ESPN updates Bracketology prediction for 2024 NCAA Tournament amid upset-laden January

With teams across the country in the heart of conference play, the postseason picture grows clearer every day. On Tuesday, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi showed off his latest vision of March with an updated Bracketology.

While many of the top teams retained their spots, there’s been no shortage of turnover below. Moreover, Lunardi asserted a new No. 1 seed in his predictions. From mid-majors to blue-chips, Lunardi has it all in his latest Bracketology.

Let’s look over his latest NCAA Tournament predictions, starting with the Midwest Region.

Midwest Region (Detroit)
(1) Purdue vs. (16) Delaware State/Lafayette

Purdue has rarely landed anywhere but the No. 1 overall seed this year, and for good reason. After falling to Nebraska on Jan. 9, the Boilermakers have rattled off three straight wins, most recently defeating Iowa in convincing 84-70 fashion.

In the win, All-American center Zach Edey posted his 11th double-double of the season, tallying 30 points and 18 rebounds while shooting 10-15 from the field. The Boilermakers doubled Iowa’s output on the glass.

(2) Kansas vs. (15) South Dakota State

Kansas slightly fell in this week’s Bracketology after falling to 91-85 to West Virginia on the road. It was only the Mountaineers’ second win in conference play. In the win, West Virginia put on perhaps its best performance of the season.

The Mountaineers, who are statistically the worst 3-point shooting team in the Big 12, connected on 12-of-21 attempts from deep in the game. Head coach Bill Self isn’t concerned for his team’s future. After the game, Self said, “There’s going to be games like this for everybody.”

(3) Auburn vs. (14) Eastern Washington

Auburn is the only SEC team that still hasn’t suffered a league loss. In fairness, it’s difficult to remember the last time the Tigers were defeated. Auburn has won 11 games in a row, last losing to Appalachian State on Dec. 3. More impressively, no team has finished with 10 points of Auburn since.

The Tigers didn’t skip a beat last week, handing out losses to Vanderbilt and No. 22 Ole Miss. Auburn’s 82-59 rout of Ole Miss was a team effort. No Tiger played more than 22 minutes in the victory. Consequently, 12 Auburn players put points on the board.

(8) Villanova vs. (9) Mississippi State
(5) Iowa State vs. (12) Samford
(4) Dayton vs. (13) Charlotte
(6) San Diego State vs. (11) Grand Canyon
(7) Utah vs. (10) Northwestern

South Region (Dallas)
(1) North Carolina vs. Jackson State/Central Connecticut

After securing two triumphs this week, North Carolina rose to a No. 1 seed in Lunardi’s Bracketology. The Tar Heels are riding high into this week, rolling on an eight-game win streak. On Wednesday, UNC handily defeated Louisville 86-70.

Only three days later, the Tar Heels picked up a 76-66 victory over Boston College. North Carolina needed a second-half revival to secure the win after a lethargic first 20 minutes. Armando Bacot led the way, scoring all 10 of his points in the second half, adding nine rebounds for the game.

(2) Tennessee vs. (15) Saint Peter’s

Tennessee is a locomotive right now, and any team that stands in its way is suffering the consequences. The Volunteers’ latest victims were the Florida Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Tennessee defeated the two teams by an average margin of 19.5 points.

Standout guard Dalton Knecht stole the show in both performances. In UT’s win over Florida, Knecht amassed a career-high 39 points while shooting 4-6 from downtown. Knecht led all scorers again versus Alabama, collecting 25 points.

(3) Marquette vs. (14) Morehead State

After losing to back-to-back conference opponents, Marquette bounced back with a fury this past week. The Golden Eagles defeated Villanova and St. John’s in a five-day span. Their win over the Red Storm showed off just how difficult it will be to down them in March.

With six minutes remaining, St. John’s trailed Marquette by 13 points. As the Red Storm slowly found static, Marquette fought tooth and nail to hold on to its victory. In the end, it escaped with just that. The Golden Eagles will have a chance to secure revenge against Seton Hall later this week.

(8) Seton Hall vs. (9) Nebraska
(5) Alabama vs. (12) Cincinnati/Oregon
(4) Baylor vs. (13) Drexel
(6) Colorado State vs. (11) Kansas State/Ole Miss
(7) Michigan State vs. (10) New Mexico

West Region (Los Angeles)
(1) Houston vs. (16) Sam Houston

Houston can take a punch. After suffering its first two losses of the season last week, the Cougars dusted themselves off and reminded the nation why they’re a legitimate contender. This past week, Houston picked up wins over UCF and No. 25 Texas Tech.

Houston did more than beat the Red Raiders, it dominated them. In the win, the Cougars shot 52.4% from the field and 47.1% from beyond the arc. Their defense was equally impressive, squeezing 14 turnovers out of Texas Tech.

(2) Arizona vs. (15) UC Davis

It’s been a tumultuous season for the Wildcats. Every time they start to look unbeatable, they find themselves on the wrong end of a 12-round slugfest. However, right now, Arizona is winning its bouts.

The Wildcats went 2-0 this past week, posting wins over USC and UCLA. In its 77-71 win over UCLA, Arizona showed off its grit. The Wildcats trailed the Bruins 32-13 midway through the first half. Nonetheless, they clawed their way to victory, a pattern that has earned Lunardi’s respect.

(3) Illinois vs. (14) UMass Lowell

Illinois is hitting a midseason stride. The Fighting Illinis dominated Michigan and Rutgers this past week, boasting an average win margin of 19 points. Illinois standout Terrence Shannon Jr. returned to the court against Rutgers after a local judge granted him a temporary restraining order against the Illini.

In the win, Shannon tallied 16 points and four assists. In total, the Fighting Illini had five players score double figures, led by Justin Harmon who collected 18 points and eight rebounds while shooting an impressive 8-13 from the floor.

(8) Texas A&M vs. (9) St. John’s
(5) Oklahoma vs. (12) Drake
(4) Creighton vs. (13) Appalachian State
(6) Florida Atlantic vs. (11) South Carolina
(7) Utah State vs. (10) St. Mary’s

East Region (Boston)
(1) UConn vs. (16) Eastern Kentucky

UConn isn’t the No. 1 team in the AP Top 25 by accident. The Huskies have won their last seven games and went 3-0 this past week against stiff Big East competition. First, UConn downed Georgetown 80-67 at home. Next, the Huskies pounced on No. 18 Creighton in a comfortable 62-48 win.

UConn’s latest win was its toughest. On Saturday, UConn escaped a brawl against Villanova with a narrow 66-65 victory. Senior guard Tristen Newton led all scorers in the contest with 25 points. After the game, head coach Dan Hurley compared the battle to a “steel cage” match.

(2) Wisconsin vs. (15) Oakland

While fans have been distracted by flashy highlights and blue-chip names, Wisconsin has quickly become one of the most dangerous teams in the country. Indiana learned this lesson the hard way on Saturday.

After falling to Penn State earlier in the week, the Badgers bounced back with a 91-79 triumph over the Hoosiers. It was a breakout game for Wisconsin guard Max Klemsit, who scored 23 of his 26 points in the second half and went 5-of-7 on 3-point attempts.

(3) Kentucky vs. (14) High Point

The Wildcats clawed their way back in stunning fashion this week after falling to Texas A&M on Jan. 13. First, the team secured a comfortable 90-77 win over Mississippi State on Wednesday. The team followed up the solid showing with a high-scoring 105-96 victory over Georgia on Saturday.

Kentucky freshman Zvonimir Ivisic, otherwise known as “Big Z,” stole the show against the Bulldogs. It was his first game of the season after the NCAA granted him eligibility. He made the most of the moment, erupting for 13 points and three blocks while shooting 3-4 from 3-point range.

(8) Texas Tech vs. (9) Boise State
(5) BYU vs. (12) McNeese State
(4) Duke vs. (13) Akron
(6) Memphis vs. (11) Princeton
(7) Clemson vs. (10) TCU