Kentucky basketball bracketology 2025: What seed is UK in NCAA Tournament projections?

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LEXINGTON — Kentucky basketball is not even a third of the way through its 18-game SEC schedule. But barring a collapse in their next 13 regular-season games, the Wildcats and first-year coach Mark Pope won’t be sweating Selection Sunday.

UK’s work to this point in the 2024-25 season would have it safely in the NCAA Tournament if the event started today.

Kentucky is 14-4 overall and 3-2 in conference play.

The Wildcats’ NET ranking is 11 (through Monday’s games). And the biggest factor in their favor: They’re 6-4 in the all-important Quad 1 games, the matchups NCAA selection committee members weigh most heavily when they convene to fill out the bracket in March. UK’s six Quad 1 wins are third most in Division I, trailing Auburn (10) and Oregon (seven).

On Jan. 21, Bracket Matrix projected the Wildcats’ average seed as 2.51, appearing in all 69 of its brackets.

After Monday’s games, BracketWAG.com slotted Kentucky as the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region, squaring off with No. 15 seed South Alabama in the first round. Bracketville, which updated its bracket Tuesday, also has UK as the Midwest Region’s 2-seed, facing No. 15 seed UNC Ashville in a first-round clash in Cleveland. Bracketologists.com, which bases its bracket solely on NET rankings, listed the Wildcats as a 3-seed, tangling with 14-seed UNC Greensboro in the first round.

Here’s a look at Kentucky’s NCAA Tournament résumé as of Thursday morning, as well as projections from a variety of national outlets:

Kentucky basketball’s resume, NET ranking

Dec 21, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope during the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

NET ranking: 11

KenPom ranking: 20

Quad 1 record: 6-4

Quad 2 record: 1-0

Quad 3 record: 1-0

Quad 4 record: 6-0

Where ESPN projects Kentucky basketball in NCAA Tournament

ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi released his latest update Tuesday morning. He tabbed UK as the No. 3…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/kentucky-basketball-bracketology-2025-seed-101715559.html

Author : The Courier Journal

Publish date : 2025-01-23 10:17:00

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