UNC Basketball Drops to No. 6 Seed in Latest ESPN Bracketology

Tar Heels look to improve seeding in ACC Tournament after recent losses

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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The North Carolina Tar Heels have dropped to a No. 6 seed in ESPN's latest Bracketology projections for the NCAA Tournament, according to analyst Joe Lunardi. This comes after the Tar Heels lost to Duke on Saturday, as well as an earlier defeat to NC State. Despite the slide, UNC is still in a better position than a season ago when they were on the bubble. The Tar Heels will have a chance to improve their resume this week at the ACC Tournament in Charlotte, where they enter as the No. 4 seed with a double bye.

Why it matters

UNC's seeding position is crucial as they look to secure a favorable spot in the NCAA Tournament field. A higher seed would mean an easier path to the later rounds of the Big Dance. The Tar Heels will be looking to bounce back from their recent losses and prove they deserve a better seed with a strong showing in the ACC Tournament.

The details

In Monday's updated Bracketology from ESPN's Joe Lunardi, the North Carolina Tar Heels have been dropped to a No. 6 seed after their loss to Duke on Saturday. This is a step down from their previous position around a No. 5 seed. Lunardi cited the loss of forward Caleb Wilson for the remainder of the season as a factor in the Tar Heels' seeding slide. However, even as a No. 6 seed, UNC is still in a better position than they were a season ago when they were on the bubble.

  • The Tar Heels enter this week's ACC Tournament in Charlotte as the No. 4 seed with a double bye.
  • UNC will play their first game on Thursday, with a potential matchup against Duke looming in the next round.

The players

Caleb Wilson

A forward for the North Carolina Tar Heels who is out for the remainder of the season.

Joe Lunardi

ESPN analyst who produces the network's Bracketology projections for the NCAA Tournament.

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What they’re saying

“Part of that seeding could be due to the fact that they lost Caleb Wilson for the remainder of the year.”

— Joe Lunardi, ESPN Bracketology Analyst (ESPN)

What’s next

The Tar Heels will have a chance to improve their seeding this week at the ACC Tournament in Charlotte. A strong showing, including a potential win over Duke, could see them move up to a higher seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

UNC's drop to a No. 6 seed in the latest Bracketology projections highlights the importance of the ACC Tournament for the Tar Heels. With the loss of a key player in Caleb Wilson, UNC will need to prove they deserve a better seed and an easier path in the Big Dance by performing well in Charlotte this week.