Bracketology: How does Big Ten shape up in latest tourney projections?

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Time to take the temperature of the Big Ten?s NCAA tournament hopes by checking the latest mock brackets of Jerry Palm of CBSsports.com and Joe Lunardi of ESPN.com. Each has eight Big Ten teams in his bracket. But no Big Ten team is seeded higher than a No. 4.

It is interesting to note that Palm doesn?t have Michigan State in his bracket but has Ohio State slotted as a No. 12. MSU hasn?t missed the NCAA tourney since 1997.

Lunardi has the Spartans as a No. 9 but doesn?t have the Buckeyes in his bracket. And Lunardi lists Michigan among his ?last four in.?

Here is a look at Palm?s latest bracket. And here is where Big Ten teams are seeded, as of Thursday.

• No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 13 Valparaiso in the South
• No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 Illinois State in the East
• No. 6 Minnesota vs. No. 11 Pitt vs. No. 11 Iowa State in the South
• No. 6 Maryland vs. No. 11 Georgia Tech
• No. 8 Northwestern vs. No. 9 SMU in the Midwest
• No. 8 Indiana vs. No. 9 Seton Hall in the South
• No. 9 Michigan vs. No. 8 Dayton in the East
• No. 12 Ohio State vs. No. 12 Miami (Fla.) in Midwest play-in game

Here is a look at Lunardi?s latest bracket, which came out on Thursday. And here is where he has the Big Ten slotted.

• No. 4 Wisconsin vs. No. 13 Valparaiso in the Midwest
• No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 13 New Mexico State in the East
• No. 6 Maryland vs. No. 11 Middle Tennessee in the South
• No. 7 Northwestern vs. No. 10 Kansas State in the South
• No. 7 Indiana vs. No. 10 Wake Forest in the West
• No. 8 Minnesota vs. No. 9 USC in the West
• No. 9 Michigan State vs. No. 8 Dayton in the South
• No. 12 Michigan vs. No. 12 Miami (Fla.) vs. No. 5 Cincinnati in the South

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