Where ESPN’s Joe Lunardi Currently Seeds Purdue in Updated Bracketology
With the transfer portal closed and the NBA Draft deadline now in the rearview, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has updated his Bracketology for the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. While Purdue remains a top contender, they are no longer the No. 1 overall seed.
In Lunardi’s latest release on June 24, Purdue is still positioned as a No. 1 seed, but they now rank as the fourth No. 1 seed, placed in the Houston Regional.
Lunardi’s top four No. 1 seeds are Florida, Houston, Duke, and Purdue.
The Boilermakers are set to play the first two rounds in St. Louis, before heading to Houston for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds. Previously, Lunardi had Purdue as the overall No. 1 seed in the Midwest Regional, with the first two rounds in St. Louis and Sweet 16/Elite Eight games in Chicago.
While it’s still early to determine how strong Purdue will be for the 2025-26 season, the team does bring back a solid core. Seniors Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and Fletcher Loyer, who have all spent their careers at Purdue, will lead the way. The team also welcomes back guards CJ Cox and Gicarri Harris, with 7-foot-4 center Daniel Jacobsen returning from injury.
Coach Matt Painter has bolstered his roster with additions from the transfer portal, including 6-foot-11 forward Oscar Cluff (South Dakota State) and 6-foot-7 forward Liam Murphy (North Florida). The Boilermakers also secured two recruits in the 2025 class, guards Omer Mayer and Antione West Jr.
Purdue returns 86% of its offensive production from last season and has added key players to help with rebounding and rim protection. Despite not being the top overall seed, Lunardi still sees Purdue as one of the top four teams heading into next season.
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