Iowa State Gets Positive Early NCAA Tournament Projections
Though the 2026 NCAA Tournament is still a long way off, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi is already forecasting teams for next year, and Iowa State is receiving good news early on. In his first Bracketology projection for the upcoming season, Lunardi has the Cyclones pegged as a No. 3 seed in the Midwest region.
Despite losing players like Curtis Jones, Keshon Gilbert, and others to the transfer portal, Lunardi believes the combination of new recruits and returning key players will keep the team competitive. The Cyclones are slated to face South Dakota State in the opening round, with a potential second-round matchup against either Missouri or San Diego State. The games are scheduled to take place in Oklahoma City, providing Iowa State with a slight home-court advantage.
In the Midwest bracket, Kentucky holds the No. 2 seed, with Illinois and Creighton also in the mix. The No. 1 overall seed is projected to be Purdue, followed by Auburn, Louisville, and Oregon.
Overall, the Big 12 Conference has eight teams in Lunardi’s early projections, ranking third among all conferences. The SEC leads with 13 teams, while the Big Ten has 12. The next set of bracket projections is expected to be released on May 20.
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