It’s never too early to think about March Madness.
Joe Lunardi, the ESPN college basketball analyst, released his latest NCAA tournament projections and two HBCUs are projected to make the field of 68.
Per Lunardi’s Bracketology piece, Norfolk State and Southern are identified as tournament qualifiers.
According to the bracket, the Spartans and Jaguars are slotted as No. 16 seeds in the East and West regions, respectively. Lunardi has Southern in the First Four playing against Wagner for the right to take on projected No. 1 seed Kentucky in Las Vegas.
The Spartans are expected to match up No. 1 seed Gongaza.
Norfolk State won the MEAC championship a year ago before losing in the opening round to Baylor.
Southern has not appeared in the NCAA tournament since the 2015-16 season.
