Bracket Watch: Arizona Holds Steady as Top Seed in the West, Michigan Leads the Pack
With the latest Bracketology update dropping Tuesday morning, Arizona fans have plenty to smile about. The Wildcats are still riding high as the projected No. 1 seed in the West Region, according to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. And while Michigan holds onto the title of top overall seed, Arizona isn't far behind-both programs have clearly separated themselves from the rest of the field as the nation's top two teams heading into the heart of the college basketball season.
In Lunardi’s latest projection, Arizona is slotted to face Vermont in the opening round. That matchup would be a rematch of their lone meeting in the NCAA Tournament, a dominant 80-51 Arizona win back in 2003. Vermont is expected to punch its ticket to the Big Dance as the America East automatic qualifier.
Looking further down the West Region bracket, Lunardi has St. Mary’s and SMU lined up as the 8-9 matchup-always one of the most unpredictable games in the tournament.
The winner of that battle would likely face Arizona in the second round. Both teams are currently in line for at-large bids, and while neither is a pushover, Arizona would be the heavy favorite in either potential matchup.
The rest of the West Region is shaping up to be a gauntlet. Nebraska is projected as the No. 4 seed, with Florida right behind them at No.
- On the bottom half of the bracket, Gonzaga and Michigan State round out the top seeds at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.
That’s a loaded quadrant, and if the projections hold, Arizona could be looking at a potential Sweet 16 or Elite Eight clash with a perennial powerhouse.
Baylor, the only other Big XII team slotted into the West, is projected to play Ohio State in a First Four matchup in Dayton. The winner would move on to face sixth-seeded St.
John’s in Buffalo. That’s a tough road for any team trying to make a Cinderella run, but it’s December, and we all know how quickly things can shift before Selection Sunday.
Zooming out to the national picture, Michigan sits atop the bracket as the No. 1 overall seed, with Connecticut leading the East Region and Iowa State anchoring the South. Arizona already has a signature win over UConn-a gritty 71-67 victory on November 19-and will get a crack at Iowa State on March 2 in Tucson. That game could carry major seeding implications if both teams stay on their current trajectory.
Arizona’s resume is shaping up nicely with several projected tournament teams already on the schedule. According to Lunardi, the Wildcats have faced or will face a number of high-seeded opponents across different regions: Houston (3-seed) and Texas Tech (5-seed) in the Midwest; Kansas (3-seed) and Auburn (7-seed) in the East; and BYU (3-seed) and UCLA (8-seed) in the South.
It’s a challenging slate, but that’s exactly the kind of schedule that builds a battle-tested squad come March. Arizona isn’t just stacking wins-they’re stacking quality ones. And with the West Region running through them for now, the Wildcats are in prime position to make a serious run.
The road to the Final Four is long, but if these projections hold, Arizona will have every opportunity to prove they belong among the elite.