With Selection Sunday fast approaching, Kentucky basketball finds itself sitting firmly in the NCAA Tournament field. The only question left: What seed will the Wildcats receive? Based on various projections, it looks like Big Blue Nation should be expecting a 3 or 4 seed when the bracket is revealed.
Breaking Down the Projections
Across multiple bracketology sources, Kentucky is consistently landing in the same range:
- TeamRankings: No. 3 seed (third overall among 3-seeds)
- CBS Jerry Palm: No. 2 4 seed.
- Joe Lunardi (ESPN): No. 3 seed, playing No. 14 Robert Morris in Cleveland
- YagoBrackets: No. 3 seed (second-best among 3-seeds)
- BracketOdds: No. 4 seed (third-best among 4-seeds)
While there are slight variations, the consensus is that Kentucky is trending toward a No. 3 seed.
Possible Matchups and Path to the Sweet 16
In Lunardi’s latest bracket, Kentucky would face Robert Morris (14-seed) in Cleveland—a team that historically upset UK in the 2013 NIT but would face an uphill battle in this scenario. If the Wildcats advance, they could face the winner of Illinois (6-seed) vs. San Diego State/Xavier (11-seed play-in game). That’s no cakewalk, but it’s a winnable path to the Sweet 16.
Meanwhile, TeamRankings and YagoBrackets have Kentucky as a 3-seed in the Midwest Region, potentially facing teams like Wisconsin, Kansas, or Tennessee down the road. If Kentucky were to fall to a 4-seed, they could see an early matchup against a dangerous 5-seed like Michigan or Oregon.
Final Thoughts
While there’s always room for movement, the Wildcats look poised for a 3-seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament. Despite the near 30 point loss to Alabama, they have everything to play for.
No matter the number next to their name on Selection Sunday, one thing’s for sure: The Wildcats will be a dangerous team in March. And as Big Blue Nation knows, once the madness begins, anything can happen.