Arizona potentially projected to play rival in updated Bracketology

Arizona remains the first seed in the West Region in the updated ESPN Bracketology. Joe Lunardi of ESPN projects Arizona against 16th seed, Northeast Conference automatic qualifier Long Island, in the first round in San Diego.

Looming for Arizona in the second round is the winner of eighth-seeded St. Mary's against ninth seed UCLA. Arizona beat St. Mary's 81-68 in an exhibition game in October and UCLA 69-65 in November. Saint Mary's is currently 11-2 and UCLA is 10-3.

The other top seeds on the Arizona half of the West Regional are fourth-seeded Nebraska and fifth-seed and reigning National Champion Florida. On the other half of the West Bracket, Lunardi projects Gonzaga as the second seed, Illinois third and USC sixth.

Michigan continues to be the projected top overall seed in the Midwest. Connecticut in the East and Iowa State in the South are the other projected number one seeds by Lunardi. The other projected two seeds by Lunardi are Vanderbilt in the Midwest, Duke in the East and Purdue in the South.

Other teams of note on the 2025-26 Arizona schedule in Bracketology are third-seed Houston, fifth-seed Texas Tech and ninth-seed Central Florida in the Midwest, fourth-seed Kansas and eight-seed Auburn in the East, third-seed BYU in the South and seventh-seed Baylor in the West.

Arizona concluded non-conference play 13-0. Utah hosts Arizona to begin Big XII play on Saturday. Arizona does not play a team projected in the NCAA Tournament field by Lunardi until they are at Central Florida on January 17.

Arizona plays four games before playing at Central Florida. The two games after Central Florida are against Cincinnati and West Virginia at home. Arizona has a chance to start the season 20-0 before it plays at BYU on January 26. Per KenPom, Arizona has the 88th strength of schedule and 98th non-conference SOS.