http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology

Purdue and Michigan State projected as 2's, Ohio State and Wisconsin projected as 3's. I think it will be hard for all 4 teams to stay up that high but it goes to show how strong the conference is at the top this year. Illinois also in as an 8 seed right now. Only negative might be that it's looking like that will be it for the conference as Northwestern and Minnesota haven't done much to take a leap on the bubble, with Minnesota really taking a step back.

How I see it ending up:

2-OSU
2-Purdue
4-Wisconsin
4-MSU

This week is huge for OSU. With a sweep, they are definitely on pace for a #2, and gasp, possibly a #1 seed if they were to win out and the committee factored in how well they have played lately and that 4 of their 6 losses came without Evan Turner.

With a split, they are still right there in the #3 or #4 seed discussion.

If they get swept, that clearly puts them a distinct 3rd, and with the remaining schedule and Big Ten Tournament, probably as high as a 3-seed and as low as a 6 or 7-seed.

We will see how they do, but it's nice to have the games against the teams you are directly battling ahead of you. The Buckeyes with games vs Purdue, at Michigan State and vs Illinois basically control their own destiny.

What does Northwestern have to do to get in the tourney?

darbypitcher22 wrote: What does Northwestern have to do to get in the tourney?

Move to a less difficult conference lol.

darbypitcher22 wrote: What does Northwestern have to do to get in the tourney?

Win the Tourney more than likely

darbypitcher22 wrote: What does Northwestern have to do to get in the tourney?

Wait until next year.

I think Northwestern still has a shot. Their remaining schedule isn't too difficult and being able to win five of the next six I think would at least get them considered.

Their remaining schedule:
Feb. 17, 2010 Penn State
Feb. 21, 2010 at Wisconsin
Feb. 25, 2010 Iowa
Feb. 28, 2010 at Penn State
Mar. 3, 2010 Chicago St.
Mar. 6, 2010 at Indiana

I think they can win them all but at Wisconsin and with an ok showing at the conference tourney they might find themselves in the dance.

The problem with Northwestern is the RPI of 74 and SOS of 86. Their best win OOC was over Notre Dame, who is done at this point. They did beat Purdue and Illinois at home, but they lost at Minnesota and Iowa, which counter-act those wins. I'd say they absolutely must win 5 out of 6, and then sweat it out at 10-8 in Big Ten play.

However, look at some recent Big Ten/NCAA Tourney history.

2009 Penn State, 22-11, 11-9, RPI 70, SOS 91 - Missed NCAA's
2008 Ohio State, 21-13, 10-9, RPI 46, SOS 17 - Missed NCAA's
2007 Michigan, 21-12, 9-9, RPI 54, SOS 31 - Missed NCAA's

With 5 other solid Big Ten teams in the dance, I'm just not sure Northwestern can reverse things enough to get their first NCAA bid. Even if they finish with the 6th seed and get an easy game against Penn State in the first round of the Big Ten Tourney, that would mean 3 of their final 6 wins would be over the winless Nittany Lions. They would still likely have to beat the 3-seed on Friday of the Big Ten Tourney to get the at-large NCAA bid.

Best case scenario they finish 23-10, 11-9 with an RPI around 70 and a SOS outside of the top 100 after playing all of these cupcakes. That's going to be borderline enough.

ttocs14 wrote: I think Northwestern still has a shot. Their remaining schedule isn't too difficult and being able to win five of the next six I think would at least get them considered.

Their remaining schedule:
Feb. 17, 2010 Penn State
Feb. 21, 2010 at Wisconsin
Feb. 25, 2010 Iowa
Feb. 28, 2010 at Penn State
Mar. 3, 2010 Chicago St.
Mar. 6, 2010 at Indiana

I think they can win them all but at Wisconsin and with an ok showing at the conference tourney they might find themselves in the dance.

That hurts them more than anything. Those teams are TERRIBLE. They will ALLLLL bring down the SOS and RPI. Wisky is good, but they wont win. If they do, they have put themselves on the outer edge of the bubble. But those other 5 games hurt their chances. Theyd be better off playing good teams and going 500.

Laley23 wrote:

ttocs14 wrote: I think Northwestern still has a shot. Their remaining schedule isn't too difficult and being able to win five of the next six I think would at least get them considered.

Their remaining schedule:
Feb. 17, 2010 Penn State
Feb. 21, 2010 at Wisconsin
Feb. 25, 2010 Iowa
Feb. 28, 2010 at Penn State
Mar. 3, 2010 Chicago St.
Mar. 6, 2010 at Indiana

I think they can win them all but at Wisconsin and with an ok showing at the conference tourney they might find themselves in the dance.

That hurts them more than anything. Those teams are TERRIBLE. They will ALLLLL bring down the SOS and RPI. Wisky is good, but they wont win. If they do, they have put themselves on the outer edge of the bubble. But those other 5 games hurt their chances. Theyd be better off playing good teams and going 500.

I never meant that if they won five of the last six regular season games they would be a lock for the tourney, but if they do and manage to win a couple in the big ten tournament they will have done all they could really be expected to. Thus, I think would warrant serious consideration from the selection committee, even though they would probably fall short and be one of the infamous "first four out" teams.

^^^I know, and my point is, if they dont beat Wisky they dont have a shot. They wont even be on the bubble. The loss to Iowa killed that. You cant go and lose by 20 to a team like Iowa when you have no OOC wins and only Purdue in conference to point at. Their W/L record vs the RPI top 50 will be pretty bad.

Losing at home to Penn State pretty much ends this discussion. The only Big Ten drama is going to be how the final 5 finish. The rest of the league has played themselves out. Michigan was done after 6 weeks, Minnesota was done a month ago and Northwestern just coughed their hopes up tonight. Barring a miracle NCAA run, it's a 5-bid league.

Wisconsin's not a three seed after getting pounded at Minnesota.

The Gophers are almost cooked ... almost. With games against Illinois and Purdue left, plus very winnable home dates against Indiana and Iowa (throw in a game @ Michigan, too) Minnesota has a very very slim chance of playing their way in. Granted, it would have to be four out of their last five with wins at home against Purdue and at Illinois, plus a win in the conference tourney, to put them in (at a final record of 20-12 (11-8), but the Wisconsin win keeps their heads above water -- for now.