This week, more than 10 months ahead of Selection Sunday, ESPN’s chief bracketologist Joe Lunardi released his first projection for the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Surprisingly, despite modest expectations elsewhere, Lunardi has Jon Scheyer’s fourth Duke squad slotted as a No. 1 seed.
From a broader Tobacco Road perspective, Lunardi’s outlook is optimistic all around. He projects UNC as a No. 7 seed and NC State sneaking in as a No. 11 seed.
Interestingly, Lunardi places both Duke and archrival North Carolina in the East Region, setting the stage for a potential Elite Eight clash in Washington, D.C.
Beyond the Triangle schools, his way-too-early bracket includes just two other ACC teams: No. 5 seed Louisville and No. 10 seed Miami.
Duke is coming off a dominant 35-4 season, highlighted by an ACC Tournament championship and a Final Four appearance. While the Blue Devils are losing all five starters, they’ll return much of their bench and have reloaded with three five-star freshmen and a commitment from early NBA Draft entrant Cedric Coward, a former Washington State forward.
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