UNC Basketball: Tar Heels on the rise in latest Bracketology projections

The UNC basketball program has moved up a line in Joe Lunardi’s latest projection of the 2022 NCAA Tournament field.

Following an impressive pair of conference victories over Virginia and Georgia Tech, and wins in four of their last five games, the North Carolina Tar Heels have moved up a line in ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi’s latest projection for the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

That puts them on the 7-line of the South Region in a potential matchup with the 10th-seeded Marquette Golden Eagles that’s set to be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. That is, of course, likely to change between now and the third week in March, but the positive to be taken from that for the Tar Heels and their fans is that North Carolina is, in fact, on the rise.

The same can’t be said about the Atlantic Coast Conference as a whole, as it’s currently projected to place just four teams in the Big Dance.

Duke is obviously the highest of the quartette, sitting solidly on the 2-line of the bracket’s East Region. The surprise Miami Hurricanes, who are 13-4 overall and lead the ACC with a 5-1 mark in league play, are currently in line for a 10-seed in the Midwest Region. Lastly, the similarly surprising Wake Forest Demon Deacons are a projected 11-seed in the West Region thanks to their 14-4 start to the season.

Former Tar Heel in line for tournament’s top seed?

The Auburn Tigers are Lunardi’s new No. 1 overall team thanks to an impressive two-month stretch that has them boasting a 16-1 record with recent victories over No. 24 Alabama and No. 16 LSU, as well as an unblemished resume in SEC play.

That means that former North Carolina big man Walker Kessler could be showcasing his game to the basketball world under the brightest lights and on the biggest stages when March rolls around. He’s already been making headlines this season as one of the nation’s most gifted and versatile frontcourt players and it’s not that difficult to understand why.

While he’s been far from perfect this season, Kessler has shown flashes of greatness, both from an offensive and defensive standpoint. But it’s the latter that makes him a true game-changer and a surefire NBA lottery pick when he decides to take his game to the next level.

His most celebrated performance of the season was a 16-point, 10-rebound, 11-block triple-double against LSU, but he had a number of others that were very similar that confirm it was no fluke. He went for 17 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks against UCF and he had a 20-point, 10-rebound, seven-block game at Ole Miss. He’s shooting better than 60 percent from the floor and ranks second in the nation in blocked shots.

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