UNC Basketball Receives Seed Movement In Most Recent ESPN Bracketology

When it gets to the point when it's hard to remember when the last loss was, you know the team is playing well. That's been the case for the UNC Basketball program, whose last loss came a month ago, on December 16th against Kentucky.

Since the 87-83 loss in Atlanta to the Wildcats, a game the Tar Heels trailed by three and had possession with a chance to tie in the final seconds, North Carolina has reeled off six consecutive victories, all by double digits, with their smallest margin of victory a 10-point win at Clemson.

During that time frame, the UNC Basketball program has quickly skyrocketed with respect among the media, rising to No. 4 in the most recent Associated Press Poll and going from a once projected No. 5-seed in the NCAA Tournament on December 19th to their highest seed projection of the 2023-2024 season in less than a month.

In the most recent bracketology update on January 16th from ESPN's Joe Lunardi, the Tar Heels are now a 1-seed after former 1-seed Houston dropped two games last week. Lunardi has North Carolina in the South (Dallas) Regional and playing the first and second-round games in Charlotte.

At first glance, the projected bracket appears to be a favorable one for the Tar Heels and one many UNC Basketball fans would sign up for in mid-January. The No. 2 seed in the projected bracket is Houston, while Auburn and Illinois are the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds, respectively. As the 1-seed, North Carolina would face the 8-9 winner in the second round, which is currently projected to be Ole Miss and TCU.

Of course, it is only mid-January, and in no way, shape, or form will this be the final bracket come Selection Sunday on March 17th. However, the Tar Heels have put themselves in the best position possible to begin the New Year by winning six consecutive games, including three road ACC games that are currently quadrant one wins in the NET rankings.

There is still plenty of basketball to be played, but if you're a UNC Basketball fan and you have been paying attention to the way the Tar Heels have been playing the past month, you have to be pleased and have optimism about how much this team could accomplish this season, and earning a No. 1 seed would be just another step along that journey.