We don’t know that - it could be a situation of diminishing returns. The next #1 seed to lose a #16 may make the final four but lose, and the next time that team may only make the elite eight and then lose. It’s too small of a sample size to know yet!
Virginia won the tourney. Purdue lost the championship. The pattern is clear: next team will fall one round shorter. Ao Duke would lose the Final Four.
I like it but have zero idea what Duke’s roster looks like in 2026. Like is there a single player I’m completely confident will still be on the roster? Maybe Darren Harris or Pat Ngongba?
I mean, obvious bias aside, who besides maybe Iowa or Colorado, wouldn't root for a Nebraska run in the tourney as long as their team wasn't involved?
We didn't deliver this year, but people get all aboard the Nebrasketball train any year we aren't hot garbage.
Well, KU does like to beat UNC along the way to win championships lately, BUT this one doesn’t have the required Villanova matchup along the way (fun fact, every time KU & Villanova have met in the tournament, the winner has won the tournament)
It’s crazy that the first bracket is the only one allowed and is considered absolute fact. Congrats on your 2026 appearance in the national championship Duke
https://preview.redd.it/j3d4yo7rryuc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=999eccf2d35f51b78456a155dd961a9a72ec649e
More confluence for me to believe this could be true
I was overloaded with undergrad obligations and pretty much fully checked out of college basketball at that time that year and the week leading up to that game was still one of the two most stressful and anxious periods of my life. If we hadn't won...
I think I'd be okay with a S16 appearance in the first post-Edey year, though I don't think we are getting clobbered by 20 to Dayton next season...I hope...
Duke, losing to a 16, yet another KU-UNC tournament matchup, & KU winning a title over a fellow blue blood. This tournament would be outstanding.
Hard to top the way 2022 fell for KU but this would be close.
Losing to Kansas yet-a-fucking-gain in the tourney is a nauseating thought but I'm starting to accept it as one of those fated outcomes I should just accept. Any anyways I'd gladly lose by 50 if it meant duke joining UVA and Purdue on that list
Also you would end UConn's shot at a 3 peat and their undefeated record in the finals (and their at that point 19 game winning streak in the 2nd/3rd weekend dating back to Kemba)
I was about to gripe about him leaving us out of the tournament again, but then I saw that Duke loses in the first round as a 1 seed. This is acceptable.
Seriously. I shouldn’t get worked up by predictions this far out from the season but does our tournament resume over the last DECADE mean nothing? 😂
Lunardi’s blue blood simping in this bracket is hilarious.
Two comments:
1) Nebraska not only making the tournament and getting their first march madness win ever, but getting to the sweet 16?
2) WTF we ever do to you Lunar do? Iowa State losing to #15 seed Quinnipac?!
We’ll just have to see but I doubt he’s the only 5 star Coach Cal can pull. I can point of some of his flaws but I can never knock his ability to recruit
No offense to Dayton and Marquette fans, but can you imagine the absolute flood of secondary market Elite Eight tickets if Purdue and Indiana were in the same regional and both lost in the semifinal?
I can see why he's putting us at a first round loss, but I think this will most likely change. We're gonna get more guys out of the portal. We have to because we have 5 scholarships left. We finna move up
Well y’see Kentucky just casually snatched our coach and also the highest rated commit in our schools history. So we’re kinda back to square zero, but now in the Big12 instead of the WCC. Expect some uh growing pains.
He isn’t the one choosing who wins and loses, he’s just picking the tournament field.
Granted I don’t know what metrics this was simulated using. Kenpom preseason rankings aren’t out yet. We don’t even know final rosters yet
Why are we not an 11 seed. Unless Lunardi got word that some guy named Graymond Dreen is transferring I don’t wanna see us higher than a double digit seed.
As maniacal as these Lunardi brackets have been, even in the last week of the season, I have to give him props for having Bama going very far in the tourney throughout the year when no one else thought it would happen.
I hope he reads this compliment underneath the bridge he lives.
I would be very surprised if this upcoming UNC team is a 2 seed. With the players that remain, they will be a 4 seed at best. I hope Ingram returns at the very least.
Quote tweet me and bury me into oblivion when it doesn't happen, but as someone generally skeptical of our talent, I think Duke wins the natty next year (I'm assuming then add 1-2 impact transfers)
Cooper Flagg is Zion/Tatum mixed with Laettner's competitive streak
Marquette is losing Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro. We’ll be lucky to make the tournament let alone make a deep run. I’m hoping for breakout years from Kam Jones, Stevie Mitchell, and Ben Gold, but unless we get a transfer of note it ain’t looking good for the Warriors.
Duke #1 flipped by norfolk state lmoa
They’ll at least make the championship in 2026 then 🤷♂️
It’s just proven science
We don’t know that - it could be a situation of diminishing returns. The next #1 seed to lose a #16 may make the final four but lose, and the next time that team may only make the elite eight and then lose. It’s too small of a sample size to know yet!
Virginia won the tourney. Purdue lost the championship. The pattern is clear: next team will fall one round shorter. Ao Duke would lose the Final Four.
Rip to that eighth 1-seed that loses to a 16-seed and has their program burned to the ground, never to play in the tourney again.
I like it but have zero idea what Duke’s roster looks like in 2026. Like is there a single player I’m completely confident will still be on the roster? Maybe Darren Harris or Pat Ngongba?
Doesn’t matter. I could be Duke’s star player and they’d make it. It’s destiny
What if it’s a receding pattern? UVA won the title, Purdue made the finals, next 1-seed to lose to a 16 follows it with a final four loss?
Then the 7th to do it would lose back to back to a 16 seed then win the natty. Interesting
So it is written, so it shall be.
In 2OT as well. Instant classic
16 over 1 are no longer special if everyone keeps doing it!!
I dunno, this one would be pretty special to me
That would be absolute madness.
that's just a mashup of the two 2012 2-15 upsets lol
They know the formula
As a heel fan living in Norfolk. It's a dream
And winning a second game! lmao
Stop the count
I’m willing to accept this outcome just to watch Duke crumble. I only ask we bow out in the Final Four to keep our Championship record intact.
I like u
this
is
Lesbos
Oh man Fuck KU for 2003
We’ve got business to settle with Shaka, so I think it’s mutual at this point.
*Oh, what a day... what a lovely day!*
That was a shocker. One of the most impressive wins KU has had this century.
I’ll add a few years to that
Personally, I liked what KU did for my team in 03.
Agreed
Auburn losing in the first round as a 3 seed. He’s probably right.
Hey for some reason it's to a 4 seed so its jot THAT bad
Surprisingly I don’t see Arkansas as a three seed losing first round
To a team that beat them this season!
I will be happy with that result
I will never forgive Quinipiac for this.
The most recent Quinnipiac poll shows they don't care about your feelings and are and are glad you lost
Our last 2-15 game is my PTSD game. I'll take Tech beating us by a couple dozen at Hilton many times but I can't do this again
Beating South Dakota State is your PTSD game?
You lost me at Nebraska winning an NCAA Tournament game.
We are at the Sweet 16 Nebraska portion of the offseason.
“Siranother Nebrasketball win has hit March Madness”
https://preview.redd.it/jw5z1elylyuc1.jpeg?width=748&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f3c71ec30d1ec1267b6fc33354330edc35999815
hot damn this picture will get some mileage lol
You think *you* wouldn’t like that?
I mean, obvious bias aside, who besides maybe Iowa or Colorado, wouldn't root for a Nebraska run in the tourney as long as their team wasn't involved? We didn't deliver this year, but people get all aboard the Nebrasketball train any year we aren't hot garbage.
OG Big 12.
A. OG Big 8, the Big 12 was a disaster. B. That hurts Jaybro, I thought most of you were cool with us at this point, at least on the court.
Texas Tech and Baylor are just as much of the family now. Baylor’s a little weird though but we tolerate them
Boiler Bros praying this is the year Nebrasketball gets a tournament win! Hoiberg taking y'all to the promised land!
Fuck you for making me upvote this
(2) games
UConn losing a Final Four game in Texas? Press X to doubt
UConn losing a Final Four game in general? Press X to doubt
UConn's lost a Final Four game... once
And we took that personally!
Well, KU does like to beat UNC along the way to win championships lately, BUT this one doesn’t have the required Villanova matchup along the way (fun fact, every time KU & Villanova have met in the tournament, the winner has won the tournament)
Every time KU and UNC meet in the tournament, the winner of that game goes on to the win the championship (excluding 2012).
It’s crazy that the first bracket is the only one allowed and is considered absolute fact. Congrats on your 2026 appearance in the national championship Duke
God I'd love to see Cooper Flagg get punked by a 16 seed. Dude is a major douchebag from what I've heard.
He’s the top white recruit in the country Of course he’s going to Duke Of course he’s a douche That’s how these things go
https://preview.redd.it/j3d4yo7rryuc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=999eccf2d35f51b78456a155dd961a9a72ec649e More confluence for me to believe this could be true
lmao duke get 16 over 1 upset i love it
I might orgasm to death if this happens
Lmao fuck duke but also what the fuck
UK doesn't make the tournament in Pope's first year. Barnhart better be paying attention to this and renegotiate his contract ASAP!
At least there’s no Arkansas on there either
A Purdue IU elite 8 game would be insane. The thought of it makes me really understand that Duke UNC game a couple years ago
I would handle that game poorly oh a visceral level.
I was overloaded with undergrad obligations and pretty much fully checked out of college basketball at that time that year and the week leading up to that game was still one of the two most stressful and anxious periods of my life. If we hadn't won...
I think I'd be okay with a S16 appearance in the first post-Edey year, though I don't think we are getting clobbered by 20 to Dayton next season...I hope...
I hope you're wrong 😇
You deserve all the good karma for 2020
This would be a reasonably fun tournament
Duke, losing to a 16, yet another KU-UNC tournament matchup, & KU winning a title over a fellow blue blood. This tournament would be outstanding. Hard to top the way 2022 fell for KU but this would be close.
Losing to Kansas yet-a-fucking-gain in the tourney is a nauseating thought but I'm starting to accept it as one of those fated outcomes I should just accept. Any anyways I'd gladly lose by 50 if it meant duke joining UVA and Purdue on that list
Also you would end UConn's shot at a 3 peat and their undefeated record in the finals (and their at that point 19 game winning streak in the 2nd/3rd weekend dating back to Kemba)
I was about to gripe about him leaving us out of the tournament again, but then I saw that Duke loses in the first round as a 1 seed. This is acceptable.
No San Diego State even in the 8 out is pretty crazy.
Seriously. I shouldn’t get worked up by predictions this far out from the season but does our tournament resume over the last DECADE mean nothing? 😂 Lunardi’s blue blood simping in this bracket is hilarious.
Meanwhile UCI in the Sweet 16 lol
Two comments: 1) Nebraska not only making the tournament and getting their first march madness win ever, but getting to the sweet 16? 2) WTF we ever do to you Lunar do? Iowa State losing to #15 seed Quinnipac?!
The SEC hate is real 😂
Are we even in it? I can't read print that small lol..getting old.
Nope and neither is Arkansas. Edit I had to zoom in too.
Kentucky vs Arkansas tourney game would be wild. Even if it’s the NIT
Both will make the ncaa tournament.
Just going off this post
That’s a hell of a statement when neither can field a team currently
Big Z seems promising, but I doubt he can win us 20 games by himself. Please tell me I'm wrong.
We’ll just have to see but I doubt he’s the only 5 star Coach Cal can pull. I can point of some of his flaws but I can never knock his ability to recruit
Tennessee losing to Bradley… woof.
I hate this
Props to UC. Came to play
MSU as a 5? When will Lunardi learn that we are either a top 2 seed or 8-10, there is no in between.
UConn losing in the finals makes it seem like you dummies haven’t learned anything…. In Texas nonetheless.
Memphis and Bradley absolutely happen. UC Irvine should be good enough to at least beat SMC with Mahaney gone.
Flair?
He has jayhawk in his name bro
Maybe his name is Jay and he's a fan of Chicago's very own IIT Scarlet Hawks?
Lmao at New Mexico winning a game *cries*
Fine I’ll allow it
Quinnipiac, really
I would never trust a poll of theirs ever again.
No offense to Dayton and Marquette fans, but can you imagine the absolute flood of secondary market Elite Eight tickets if Purdue and Indiana were in the same regional and both lost in the semifinal?
Dayton fans would happily buy up everything
We travel well and would do anything for another Elite Eight run
UConn doesn’t lose natties. This is false
Can’t even win the hypothetical win-in game. Post season tourney win drought goes multiverse!
I can see why he's putting us at a first round loss, but I think this will most likely change. We're gonna get more guys out of the portal. We have to because we have 5 scholarships left. We finna move up
This isn't Lunardi's predictions, he only did the bracket. The results are simulated by OP
I’d rather not
We haven’t even finished buying our teams yet, wtf?
I’ll take it
Yeah, but I wish I agreed with it
If Marquette lost to Dayton we'd get the 2020-final-that-never-was in the Final Four
LOL.
If we win a game and Creighton loses…that’s my natty.
Arizona getting past the sweet 16? Bold
We went from being sweet 16 picks to not even making the tournament in less than a week…
Well y’see Kentucky just casually snatched our coach and also the highest rated commit in our schools history. So we’re kinda back to square zero, but now in the Big12 instead of the WCC. Expect some uh growing pains.
Tops are back!
Indiana over Bama is diabolical
im fine with this outcome ngl
Norfolk St. over Duke goes hard
I just wanna get past the first round again
WE'RE IN
Oh no, not again.
The UConn match I wanted and the loss I would have probably gotten anyway.
How can i take this serious when you have us losing to some guy name bradley /s
How are you even simulating this without any meaningful performance ratings for the teams?
Alright, that's enough of these. Blocked.
You had me at Duke losing to Norfolk State as a 1 seed in Raleigh.
We don't make the Final Four? Yup, that checks out
Pretty sure he has us going further than he did when we actually had a chance.
He isn’t the one choosing who wins and loses, he’s just picking the tournament field. Granted I don’t know what metrics this was simulated using. Kenpom preseason rankings aren’t out yet. We don’t even know final rosters yet
I can't see shit that small....is Kentucky even in it? Prolly not? Fml....unless we are in it then wheeeeeee!
I like it!!!
Plz
Hey, I’m just happy to be included
It’s not even May and you are already gut punching me about next season.
No thank you.
HOFSTRA AS A 13 SEED IN MILWAUKEE‽‽‽‽‽‽‽‽‽‽‽‽?!?!?!??!!?!?!?! THE DUTCHMEN WILL FLY HIGH AND CLOG DANCE ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!!
No Duquesne, what a wild bracket!
This is not the bracket with two Auburns and two Kansas’!! I say it’s invalid!!
Subscribe just for the match up against Creighton
cincinnati 6 seed? you know I actually kinda like this 👀
Bet LFG
How are we a projected 1?
No thanks
Mark Pope in shambles
Some parts I like, some I don’t. Us losing is fine, it’s those other schools winning I have a problem with
Duke losing to Norfolk State would absolutely make up for yet another loss to KU in the tournament
Idk if Marquette is gonna come up like that
L Bracket TBH Edit: wait just found us and saw Duke losing as a 1 seed. W Bracket TBH
Gonzaga with their 10th straight sweet sixteen. Lmao
I think they’re going to make it farther than that next year. Lunardi is just a massive hater.
I'm all for fun, too, but with the portal being overrun, how can anybody be sure of anybody's roster?
I will happily accept this
Why are we not an 11 seed. Unless Lunardi got word that some guy named Graymond Dreen is transferring I don’t wanna see us higher than a double digit seed.
 PRESEASON NATIONAL CHAMPS! LET’S GOOOOOOO!!!
I’ll take it.
Shut up
Hang the fuckin banner. Rock chalk!
I agree with this prediction
Oh hell yeah App State beating Auburn
Making the Elite Eight and following that up with a one-and-done would be a hilarious chefs kiss to Brad.
You're telling me we'd have to play Michigan State **again** and beat Norfolk State who beat ***Duke***????
As maniacal as these Lunardi brackets have been, even in the last week of the season, I have to give him props for having Bama going very far in the tourney throughout the year when no one else thought it would happen. I hope he reads this compliment underneath the bridge he lives.
Make that 11 straight first round of the tournament L’s for the Broncos
Lunardi doesn't know about Owen Freeman.
As much as i would see Norfolk state win a r64 game these mfs can’t even win the MEAC anymore, they blown the easiest 4peat in a conference ever
Scheyer getting the Calipari treatment if this happens, sorry not sorry.
My takeaway: if we’re not going dancing neither is Kentucky and neither is Arkansas🙅♂️ Let the Pope circle of suck commence
I miss Mark Pope 🥺. But also take that Baylor😎!
I would be very surprised if this upcoming UNC team is a 2 seed. With the players that remain, they will be a 4 seed at best. I hope Ingram returns at the very least.
Nice season boys! Looking forward to the repeat in 2026
Yeah I’m cool with this. Everybody else cool with this?
Quote tweet me and bury me into oblivion when it doesn't happen, but as someone generally skeptical of our talent, I think Duke wins the natty next year (I'm assuming then add 1-2 impact transfers) Cooper Flagg is Zion/Tatum mixed with Laettner's competitive streak
Ladies and gentlemen: we’re fucking BACK!
If Daron Holmes comes back UD is WAY better than a 7 seed.
South Carolina as a 10 seed is wild
Marquette is losing Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro. We’ll be lucky to make the tournament let alone make a deep run. I’m hoping for breakout years from Kam Jones, Stevie Mitchell, and Ben Gold, but unless we get a transfer of note it ain’t looking good for the Warriors.