Arizona is the fifth overall team, which projects as the top second-seed in the updated Bracketology posted on Tuesday by Joe Lunardi of ESPN on Tuesday. Lunardi stated Arizona has the early lead in the "best resume category with quad one wins over Florida and UCLA in the first two weeks of the season.
The NCAA does not release net ratings until December, but Arizona should remain a top 10 team when they are posted. Arizona has remaining non-conference quad one non-conference games at Connecticut on Tuesday, against Auburn on December 6 and at Alabama on December 13.
Lunardi projects Arizona as the two seed in the West Regional that will be played in San Jose. Projected Big Sky Conference champion Montana is the opening game for Arizona in the NCAA Tournament in Lunardi's projections.
The winner between Arizona and Montana would play whoever emerges victorious between seventh-seeded Ohio State and 10th-seeded Georgetown. Former Arizona guard K.J. Lewis now plays for Georgetown.
"The Arizona Wildcats have an early lead in the "best resume" category thanks to a pair of Quad 1 victories over Florida and UCLA, both on the road and both of whom should remain in the upper half of Quad 1 -- an increasingly important factor in determining seeding. Arizona opened the season as a projected 4-seed, and has quickly risen (to) be on the precipice of a 1-seed, ranking fifth in the overall field. "
A potential rematch between Connecticut and Arizona could emerge in the regional final if Lunardi's projections occur. Lunardi has Connecticut as the top seed in the West. Gonzaga is the projected three seed in the West by Lunardi. Fourth seed Tennessee, fifth Texas Tech and sixth seed Arkansas round out the top seeds in the West.
Duke in the East, Houston in the South and Purdue in the Midwest are the other top seeds projected by Lunardi. Florida is projected as a three seed, Alabama as a four, UCLA as a five and Auburn as a seven among the other marquee Arizona non-conference opponents.
BYU as a three in the South Region in Houston and Iowa State as a four in the Midwest in Chicago are the other Big XII teams projected as top four seeds in the NCAA Tournament by Lunardi. Arizona plays BYU twice and Houston and Iowa State once during the 2025-26 regular season.