By Michael Gross

🔐

None

“Near Lock”

Michigan, Nebraska, Purdue, Mich St., Illini

“Good Shape”

Iowa, USC

“Bubble”

Wisconsin, UCLA, Ohio St., Indiana 

“Fringe Bubble”

Washington, Minnesota 

           All of the 5 “Near Lock” teams from the Big Ten are in great shape to dance and be top 4 seeds!

           USC and Iowa are in “Good Shape” because of their metrics. In Iowa’s case it’s because of predictive metrics and in USC’s case it’s resume metrics propping them up. However, both are beginning to trend towards the bubble. They need to pick up their play!

          Wisconsin has for the moment turned the trajectory of their season around on its head! Before beating Michigan and Minnesota on the road the Badgers were 10-5 with nothing more than a win over UCLA. Now they own 2 road wins including the best win you can have in the country according to the NET. Badgers are trending towards “Good Shape”. UCLA is kinda just “there”. They haven’t done anything impressive or completely disastrous. They got Ohio St. on the road next. A win there would help their cause while hurting the Buckeyes chances.

The Buckeyes have yet to do anything to say they are a Tournament team. They’ve competed with tournament teams, but haven’t beaten them. They play Michigan in Ann Arbor in 8 days. First they need to beat UCLA and Minnesota at home though. Indiana has also yet to beat a Tournament team. Huge game at home against Iowa on Saturday before playing Michigan on Tuesday. A win in either game would really help their cause. Go 2-0 and all of the sudden they are in great shape. Go 0-2 and they probably drop to the fringe.

         Washington is going to probably pick off some NCAA Tourney hopefuls in Seattle, but I don’t see them as an NCAA Tournament team. Minnesota has taken a couple of tough losses recently and their upcoming schedule is just brutal. Barring multiple upsets I don’t see it for the Gophers this year.