Both USA TODAY Sports' bracketology by Shelby Mast and FOX Sports' Bracket Watch by Stewart Mandel have the UC Bearcats as a No. 4 seed in the East, with a potential Round of 32 showdown with No. 5 seed Duke (and former Franklin High School star Luke Kennard).
In Mast's Bracketology, UC would meet Vermont in Orlando in the first round before meeting the winner of Duke-Nevada. Xavier, a No. 7 seed, would meet Arkansas in Greenville (in the Midwest region) before facing the North Carolina-ETSU winner. And No. 3 Kentucky and No. 2 Louisville are both in the South Region, and both opening with games in Indianapolis.