Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, February 19, 2013

It?s time to check the mock brackets to see how the Big Ten rates for March Madness. The league holds steady with seven bids; the Big East also has seven in each bracket and as many as eight in some.

The big change from last week is the ascension of Michigan State to a No. 1 seed in some brackets following its big win last week over Michigan, which was a No. 1 seed. The Spartans have won 11 of their last 12 games. The lone loss in that stretch was 75-70 at Indiana.

ESPN.com is the lone bracket with just one Big Ten squad as a No. 1 seed: Indiana, a No. 1 across the board and winners of eight of nine. The Spartans are a No. 1 in three brackets.

Michigan is a No. 2 in all four brackets I checked this week. But it has time to rise, with home games left vs. Illinois, Michigan State and Indiana. The Wolverines are 3-4 on the road in Big Ten action.

Winners of four of five, Wisconsin is a consensus No. 5 seed; Minnesota-losers of three of four–is a No. 5 in two brackets and a No. 6 in two; Ohio State, which has lost three of four, is as low as a No. 7 and as high as a No. 4.

No team has a wider range than Illinois, which is a No. 6 in three brackets and a No. 10 in another as it rides a four-game winning streak.

There?s still a chance for Iowa to make the field for the first time since 2006. But the Hawkeyes likely need to finish 10-8 in the Big Ten and win a game in the league tourney. Iowa is 6-7 in Big Ten action.

[RELATED: Enter to win the Buffalo Wild Wings Trip to the Tourney Sweepstakes. ]

Jerry Palm, CBSSport.com

  • No. 1 Indiana (Midwest) vs. No. 16 play-in
  • No. 1 Michigan State (South) vs. No. 16 play-in
  • No. 2 Michigan (East) vs. No. 15 Northeastern
  • No. 5 Wisconsin (East) vs. No. 12 Middle Tennessee
  • No. 6 Minnesota (Midwest) vs. No. 11 Cal
  • No. 6 Illinois (East) vs. No. 11 Charlotte
  • No. 7 Ohio State (West) vs. No. 10 Ole Miss

Joe Lunardi, ESPN.com

  • No. 1 Indiana (Midwest) vs. No. 16 Southern/Bryant
  • No. 2 Michigan State (East) vs. No. 15 Montana
  • No. 2 Michigan (South) vs. No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast
  • No. 4 Ohio State (West) vs. No. 13 Akron
  • No. 5 Wisconsin (South) vs. No. 12 Middle Tennessee
  • No. 6 Minnesota (Midwest) vs. No. 11 LaSalle
  • No. 10 Illinois (West) vs. No. 7 San Diego State

Ryan Fagan, Sporting News

  • No. 1 Indiana
  • No. 1 Michigan State
  • No. 2 Michigan
  • No. 5 Wisconsin
  • No. 5 Minnesota
  • No. 6 Illinois
  • No. 6 Ohio State

Patrick Stevens, USAToday

  • No. 1 Indiana (Midwest) vs. No. 16 Northeastern/Southern
  • No. 1 Michigan State (South) vs. No. 16 Mercer/Charleston Southern
  • No. 2 Michigan (West) vs. No. 15 Niagara
  • No. 5 Minnesota (East) vs. No. 12 Iowa State
  • No. 5 Wisconsin (West) vs. No. 12 Louisiana Tech
  • No. 6 Ohio State (East) vs. No. 11 Baylor
  • No. 6 Illinois (South) vs. No. 11 Cal
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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