UNC Basketball: Red-Hot Tar Heels Jump to Top Bracketology Line

UNC basketball stands atop the list of five projected NCAA Tournament squads from the ACC.

Photo credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

On Dec. 19, following back-to-back losses to UConn and Kentucky, ESPN's Joe Lunardi dropped the UNC basketball team to a projected No. 5 seed in his "2024 NCAA Tournament Bracketology."

But the Tar Heels (13-3, 5-0 ACC) have won six straight since. Now, for the first time this season, Lunardi tabs Hubert Davis' third squad as a No. 1 seed, along with Purdue, Kansas, and defending national champion UConn.

Lunardi's No. 1 seeds align with the highest-ranked teams in this week's Associated Press Top 25 Poll. UNC, fresh off comfortable victories over NC State and Syracuse, rose three spots there to No. 4 in the country.

The Tar Heels and No. 7 Duke are now the only two from the ACC with a ranking by their name, the conference's lowest total this season. Even so, Lunardi currently has five ACC teams earning an invite to the Big Dance:

• No. 1 seed UNC (13-3, 5-0 ACC)
• No. 2 seed Duke (13-3, 4-1 ACC)
• No. 5 seed Clemson (12-4, 2-3 ACC)
• No. 11 seed Wake Forest (12-4, 4-1 ACC)
• No. 12 seed Miami (12-4, 3-2 ACC)

That's up from only three (UNC, Duke, Clemson) last week.

Meanwhile, the SEC and Big 12 lead in Lunardi's eyes with eight teams apiece, followed by the Big Ten (seven) and Big East (six).

NEXT UNC BASKETBALL GAME: at home against unranked Louisville (6-10, 1-4 ACC), 9 p.m. ET Wednesday (ACC Network)

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