Is it too early to start thinking about the NCAA Tournament next year? Some might say yes, but we say absolutely not — and it looks like Joe Lunardi agrees. The ESPN insider has already released his way-too-early bracketology for next season, and he currently projects North Carolina Tar Heels and coach Michael Malone as a No. 9 seed heading into March Madness.
UNC still in contact with NBA-bound center who Neoklis Avdalas can help land
That alone is disappointing, but it also shows there’s still plenty of work left for Michael Malone as he continues shaping the roster for next season. For this discussion, though, that’s not the main storyline. Instead, the focus is on the projected first-round matchup itself, as Joe Lunardi currently has North Carolina Tar Heels facing Wisconsin Badgers men’s basketball in the opening round — a matchup that could carry enormous pressure and major implications for the Tar Heels program.
Why does this matter? Because Greg Gard is starting to feel some pressure in Madison. The Wisconsin Badgers men’s basketball have suffered several disappointing early NCAA Tournament exits in recent years, and fan frustration has continued to grow. Another first-round loss next March could seriously jeopardize Gard’s future with the program and potentially bring his tenure at Wisconsin to an end.
Of course, that’s nothing North Carolina Tar Heels fans are going to lose sleep over. If anything, it only adds another intriguing storyline to what could already be one of the most pressure-packed first-round matchups of the tournament.
UNC’s Push to Return to the NCAA Tournament Starts Now.
With the NCAA Tournament now expanding to 76 teams, there will be even fewer excuses for powerhouse programs to miss out on March Madness. For a blue-blood program like North Carolina Tar Heels, simply making the field should be viewed as the minimum expectation moving forward.
At the same time, Michael Malone is unlikely to be satisfied with just hearing his team’s name called on Selection Sunday. The expectation in Chapel Hill will be much bigger than that, especially in his first season leading the program. Malone will be expected to build a roster capable of not only returning UNC to the tournament, but also making a legitimate deep March run.
This past season, hearts were broken in Chapel Hill when North Carolina Tar Heels suffered a crushing first-round NCAA Tournament loss to VCU Rams men’s basketball after blowing a massive lead. The collapse quickly became one of the most painful moments of the season for Tar Heels fans and ultimately proved to be the final blow for Hubert Davis, who was dismissed not long afterward following mounting frustration around the program.
