Mark Pope has made significant strides since arriving in Lexington, building a roster that will be able to compete on Day 1.

Although the season is still months away, most rosters have taken shape for the upcoming year, including Pope’s first Kentucky Wildcats squad. While the team is still trying to fill that 13th scholarship spot, the core of this roster is set.

The college basketball world will be quite entertaining this upcoming year with Calipari at Arkansas, Hurley staying at UCONN, Hunter Dickinson staying at Kansas, Alabama returning much of its Final Four team, and so much more.

Joe Lunardi is ready for basketball and has recently posted his first College Basketball Bracketology of the 2024-25 season.

Lunardi has Kentucky in the West Region, listed as the 7-seed:

• No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Navy / Howard
• No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Florida
• No. 5 Xavier vs. No. 12 Princeton
• No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 13 Vermont
• No. 6 Texas A&M vs. No. 11 Boise State
• No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 14 UC Santa Barbara
• No. 7 Kentucky vs. No. 10 USC
• No. 2 Gonzaga vs. No. 15 South Dakota State

It is no secret that Kentucky fans are desperately craving some NCAA Tournament success. Kentucky making the tournament will be a big win for year number one, and knowing how much passion Pope has for BBN, his team could be a tough out once in.

Let’s take a look at the rest of the bracket, starting with the Midwest Region:

• No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 16 Texas Southern / Morehead State
• No. 8 Miami vs. No. 9 Memphis
• No. 5 Arkansas vs. No. 12 Grand Canyon
• No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 13 Arkansas State
• No. 6 Dayton vs. No. 11 Rutgers
• No. 3 Creighton vs. No. 14 Wofford
• No. 7 UCLA vs. No. 10 Pittsburgh / Saint Mary’s
• No. 2 Auburn vs. No. 15 Lipscomb

South Region

• No. 1 Houston vs. No. 16 Howard
• No. 8 Ole Miss vs. No. 9 Wake Forest
• No. 5 Cincinnati vs. No. 12 McNeese
• No. 4 Indiana vs. No. 13 High Point
• No. 6 St. John’s vs. No. 11 Maryland
• No. 3 Arizona vs. No. 14 Weber State
• No. 7 Michigan vs. No. 10 Clemson
• No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 15 Purdue Fort Wayne

East Region

• No. 1 UConn vs. No. 16 Quinnipiac
• No. 8 Michigan State vs. No. 9 BYU
• No. 5 Texas vs. No. 12 Bradley
• No. 4 Tennessee vs. No. 13 Louisiana Tech
• No. 6 Marquette vs. No. 11 Missouri / Nebraska
• No. 3 North Carolina vs. No. 14 Charleston
• No. 7 Mississippi State vs. No. 10 Illinois
• No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 15 Akron