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ESPN Bracketology: Is Notre Dame still a No. 1 seed after losing to NC State?

IMG_9992by:Tyler Horka•about 10 hours•

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Notre Dame women's basketball coach Niele Ivey. (Photo by MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Win or lose, it’s often all about Notre Dame. That is absolutely the case this week following the Fighting Irish’s first ACC loss of the season to NC State on Sunday.

Notre Dame is still in the driver’d seat to win the conference’s regular season championship. You have to like the Irish’s odds of getting back at the Wolfpack on a neutral site in Greensboro if that matchup is to arise in the league tournament in a couple weeks, too.

But if the season ended today, before Notre Dame has claimed the conference crown in the regular season and/or the tournament, would the Fighting Irish be one of four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament? That’s what ESPN bracket expert led his Feb. 25 “bracketology” update with.

The answer is apparently complex, but for now, according to Creme, it’s still “yes.”

“So many of the top teams have played each other, and the results indicate the regionals and Final Four could be an unpredictable and wild ride,” Creme wrote. “Because of the variability in these games, head-to-head can’t be applied exclusively. The question is how much the committee will factor it into its decision-making, which will go a long way to determining the No. 1 seeds and their order.

“This is where Notre Dame would seemingly have an advantage. The Irish are 3-0 (USC, Texas, UConn) against teams in the mix for a top seed, the best record among the group. In the committee’s first reveal on Feb. 16, Notre Dame was behind the Longhorns, perhaps a sign that works against the Irish now that they have a third loss. With those victories over the Trojans and Huskies, Notre Dame should remain a No. 1 seed.”

As of Feb. 25, Creme has UCLA, Texas, South Carolina and Notre Dame listed as No. 1 seeds. It’s far to early to predict opponents for the first and second rounds at college campus host sites, but for what it’s worth Creme has Notre Dame playing No. 16 Fairleigh Dickson in the first round and the winner of No. 8 seed Vanderbilt and No. 9 seed Oregon in the second round, should the Irish beat FDU.

Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, Ind., has been the host site of first- and second-round NCAA Tournaments the last two seasons. Notre Dame was a No. 3 seed in 2023 and a No. 2 seed in 2024. Natural progression and a continuation of that trend would have the Irish as a No. 1 seed in 2025.

Time will tell. There is more winning required between now and Selection Sunday (March 16) for that to come to fruition. The Irish host No. 24 Florida State on Thursday with another shot to win the ACC regular season championship with a victory.

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