Four Big Ten Teams Projected To Make The NCAA Tournament

Teams will spend the next ten days stamping their tickets to the NCAA tournament or waiting until March 12 to see whether they will be able to put on their dance shoes as Selection Sunday approaches.

The last stretch of the regular season of college basketball might be chaotic with a number of well-known schools on the verge of elimination. Consider this your guide to the bubble, complete with an analysis of the key events to follow over the next 10 days and instructions for each bubble team on how to qualify for the Big Dance.

How many losses are disqualifying?

In order to be eligible for the NCAA tournament, a team must complete the season with a record higher than.500. Yet in reality, throughout time, two clearer thresholds have served as eliminators: Just three teams have ever received an at-large bid with 15 defeats or less entering Selection Sunday (never with more than 15), and no team has received an at-large bid in the last 20 years after ending with fewer than three games over.500.

Several teams may be edging around those two lines over the course of the next two weeks due to the Big 12’s overall strength and the parity we’ve seen in the Big Ten this season. The Big Ten’s most probable candidate is Michigan, which, in the event of a conference tournament defeat, would need to win on the road at Illinois or Indiana to avoid having 15 losses. Without a strong showing in the Big Ten tournament, Michigan’s dismal nonconference defeat to Central Michigan would probably be enough to keep them out. To reach 15 losses, Wisconsin would need to lose to mediocre Minnesota, but if they lose to Purdue on Thursday, the Badgers are destined for 14.

And in the Big 12, West Virginia and Oklahoma State are in precarious circumstances. If Oklahoma State does not win the conference tournament, it will suffer its fifteenth defeat, while West Virginia has a good chance of doing the same. Similar resumes to those of these three teams have frequently received unfavourable treatment from the committee: Oklahoma, which finished last year at 18-15 and had significant victories over Baylor, Arkansas, and Texas Tech, was overlooked, while Oklahoma State, which finished the previous season at 19-14 and had a number of top-end victories, was also overlooked.

All four teams close the Big Ten regular season Sunday:

Maryland at Penn State 12 p.m. BTN
Michigan at No. 15 Indiana 4:30 p.m. CBS
Northwestern at Rutgers 7:30 p.m. BTN
Wisconsin at Minnesota 7:30 p.m. FS1

Big Ten standings and rankings

Here is a look at how Michigan, Rutgers, Penn State and Wisconsin stack up in the Big Ten standings along with their Net and KenPom rankings:

School Record Big Ten Net KenPom Quad 1
Michigan 17-13 11-8 54 42 3-10
Rutgers 18-12 10-9 38 37 5-6
Penn State 18-12 9-10 56 48 4-6
Wisconsin 16-13 8-11 77 68 6-7

Most important bubble games until conference tournaments start:

  • March 1: Penn State at Northwestern
  • March 2: Purdue at Wisconsin
  • March 2: Michigan at Illinois
  • March 2: Arizona State at UCLA
  • March 4: Duke at North Carolina
  • March 4: Boise State at Utah State
  • March 4: Arizona State at USC
  • March 4: Oklahoma State at Texas Tech
  • March 4: Kansas State at West Virginia
  • March 5: Houston at Memphis
  • March 5: Maryland at Penn State

Big Ten bubble teams

Michigan 

Big Ten tournament seed: No. 7

NCAA Tournament projection: First four out

In conference play, the Wolverines hold the best record. In their lone encounter, they triumphed over Rutgers while splitting with Penn State and Wisconsin. What’s the issue when Michigan has the best Big Ten record of all the teams? The Wolverines are 0-4 this season against rated opposition and 3-10 in Quad 1. Another opportunity was lost in the double-overtime defeat at Illinois, and now Michigan is under pressure to triumph against Indiana on Sunday.

Rutgers

Big Ten tournament seed: No. 9

NCAA Tournament projection: No. 11 seed

With at least a.500 season in Big Ten conference play, Rutgers has the best Net and KenPom combination among the four teams. The Scarlets also defeated Wisconsin and swept Penn State. Because of this, the Scarlet Knights are now the most likely team in this group to qualify for the tournament—at least for the time being. Is it terrible news? In its previous seven games, Rutgers had suffered five losses, including one against Michigan. The stakes are high if you want to win versus Northwestern.

Penn State

Big Ten tournament seed: No. 10

NCAA Tournament projection: First four out

With where the Nittany Lions currently stand, Sunday’s home game versus Maryland is even more crucial. This season, Penn State’s record versus Michigan, Rutgers, and Wisconsin was 1-5. Among the teams, they have the third-highest number of Quad 1 triumphs. The Terps present an opportunity for Penn State to pick up a second victory against a ranked team after winning four of its previous five games. Since 2011, the Nittany Lions have not participated in the NCAA tournament.

Wisconsin 

Big Ten tournament seed: No. 11

NCAA Tournament projection: Last four in

Despite having the lowest conference record of all the teams, the Badgers are nonetheless considered eligible by the majority of bracketologists because to their six Quad 1 victory. In the regular season, the Badgers defeated Rutgers, drew with Michigan, and swept Penn State. With their conference record being the lowest among those teams, Wisconsin has dropped three of their last four games going into their season-ending game against Minnesota on Sunday. At the Big Ten tournament, the Badgers will need to win at least one game, if not two.

 

FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE- 

NBA   

 NFL  

MLB