LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- I know this is how the world works. I know, as soon as Halloween is over, the Christmas displays start going up in stores.
In 2024, nobody lives where they are. Everybody lives in the future.
But what I saw today may top them all. Joe Lunardi of ESPN is out with his first Bracketology – for the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Before I say anything else, I know why this is done. It's something to talk about. And here in the Bluegrass State, we're going to talk about it, because talking basketball is what we do.
By January, this projection will be forgotten — as will most of Lunardi's projections — until the last one right before the tournament, which is what he grades himself on.
We all know these projections are worthless, right? And yet we can't help ourselves. My name is Eric, and I'm an addict. I just can't pass up on this crap.
So what are we looking at?
University of Louisville fans, Lunardi has the Cardinals in the "First Four Out."
I don't think that is going to go over very well in Louisville. Pat Kelsey's first Louisville team has 10 players who played in last season's NCAA Tournament for different teams. I don't think any of them came here not to play in this one.
It does, however, put into perspective the depths to which Louisville sank that "First Four Out" would represent a quantum leap from where it has been the past several seasons.
Maybe it's a fair expectation for a program that has been as down as Louisville's has. Put them right on the bubble of tournament expectations. But I don't think that's the expectation of most Louisville fans right now.
The Athletic just published a story that put Louisville third in the ACC pecking order. That's a big gap from just missing the tournament. We'll see. And I think it's fair to say Louisville fans are eager to see.
Lunardi has Kentucky in the tournament as a No. 6 seed. (Facing the winner of a Villanova-Pitt play-in game, with the winner to get Scott Drew and Baylor.) Now, Kentucky was a No. 6 seed in 2023 with a lot more talent than is on this current roster.
Again, maybe that's a fair expectation. For Kentucky, it's going to be less about the seed and more about how the team is playing come March, and whether new coach Mark Pope can get the Wildcats back to the second weekend.
As for Indiana, Lunardi has the Hoosiers as a No. 5 seed. That's realistic. But most Indiana fans you talk to would probably say that Mike Woodson has better than No. 5-seed talent.
More than anybody locally, Woodson needs to get his team to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
Finishing the season in the top 20 and going to the tournament as a 5-seed puts you in position to do that, but it's not exactly an easy road.
Anyway, if you don't like it, don't worry. It's way too early. There's no need to start worrying much about bracketology until at least Halloween.
College Basketball Coverage:
- BOZICH | Pat Kelsey throws another strike for Louisville basketball
- BOZICH | Pressure on Woodson, IU in Bahamas matchup with Louisville
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