Selection Sunday is approaching fast, and the postseason picture for the Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball is coming into sharper focus. Right now, Kentucky’s résumé for the 2026 NCAA Tournament is solid, competitive — and full of opportunity.
After Saturday’s tough road loss to Florida Gators men’s basketball, the Wildcats sit at No. 28 in the NCAA’s NET rankings. While the NET is not the final word in tournament seeding, it remains one of the most important evaluation tools used by the selection committee. If the bracket were determined strictly by NET, Kentucky would land right around a No. 7 seed — safely in the field, but with work left to do.
Yet the broader bracketology landscape paints a slightly more encouraging picture.
WHERE KENTUCKY STANDS RIGHT NOW
According to projections compiled by BracketMatrix, Kentucky is hovering between the No. 6 and No. 7 seed lines. Even after the Florida loss, most national bracketologists held steady in their evaluation of the Wildcats. That stability says something important: losing on the road to a surging, top-tier SEC opponent is not résumé damage — especially when that opponent is playing like a legitimate Final Four contender.
Several respected projections show Kentucky firmly in competitive positioning:
CBS Bracketology places the Wildcats as a No. 6 seed in Washington, D.C., potentially facing an 11-seed play-in winner before a possible matchup with 3-seeded Nebraska.
USA Today also projects Kentucky as a 6 seed, potentially opening in San Diego with a high-profile second-round showdown against Kansas.
Veteran bracketologist Jerry Palm slots Kentucky as a No. 7 seed in Chicago, with a possible Round of 32 meeting against 2-seeded Iowa State.
Joe Lunardi of ESPN actually moved Kentucky up a seed following the Florida loss, projecting them as a 6 seed with a possible second-round clash against Texas Tech.
Notably, bracket expert Dave Ommen, known for past projection accuracy, continues to view Kentucky favorably and lists them around the No. 6 line overall.
The takeaway? The Wildcats are not slipping. If anything, they are holding steady in a crowded and competitive national field.
THE QUAD 1 CHALLENGE — AND OP
