Division I conference tournaments are drawing closer, and much is still to be decided. But that does mean it’s too early to look ahead to March.
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, North Carolina Central and Southern are identified as HBCU tournament qualifiers in the MEAC and SWAC, respectively.
According to the bracket, the Eagles and Jaguars are slotted as No. 16 seeds in the East and Midwest regions, respectively. Lunardi has NC Central in the First Four, playing Merrimack for the right to take on projected No. 1 overall seed Purdue in Indianapolis.
The Bison are expected to match up against defending national champion UConn in Boston.
