The 2024-25 college basketball season is more than four months away and the NCAA tournament is nine months away. That hasn’t stopped KeynoteUSA bracket specialist Joe Lunardi from projecting his bracket too early for 2025 March Madness.
Many eyes and national interest will be on the Razorbacks and new coach John Calipari when Arkansas opens the regular season. The Hogs’ non-conference schedule is still being finalized, but they have a “guaranteed matchup” with Miami in the 2024 ACC-SEC Challenge on Dec. 3 in Coral Gables.
Arkansas will reportedly face Michigan in the annual Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden in December, as well as the Oakland Grizzlies at Bud Walton Arena at the end of the month.
On Thursday, Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman said the Fighting Illini would play the Razorbacks on Thanksgiving Day in Kansas City, a game nationally televised on KeynoteUSA.
In Lunardi’s latest offseason projections for the 2025 NCAA Tournament, the veteran bracketologist predicts a record 10 SEC teams to make the Dance, with Alabama earning the top spot as the league’s top team. Auburn was a projected No. 2 seed with Tennessee and SEC newcomer Texas as No. 4 seeds.
As for Arkansas, Lunardi projected the Razorbacks as the No. 5 seed in the Midwest region. The Hogs currently have nine players on their 2024-25 roster. Three former Kentucky players have joined Calipari in Fayetteville: big man Zvonimir Ivisic, forward Adou Thiero and guard DJ Wagner.
Combo guard Johnell Davis and forward Jonas Aidoo also transferred to Arkansas from Florida Atlantic and Tennessee, respectively. Incoming high school recruits Karter Knox, Boogie Fland and Billy Richmond committed to the Razorbacks, who recently learned that forward Trevon Brazile would return for another season after exploring NBA Draft options.
RELATED: Calipari’s first transfer class ranked No. 1 in the nation
In conference play, Arkansas will host Alabama, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Texas, LSU, Oklahoma, Missouri, Florida and Georgia at Bud Walton Arena in 2024-25. They will also travel to Missouri, Texas and LSU, plus Tennessee, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, South Carolina and a highly anticipated showdown with Kentucky at Rupp Arena when Calipari returns to Lexington.
Other SEC teams that made Lunardi’s 68-time NCAA Tournament field include Kentucky, Mississippi State and Texas A&M, as well as Ole Miss and Florida. Alabama, Kansas, UConn and Houston were projected to be the top seeds.
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The story originally appeared on Razorbacks Wire
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