Bracketology: Purdue lands on one expert's latest mock bracket

Time to take the temperature of the Big Ten?s NCAA tourney hopes. That means we check in with bracketologists Jerry Palm of CBSSports.com and Joe Lunardi of ESPN.com.

Purdue-winners of six of seven–is gaining attention. Palm has Purdue in his bracket for the first time. The Boilermakers are among Palm?s ?last four in,? taking part in a play-in game as a No. 12 seed vs. No. 12 UCLA.

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Lunardi doesn?t have Purdue in his bracket, placing them as one of his ?first four out.? That was the case last week, too, even though the Boilers won two more games.

Another contrast: Illinois is one of Lunardi?s ?last four in,? just like last week. Palm has the Illini as a No. 10 seed after having them in a play-in game last week.

The two experts also have a two-seed difference between Maryland, Indiana and Michigan State. Palm has the Terps as a No. 3, the Hoosiers as a No. 5 and the Spartans as a No. 11; Lunardi has Maryland as a No. 5, IU as a No. 7 and MSU as a No. 9.

Palm didn?t have Michigan State in his bracket last week; Lunardi had MSU as No. 9.

Iowa?s bad week wasn?t too costly, as Palm has Iowa at No. 10, and Lunardi at No. 9. The two had the Hawkeyes at No. 7 and No. 8, respectively, last week.

Jerry Palm, CBSSports.com
No. 2 Wisconsin vs. No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast, Midwest
No. 3 Maryland vs. No. 14 High Point, South
No. 5 Indiana vs. No. 12 Murray State, South
No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Georgia, East
No. 10 Illinois vs. No. 7 West Virginia, East
No. 10 Iowa vs. No. 7 Wichita State, South
No. 11 Michigan State vs. No. 6 VCU, Midwest
No. 12 Purdue vs. No. 12 UCLA, play-in game

Joe Lunardi, ESPN.com
No. 2 Wisconsin vs. No. 15 Albany, South
No. 5 Maryland vs. No. 12 N.C. State/No. 12 Tulsa
No. 7 Indiana vs. No. 10 Colorado State
No. 7 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Cincinnati
No. 9 Michigan State vs. No. 8 West Virginia, Midwest
No. 9 Iowa vs. No. 8 Ole Miss, South
No. 11 Illinois vs. No. 11 UCLA, play-in game