As the college basketball season approaches, ESPN bracket expert Joe Lunardi released another 2025 Bracketology prediction on Tuesday, and Duke was once again a No. 1 seed.
While Lunardi gave the Kansas Jayhawks the top overall seed, landing in the Midwest region, Duke starts atop the East region. The Alabama Crimson Tide (South) and Houston Cougars (West) were the two other No. 1 seeds.
A big reason for the projected success is five-star freshman and projected NBA No. 1 overall pick [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag], one of the most anticipated college basketball players of the last decade. However, it isn’t just him. The Blue Devils have three other five-star freshmen and two returning starters, plus some talent added through the transfer portal. Considering all of that, Duke has more than enough talent to take home a No. 1 seed in March.
If Lunardi’s prediction for the East proves prescient, Duke would have a potentially tough pull. The top team in the region behind them is the Connecticut Huskies, the reigning two-time national champions, with the Baylor Bears and Texas A&M Aggies in the third and fourth spots. To start, though, they’d face the winner of Howard vs. Wagner.
Aside from Duke, five other Atlantic Coast Conference teams secured spots The Miami Hurricanes kick things off by facing the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in a play-in game for an 11-seed. Additionally, the Pittsburgh Panthers take on VCU for a spot.
Following them, the Clemson Tigers are seeded No. 8 in the Midwest region, and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons hold the same seed in the South. The North Carolina Tar Heels, last year’s conference champions, are the third seed in the South. Notably, Louisville was one of the first four out.