It may be mid-July, but ESPN’s Joe Lunardi is still busy building an updated NCAA tournament projection for 2022.
On Tuesday morning, Lunardi released his latest projection for the 2022 field and included Indiana as a No. 10 seed in the South Region.
In Lunardi’s previous projections, Indiana was a No. 9 seed, so Tuesday’s update was a slight drop for the Hoosiers.
The highest projected Big Ten team is Michigan as the No. 1 seed in the South Region. Other No. 1 seeds in Lunardi’s bracket include Gonzaga (West Region), Kansas (Midwest Region) and UCLA (East Region).
Other Big Ten teams in Lunardi’s projected field include Ohio State (No. 3 in West Region), Iowa (No. 10 in West Region), Maryland (No. 4 in Midwest Region), Illinois (No. 7 in Midwest Region), Michigan State (No. 5 in East Region) and Purdue (No. 2 in East Region).
Rutgers is listed as one of the “first four out” and Wisconsin is listed as one of the “next four out.”
In total, Lunardi has eight Big Ten teams in his latest bracket with two teams right on the fringe of the field.
Syracuse, Indiana’s opponent in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge, is projected as the No. 11 seed in the West Region.
None of Indiana’s other confirmed seven non-conference opponents are currently projected to make the field by Lunardi.
New Orleans is the host for the 2022 Final Four.
Filed to: Bracketology