UConn is right where they need to be. No, not at home because they lost a game they shouldn’t have lost, by their standards anyway. No, they’re right where they need to be, according to Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology update.
It was one of the few things he got correct after not knocking Auburn down off the No. 1 overall seed, despite not playing for an SEC championship this year. Nonetheless, UConn as a No. 8 seed is right where they need to be.
Truthfully, if Kansas can be a No. 7 seed, they might deserve a better seed, but No. 8 is fair. The Huskies aren’t the dominant team they were the last two years. We won’t see them crush every team by 15-20 points en route to another championship this season.
Instead, we’ll see them get back to that junkyard dog mentality of fighting for their lives in this year’s NCAA Tournament. I don’t want to say UConn is fraudulent, but the Maui Invitational humbled them and started the downward spiral.
UConn is closer to an NCAA Tournament darling this year than a favorite unlike last year
UConn is more on the underdog road this year, unlike being the favorites a year ago. Honestly, they might even be the villain of the tournament, thanks to their coach Dan Hurley.
Maybe people weren’t too thrilled to see UConn run through the tournament like it did and are excited to see if they can handle some adversity. I’m not sure there’s often a tournament villain, but UConn might fit the bill this year.
And according to Lunardi’s prediction, they’ll have a tough road through the NCAA Tournament. If they manage to beat Mississippi State in the first round, they’d most likely be greeted with a meeting with Duke.
With or without Cooper Flagg, it won’t be an easy game for the Huskies. And barring any major upsets, Maryland, Ole Miss, Oregon and Tennessee are all possible opponents for the Huskies.
UConn wasn’t as dominant in the Big East this year, but that’s OK. Now they can turn their focus to winning in the NCAA Tournament. Hurley criticized preseason tournaments with consecutive games on consecutive days.
March Madness is no different, though he wouldn’t dare use that as an excuse this time. Especially after the season they’ve had. This year, he’ll have to work a little bit harder to go on a tournament run.