How did ESPN’s bracketology view Kentucky’s win at West Virginia?
Kentucky’s come-from-way-way-behind win at West Virginia didn't move the needle as far as Joe Lunardi is concerned.
ESPN’s resident bracketologist has the Cats as a No. 5 seed in his latest brackets, released Monday.
Lunardi has Kentucky in the South Region, opening in Dallas against the winner of a No. 12 seed play-in game between North Carolina State and Boise State in Dayton. According to the prospective bracket, Virginia would be the No. 1 seed in the South, followed by Michigan State at No. 2, Cincinnati at No. 3 and West Virginia at No. 4.
If that were happen -- there’s a long time between now and Selection Sunday -- then John Calipari’s joke/prediction Saturday that the NCAA would find a way to put the Cats and Mountaineers in the same bracket would be true.
[Still angry for UK-Florida non-call?]
Lunardi has Western Kentucky among his “first four out” selections. He has Louisville as the No. 6 seed in the South.
He has seven SEC teams making the field of 68. They are:
▪ Auburn, No. 2 in the East
▪ Tennessee, No. 4 in the West
▪ Kentucky, No. 5 in the South
▪ Florida, No. 5 in the East
▪ Arkansas, No. 9 in the East
▪ Alabama, No. 9 in the Midwest
▪ Texas A&M, No. 11 in the Midwest
[A Kentucky recruiting class with zero one-and-dones could happen]
Jerry Palm’s latest bracket for CBS Sports has Kentucky as a No. 4 seed in the East.
John Clay: 859-231-3226, @johnclayiv
SEC men’s basketball standings
Team | SEC | Overall |
Auburn | 7-1 | 19-2 |
Florida | 6-2 | 15-6 |
Kentucky | 5-3 | 16-5 |
Tennessee | 5-3 | 15-5 |
Alabama | 5-3 | 14-7 |
Arkansas | 4-4 | 15-6 |
South Carolina | 4-4 | 13-8 |
Ole Miss | 4-4 | 11-10 |
Miss State | 3-5 | 15-6 |
Missouri | 3-5 | 13-8 |
LSU | 3-5 | 12-8 |
Georgia | 3-5 | 12-8 |
Texas A&M | 2-6 | 13-8 |
Vanderbilt | 2-6 | 8-13 |
SEC men’s basketball schedule this week
Tuesday, Jan. 30
- 7:00 - Florida at Georgia (SEC)
- 9:00 - Auburn at Ole Miss (SEC)
- 9:00 - Vanderbilt at Kentucky (ESPN)
- 9:00 - Arkansas at Texas A&M (ESPNU)
Wednesday, Jan. 31
- 6:30 - LSU at Tennessee (SEC)
- 8:30 - Miss State at South Carolina (SEC)
- 9:00 - Missouri at Alabama (ESPN2)
Saturday, Feb. 3
- 2:00 - South Carolina at Texas A&M (ESPN2)
- 2:00 - Kentucky at Missouri (CBS)
- 3:30 - Arkansas at LSU (SEC)
- 4:00 - Alabama at Florida (ESPN)
- 6:00 - Ole Miss at Tennessee (SEC)
- 6:00 - Georgia at Miss State (ESPNU)
- 8:30 - Vanderbilt at Auburn (SEC)
This story was originally published January 29, 2018 at 12:52 PM.