UK basketball’s 2024 NCAA Tournament path is set. Here’s who, where the Cats will play.

Cameron Drummond
·5 min read

The path to a potential ninth national championship has been laid out for the Kentucky men’s basketball program.

UK was given a No. 3 seed in the South Region (Dallas) in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, as announced on the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday night.

The Wildcats (23-9) will begin this year’s edition of March Madness against No. 14 seed Oakland (23-11 overall) in the round of 64 at 7:10 p.m. EDT (CBS-27) Thursday in Pittsburgh.

The winner of that game will play the winner of No. 6 seed Texas Tech (23-10 overall) and No. 11 seed NC State (22-14 overall) in the round of 32 on Saturday.

The potential Sweet 16 matchup for UK in the South Region (Dallas) is 2 seed Marquette. The 1 seed in the South Region is Houston.

UK was the No. 11 overall seed in the field of 68. The Wildcats were not included in an earlier prediction of the top 16 seeds for the NCAA Tournament in February.

Kentucky closed the regular season on a five-game winning streak that featured impressive victories over Alabama and at SEC regular season champion Tennessee, but the Wildcats lost in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals as the No. 2 seed to Texas A&M on Friday night in Nashville.

Since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, no team that lost its first game in its conference tournament (like Kentucky did) has gone on to win the national championship.

UK is making its 61st appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the most of any school. The Cats own a 130-54 all-time record in NCAA Tournament games.

Kentucky’s Antonio Reeves (12) celebrates with D.J. Wagner (21) and Zvonimir Ivisic during a game in Rupp Arena. The Wildcats enter the NCAA Tournament with the one of the nation’s highest-scoring offenses but doubts about its defense.
Kentucky’s Antonio Reeves (12) celebrates with D.J. Wagner (21) and Zvonimir Ivisic during a game in Rupp Arena. The Wildcats enter the NCAA Tournament with the one of the nation’s highest-scoring offenses but doubts about its defense.

Morehead State learns opponent for ninth ever NCAA Tournament trip

The Morehead State Eagles are in the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in school history. Led by rising 37-year-old coaching star Preston Spradlin, the Eagles (26-8 overall, a school record for wins) won the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament for the second time in four years to earn a spot in March Madness.

Morehead State was given a No. 14 seed and will face No. 3 seed Illinois (26-8 overall) in the round of 64 on Thursday at 3:10 p.m. EDT (TruTV) in Omaha, Nebraska. This game is part of the East Region (Boston).

Illinois won the Big Ten Tournament on Sunday afternoon.

Riley Minix, a 6-7 guard who is the OVC Player of the Year, is averaging 20.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game this season for the Eagles.

Morehead State owns a 6-9 all-time record in the NCAA Tournament, including a stunning first-round upset victory over Louisville in 2011.

Morehead State’s remarkable 4-year run of success leads up to NCAA matchup vs. Illinois

Head coach Preston Spradlin led Morehead State to the championship of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament and a 26-8 record in 2023-24.
Head coach Preston Spradlin led Morehead State to the championship of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament and a 26-8 record in 2023-24.

Western Kentucky in NCAA Tournament for first time in 11 years

The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are making their 24th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament after winning their first-ever Conference USA Tournament title on Saturday night.

WKU (22-11 overall) is making its first NCAA Tournament trip since 2013, and is doing so under the direction of first-year head coach Steve Lutz.

Western Kentucky was given a No. 15 seed and will face No. 2 seed Marquette (25-9 overall) in the round of 64 on Friday at 2 p.m. EDT (TBS) in Indianapolis. This game is part of the South Region (Dallas).

The Hilltoppers — who rank No. 1 in the nation in adjusted tempo, per KenPom — last won an NCAA Tournament game in 2012 (First Four) and last won a game in the round of 64 in 2009.

Former Pendleton County standout and ex-Cat Dontaie Allen is enjoying a career season in Bowling Green, but he suffered an injury during the C-USA Tournament and missed his first game of the season on Saturday when WKU won the tournament championship.

Western Kentucky, back in NCAA Tournament for first time since 2013, will face Marquette

The health of Western Kentucky guard Dontaie Allen (11) is in question entering the NCAA Tournament after he injured a knee during the semifinals of the Conference USA Tournament last week. Allen, who was named Kentucky Mr. Basketball at Pendleton County High School before spending three years at UK, is averaging 8.3 points and shooting 39.7 percent from 3-point range this season.

UConn named top overall seed for 2024 NCAA Tournament

UConn (31-3) is the No. 1 overall seed for this year’s NCAA Tournament and will play in the East Region (Boston).

Houston (30-4) is the 1 seed in the South Region (Dallas). Purdue (29-4) is the 1 seed in the Midwest Region (Detroit). North Carolina (27-7) is the final 1 seed in the West Region (Los Angeles).

Eight different SEC teams made the field of 68, which ties the conference record for the most teams to make the NCAA Tournament (2018 and 2023).

Both the Big 12 and the SEC got eight teams into the field.

In addition to Kentucky, the following seven SEC schools made the field:

▪ Tennessee: The Volunteers, the outright SEC regular season champion, earned a 2 seed in the Midwest Region and will face 15 seed Saint Peter’s in the opening round.

▪ Auburn: The SEC Tournament champions earned a 4 seed in the East Region and will face 13 seed Yale in the opening round.

▪ Alabama: The Crimson Tide earned a 4 seed in the West Region and will face 13 seed Charleston in the opening round.

▪ South Carolina: The Gamecocks earned a 6 seed in the Midwest Region and will face 11 seed Oregon in the opening round.

▪ Florida: The Gators earned a 7 seed in the South Region and will face a 10 seed in the opening round. Florida’s opponent will be the winner of a First Four game between Boise State and Colorado.

▪ Mississippi State: The Bulldogs earned a 8 seed in the West Region and will face 9 seed Michigan State in the opening round.

▪ Texas A&M: The Aggies earned a 9 seed in the South Region and will face 8 seed Nebraska in the opening round.

Next game

No. 3 Kentucky vs. No. 14 Oakland

What: NCAA Tournament first round

When: 7:10 p.m. EDT Thursday

TV: CBS-27

Where: PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh

How has Kentucky fared as a No. 3 seed in past NCAA tournaments? It’s happened twice.