Joe Lunardi has an updated projection for Kentucky after its loss to Georgia on Saturday.

ESPN’s lead bracketologist now has the Wildcats on the outside-looking-in. Lunardi’s latest projection has Kentucky as one of the “First Four Teams Out” of the field.

UK’s road loss to Georgia on Saturday was devastating for its NCAA Tournament résumé. The Bulldogs are currently ranked No. 123 nationally in the NET. If they fall below No. 135 by the end of the season, that will be a Quad 3 loss for the Wildcats.

This would mark the 2nd time in 3 seasons that Kentucky has missed the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats went 9-16 in 2020-21. Last season, Kentucky was a No. 2 seed but got upset in the 1st round.

Kentucky hasn’t missed the NCAA Tournament twice in a 3-year span since 1989-91. That was the last year of the Eddie Sutton era and the first 2 seasons of Rick Pitino’s tenure.

Kentucky plays Mississippi State on the road on Wednesday night.