Last month, ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi ranked the Wisconsin Badgers as a ninth seed in an early forecast for the 2027 NCAA Tournament. They were also one of four teams that received the “Last Four Byes. ” Despite the fact that Wisconsin is often undervalued by these bracketers, there are several doubts about next season. Star point guard Nick Boyd has used up his eligibility, while John Blackwell has moved to Duke. However, they received great news when Nolan Winter announced his return to the Badgers for next season.
The NCAA announced on Thursday that March Madness will expand from 68 to 76 teams. Did that assist the Badgers in Lunardi’s most recent preseason NCAA tournament projections?
Not exactly.
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi gives Wisconsin an eighth seed in the 2027 NCAA tournament.
Lunardi continued to place the Badgers in the terrible 8-9 matchup, this time matching them against Michael Malone and the ninth-seed North Carolina Tar Heels. If the Badgers face the Tar Heels, it would be their first meeting since the 2021 NCAA Tournament, which was also an 8-9 matchup. That game was most remembered for Brad Davison’s 29 points and Roy Williams’ announcement that he would retire after the season.
Lunardi projects 12 Big Ten teams for Thursday, including the 2026 Final Four participants. Illinois and Michigan are the top seeds. Interestingly, Lunardi ranked the Indiana Hoosiers as a seventh-seed, ahead of Wisconsin. Perhaps it’s become a custom to provide Indiana preseason attention before the college basketball season.
So, how much attention should Badger supporters pay to these early bracket predictions? Not much, if at all. With another group of new players joining the Badgers, Greg Gard has another chance to prove national naysayers wrong and secure a seed higher than eight in March Madness. Furthermore, with the NCAA growing to 76 clubs next season, the Badgers have greater chances for a March Madness berth than ever before.
