Where Does the Latest Preseason Bracketology Place Virginia?

While it might be really early for bracketology projections, it can give a good idea of how teams are viewed at the start of the season. In previous iterations of ESPN's Bracketology, UVA had not been included, but in the latest one, they were.

ESPN's Joe Lunardi has placed Virginia among the final teams in and has them in a first four matchup with Georgia, with the winner getting a 10 seed and getting the chance to play USC, the No. 7 seed. The No. 1 seed in this region is Purdue, the preseason favorite to win the national championship.

Here is what Lunardi had to say about UVA's tournament prospects:

"The Virginia Cavaliers are an ironic addition to the bracket. Not because the Wahoos are without NCAA pedigree, but because they represent a new kind of bubble team in the NIL and transfer portal era. The traditional irony is that Ryan Odom takes over a program he once eliminated in the historic UVA-UMBC upset of 2018. The newer irony is that those Cavaliers under Tony Bennett were one of the most stable programs, both in style and substance, and Odom's charge is to win as big as Bennett, albeit in a very different way. The first thing you notice is that Virginia has no significant returning players. And among the impact newcomers, there appears to be an emphasis on a score-first mentality: Devin Tillis (UC Irvine), Dallin Hall (BYU) and Malik Thomas (San Francisco) are likely getting paid to put the ball in the basket. Only Ugonna Onyenso (Kansas State) is a heralded defender. Regardless, look for the Cavs to overachieve in Odom's first year -- and to perhaps lead a much-needed resurgence in the ACC."

Underrated team?

While Duke, Louisville, North Carolina, and even NC State are getting the most buzz heading into the season, Virginia deserves to be mentioned alongside those teams as contenders in the ACC.

Virginia has crafted an identity around high-level three point shooters and playing at a quick pace and that should have them near the top of the ACC. In a recent article, CBS Sports analyst Matt Norlander named Virginia as one of the most improved teams in the country next season:

"After spending last week on the recruiting trail and checking in with a medley of coaches, I can report that many a coach in college hoops believes Ryan Odom's Virginia Cavaliers will take a big jump in his first season. The Wahoos went 15-17 last season, fated to toil under Ron Sanchez in the wake of Tony Bennett's head-turning retirement in mid-October. Odom was plucked from nearby VCU, given a $10 million-plus roster budget for the upcoming season and has been able to load up on a team that figures to be top-five in the ACC.

BYU transfer Dallin Hall and former Kansas State forward Ugonna Onyenso have to vastly improve their production from last season, and the additions of three high-level mid-major scorers will give Virginia plenty to work with on offense. Malik Thomas (19.9 ppg at San Francisco), Jacari White (17.1 ppg at North Dakota State) and Sam Lewis (16.2 ppg at Toledo) will likely combine to put up more than 30 points per night. Then there's one of the best gets of the offseason, Belgium forward Thijs De Ridder, who has two years of professional experience in Spain underneath his belt. The 6-foot-8 combo forward put up 9.3 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 39.1% from 3 in one of the best Euro leagues.

Odom -- who has a career .636 winning percentage over more than a decade of coaching mid-major programs -- is ready for this. Virginia has the pieces. I'll be surprised if the Cavs aren't a single-digit seed in the NCAA Tournament next season."

Virginia is going to be a team to watch this season and maybe even a contender with this new head coach and style of play.