NCAA Brackets: What are the experts saying?

It’s time to look at the various mock brackets to see how the Big Ten is being forecast for the Big Dance. All four mock brackets that I check each week are in accord by having seven Big Ten teams in the NCAA tourney. The only other conference with as many is the Big East.

The four mock brackets—entering the week–have Indiana and Michigan as No. 1 seeds. Michigan State is a No. 2 in every bracket but ESPN’s, which has the Spartans as a No. 3.

Wisconsin and Ohio State are consistently a No. 4 or No. 5 seed, but CBSSport’s has the Buckeyes as a No. 6. Minnesota is anywhere from a No. 5-7. Illinois is all over the map as a No. 7 (twice) and No. 10 and No. 11.

Iowa? It is on the bubble—if it’s even there.

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Jerry Palm, CBSSports.com: The Big Ten and Big East lead the way with seven bids.

• No. 1 Indiana (East) vs. No. 16 play-in foe
• No. 1 Michigan (Midwest) vs. No. 16 North Carolina Central
• No. 2 Michigan State (South) vs. No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast
• No. 4 Wisconsin (West) vs. No. 13 Bucknell
• No. 5 Minnesota (South) vs. No. 12 play-in foe
• No. 6 Ohio State (West) vs. No. 11 North Carolina
• No. 7 Illinois (East) vs. No. 10 Boise State

Joe Lunardi, ESPN.com: The Big Ten and Big East each have seven teams.

• No. 1 Indiana (Midwest) vs. Bryant/Southern
• No. 1 Michigan (South) vs. UNC-Asheville/Norfolk State
• No. 3 Michigan State (East) vs. No. 14 Harvard
• No. 4 Ohio State (West) vs. No. 13 Akron
• No. 5 Wisconsin (East) vs. No. 12 Indiana State
• No. 6 Minnesota (Midwest) vs. No. 11 North Carolina
• No. 11 Illinois (South) vs. No. 6 Notre Dame

Andy Glockner, SI.com: The Big East has eight bids; the Big Ten has seven.

• No. 1 Indiana (Midwest) vs. No. 16 Northeastern
• No. 1 Michigan (West) vs. No. 16 Niagara
• No. 2 Michigan State (South) vs. No. 15 Long Beach State
• No. 4 Wisconsin (East) vs. No. 13 Valparaiso
• No. 5 Ohio State (South) vs. No. 12 Arizona State/Indiana State
• No. 7 Minnesota (West) vs. No. 10 Saint Louis
• No. 10 Illinois (Midwest) vs. No. 7 Cincinnati

Ryan Fagan, The Sporting News: The Big East and Big Ten each have seven bids.

• No. 1: Indiana; Michigan
• No. 2 Michigan State
• No. 5: Ohio State, Minnesota, Wisconsin
• No. 7 Illinois

About Tom Dienhart

BTN.com senior writer Tom Dienhart is a veteran sports journalist who covers Big Ten football and men’s basketball for BTN.com and BTN TV. Find him on Twitter and Facebook, read all of his work at btn.com/tomdienhart, and subscribe to his posts via RSS. Also, send questions to his weekly mailbag using the form below and read all of his previous answers in his reader mailbag section.

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