Joe Lunardi's Bracketology has the Kentucky Wildcats moving in the right direction

Believe it or not, the NCAA Tournament is right around the corner, and every college basketball fan is anxious to see what seed their team will be in the Big Dance. It has not been a normal season for Kentucky basketball, knowing this team was supposed to be one of the top seeds in the tournament heading into the season, but it hasn’t gone as planned for Mark Pope’s team.

Despite an up-and-down season, the Wildcats are playing good basketball at the most important part of the season, and Joe Lunardi is paying attention. In his last Bracketology update, Lunardi had the Wildcats as a seven seed, but he updated the bracket once again and has Kentucky listed as a six seed in the West Region.

Kentucky head coach Mark Pope reacts during the first half of a NCAA mens basketball game at Steven C. O'Connell Center Exactek arena in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, February 14, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun] | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In this update, the Wildcats would be facing the 11-seed USC Trojans. If Kentucky were to win this game, they would more than likely be taking on the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Round of 32.

It is great that the Wildcats are moving up in the Bracketology, but if they can get hot over the final six games of the season, they could continue to move up to a higher seed. Part of making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament is getting hot and peaking at the correct time, which is what is happening with this Kentucky team. Pope’s team is playing its best basketball of the season when it matters the most.

Kentucky has six games left in the regular season, and many of these games will be Quad 1 opportunities for the Wildcats. If the Wildcats are able to finish 4-2 or better in these final six games, they will have a shot to jump up to a five seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Otega Oweh\ — Feb 7, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Otega Oweh (00) holds the ball after being fouled during the second half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The first of those final six games is coming up this evening in Rupp Arena against the Georgia Bulldogs. Mike White’s team will be a Quad 2 game for the Wildcats, so if Kentucky were to lose it would have a negative effect on Kentucky’s seeding.

The Wildcats need to take care of business this evening against the Bulldogs so their focus can shift to Saturday when they take on the Auburn Tigers on the road in what will be a Quad 1 opportunity for this ball club. If Kentucky can go on a special run to finish the season they will continue to boost their seeding in the NCAA Tournament.