Arizona has a new set of projected opponents in the updated ESPN Bracketology. Arizona and Miami (Ohio) are the only two remaining undefeated teams nationally after Nebraska lost to Michigan on Tuesday night.
ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi projects Arizona to play Northeast Conference leader Long Island in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Long Island is 12-8 overall and 6-1 in the Northeast Conference. The Sharks have been as high as a 14th seed and were twice projected as a 15th seed.
Eighth-seeded Georgia and ninth-seeded Utah State are in the same pod as Arizona and Long Island. Georgia is 16-4 overall and 4-3 in the SEC. Lunardi has had Georgia as high as a seventh seed as recently as last week.
Utah State is 16-3 overall and 7-3, in third place in the Mountain West Conference behind San Diego State and New Mexico. The Aggies have been as high as a seventh seed in ESPN Bracketology. The Arizona, Georgia, Long Island and Utah State pod is projected to play in San Diego.
— Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) January 27, 2026
Other projected teams in the West Regional
Lunardi projects Vanderbilt as the fourth seed and St. John's fifth in the West Regional. St. John's is projected to play Belmont and Vanderbilt against Troy in Tampa in the first round. If Belmont upsets St. John's, it would set up a battle of Music City in the second round.
On the other half of the West Regional Bracket, Lunardi has Michigan State second-seeded, Gonzaga third, Clemson sixth, Villanova seventh and Ohio State 10th as the other teams of note. Michigan State is projected to play in a pod in Buffalo and Gonzaga is predicted to be in Portland.
The 2026 NCAA Tournament West Regional will be in San Jose. That would presumably provide Arizona and Gonzaga with a huge crowd advantage. The biggest test for Arizona during the 2025-26 season begins February 9 at Kansas in the first of four consecutive games against ranked teams.