UNC a No. 2 seed in first 2012-13 NCAA tournament projection

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CHAPEL HILL — Today is April 16. So you know what that means: It’s time to talk 2012-13 NCAA men's basketball tournament projections.

Joe Lunardi, the noted ESPN.com NCAA tournament bracketologist, has released his first projection of the preseason. (Is it even late enough in the year to consider this the “preseason?” I digress.)

Lunardi has UNC as the No. 2 seed in the East region, playing against No. 15 Vermont in Philadelphia. Of course, the Tar Heels defeated Vermont in the second round of the tournament last month in Greensboro, so this would be a highly-anticipated grudge match.

Among other ACC teams, Lunardi’s first projection includes Duke as a No. 3 seed in the South, N.C. State as a No. 4 seed in the Midwest, Miami as a No. 8 seed in the South and Florida State as a No. 12 seed in the West. Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky and Louisville are your No. 1 seeds, with UNC in Louisville’s region.

It’s fun to talk about … but I’d hold off on making those reservations for Philadelphia.

- Andrew Carter