From Arizona Wildcats On SI · · 3m
Lunardi already has Arizona as a No. 1 seed for 2027
ESPN's bracketologist put Tommy Lloyd's Wildcats on the top line six weeks before a single game tips off.
In brief
ESPN's bracketologist put Tommy Lloyd's Wildcats on the top line six weeks before a single game tips off. Arizona has the star talent to justify a No. 1 seed projection, but guard depth and RJ Godfrey's eligibility are real holes that could decide the season. Originally reported by Arizona Wildcats On SI.
A bracket before the season
Projecting the NCAA Tournament field six weeks before opening night is already hard. With hundreds of players stuck in eligibility limbo, it borders on guesswork.
“it feels like an impossible task”
Lunardi picks Arizona first
ESPN's Joe Lunardi released his first 2027 bracket anyway, and he put Tommy Lloyd's Wildcats on the top line for the 2026-27 season.
The West Region path
Arizona lands as the No. 1 seed in the West and would open in Sacramento against the winner of a 16-seed play-in between Bethune-Cookman and Long Island.
Who else is in the pod
The rest of the projected pod is No. 8 Ohio State from the Big Ten and No. 9 Oklahoma from the SEC.
Lloyd finally broke through
Lloyd enters his sixth year in Tucson after taking Arizona to its first Final Four since 2001. Before that, he had racked up two 1 seeds, two 2 seeds and a 4 seed in five years.
Two proven starters return
Center Mo Krivas and forward Ivan Kharchenkov both averaged double figures last season and belong in the preseason All-Big 12 conversation.
Another loaded freshman class
Five-star guard Caleb Holt is a legitimate candidate to go No. 1 overall in the 2027 NBA draft. Four-star wing Cameron Holmes, brother of DaRon, projects as a two-way athlete.
The Godfrey problem
RJ Godfrey was dominant at Clemson and fits perfectly at the four, replacing Koa Peat. But the NCAA granted a stay in the Georgia lawsuit, so the 6-foot-7 bruiser is ineligible for now.
Pressure shifts to the frontcourt
Until Godfrey's status changes, Kharchenkov, Holmes and backup Maxsim Brnovic have to produce right away at power forward.
Two transfers run the point
Sophomore transfers Derek Dixon from North Carolina and JJ Mandaquit from Washington both posted high assist and low turnover numbers. Dixon should start as a shooter and scorer.
The backcourt runs thin
After Mandaquit, depth falls off a cliff. Bryce James, who redshirted last year, is the only other guard expected to see rotation minutes.
Ten Big 12 teams, then UCLA
Field expansion to 76 helps push 10 Big 12 teams in, led by Houston at 3 and Kansas at 4. Arizona opens Nov. 2 in Las Vegas against projected 7 seed UCLA.
The essence
Arizona has the star talent to justify a No. 1 seed projection, but guard depth and RJ Godfrey's eligibility are real holes that could decide the season.
