This year's NCAA Tournament bracket will be revealed at 6 p.m. Sunday on CBS.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky basketball March Madness projections, UK NCAA Tournament
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A loss to Texas A&M in its road finale. Then, a setback to Florida on senior day at Rupp Arena.
But the NCAA Tournament projections for UK and coach Mark Pope have remained fairly steady.
As of March 8, the Wildcats' average seed on Bracket Matrix is 6.89. That's down slightly from their 6.24 average March 3, prior to the loss to the Aggies.
Through games on March 8, Kentucky's NET ranking was 27, one spot lower than last week.
Bracketologists.com, which seeds its bracket using NET rankings alone, updated its projections March 8 and slotted the Wildcats as a 7-seed; the site predicted a rematch with Indiana, which UK beat in Lexington on Dec. 13. Bracketville released its newest bracket March 9 and has Kentucky as the West Region's 6-seed, traveling to San Diego to meet 11th-seeded Miami-Ohio — college basketball's last unbeaten team.
Here's a look at Kentucky's NCAA Tournament résumé as of March 9, as well as projections from a variety of national outlets:
Kentucky basketball's resume, NET ranking
NET ranking: 28
KenPom ranking: 27
Quad 1 record: 5-10
Quad 2 record: 5-2
Quad 3 record: 3-0
Quad 4 record: 6-0
Where ESPN projects Kentucky basketball in NCAA Tournament
ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi's newest projections went live March 8. He has UK as a 7-seed in the Midwest Region. Lunardi forecasts Kentucky heading to Philadelphia to battle 10th-seeded Iowa.
CBS Sports Kentucky basketball bracketology for NCAA Tournament
CBS Sports published its latest bracketology piece March 9. CBS also has the Wildcats in the Midwest and taking on the Hawkeyes in Round 1. The difference between ESPN and CBS? The latter has UK down one seed line (No. 8) and Iowa up one (No. 9).
UK basketball bracketology from USA TODAY Sports
USA TODAY's Paul Myerberg, Erick Smith and Eddie Timanus combined to create a bracket for the network, which was released before games tipped off March 7. USA TODAY had UK as a 6-seed, heading to Portland for the first round. The site projected Kentucky awaiting the winner of a First Four matchup between 11-seeds SMU and New Mexico.
What's next for Kentucky basketball
The SEC Tournament is on tap for Kentucky this week.
UK, the 9-seed, plays in the event's opening game at 12:30 p.m. ET Wednesday. It will face the No. 16 seed, last-place LSU. The Wildcats won the only regular-season matchup with the Tigers, as freshman center Malachi Moreno sank the game-winning jumper at the buzzer in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Jan. 14.
If Kentucky wins, it seals a spot in the second round opposite No. 8-seed Missouri at 12:30 p.m. Thursday. Another UK victory clinches a berth in the quarterfinals, where top-seeded Florida would await at 1 p.m. Friday.
Regardless of how UK fares in the league tournament, it's merely a precursor to Selection Sunday. This year's NCAA Tournament bracket will be revealed at 6 p.m. Sunday on CBS.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky basketball March Madness projections, UK NCAA Tournament
Continue reading...
