Miami basketball 2024 projected bracketology 3rd highest seed ever
After earning its first trip to the Final Four in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, the Miami basketball program has its third-highest projected seed in program history in 2024 bracketology. Joe Lunardi of ESPN projects Miami as the third seed in the East Regional opening versus 14th seed Eastern Kentucky.
The projected third seed would only be behind 1999 and 2013 when the Miami basketball team was seeded second in the NCAA Tournament. Miami lost 73-63 to 10th-seeded Purdue in the second round in 1999. In 2013 Miami advanced to the East Regional Semifinal before losing 71-61 to third-seed Marquette.
Any projections for the 2023-24 season are extremely early. Miami completed its best two-season stretch after reaching the Midwest Regional Final in 2022 in addition to the Final Four run this season. The Hurricanes were a 10 seed in the 2022 NCAA Tournament and a five seed in 2023.
Miami currently has five players from its 2022-23 roster who are not returning in 2023-24. Jordan Miller has completed his college eligibility. Favour Aire, Harlond Beverly, Danilo Jovanovich and Anthony Walker entered the transfer portal. Beverly announced on Tuesday he is transferring to Wichita State.
How bout them Canes in the early preseason rankings 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/jBacaVPcPj
— Canes Men’s Basketball (@CanesHoops) April 7, 2023
The Lunardi projections have defending national champion Connecticut who defeated Miami in the national semifinals as the top seed in the East, FAU as the second seed, Tennessee as the fourth seed and San Diego State as the fifth seed in the region. It would be extremely rare for the previous year’s Final Four teams in the same region.
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Expect Jim Larrananga and the Miami basketball staff to search the transfer portal to add depth in the backcourt and for a versatile big man who can play power forward to replace Miller. Larranaga has Miami poised to continue being one of the elite teams in college basketball during March as they have been in the last two NCAA Tournaments.