Never-too-early bracketology pins NC State as 7-seed

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY SportsI know what you're thinking, "hey, I remember that time when Joe Lunardi predicted NC State to be a three-seed in J.J. Hickson's freshman season." There are a few ways you can go about that recollection. The first is straight denial. Another is to be like, "oh yeah I remember that, and we won it all, and I floated away onto a rainbow made out of Roy Williams' tears." I forgot the third way.

This time around, Lunardi has NC State as a seven-seed against Oregon in the opening round, with an impending game against second-seeded Iowa State. This is in top-seeded Maryland's region, because of course it is. That's the only regional placement that could make sense.…