Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, January 19, 2016
It?s time to take the temperature of the Big Ten?s NCAA hopes with a weekly check of the mock brackets from Jerry Palm of CBSSports.com and Joe Lunardi of ESPN.
One thing is becoming abundantly clear: The Big Ten is looking like a six-bid league, but keep an eye on Ohio State, Northwestern and Wisconsin.
Last week, Palm had five Big Ten teams in his field. This week, he has six, with Michigan joining the fray.
No. 2 Iowa vs. No. 15 North Florida, South Region
No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 15 Texas A&M CC, West Region
No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 13 Memphis, Midwest Region
No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 13 William & Mary, East Region
No. 7 Michigan vs. No. 10 Gonzaga, East Region
No. 8 Indiana vs. No. 9 St. Mary?s, South Region
Notable: Last week, Palm had Michigan among his ?first four out.? Before that, the Wolverines were a No. 9. Iowa jumps from a No. 4 to a No. 2; Michigan State goes form a No. 1 to a No. 2; Maryland slides from a No. 2 to a No. 4; Purdue is bumped from a No. 6 to a No. 4; IU pops from a No. 9 to a No. 8.
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Lunardi has the same six Big Ten teams in his bracket as last week.
No. 2 Iowa vs. No. 15 Montana, South Region
No. 2 Maryland vs. No. 15 UNC Asheville, East Region
No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 14 Belmont in Midwest Region
No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 13 Yale, East Region
No. 7 Indiana vs. No. 10 Monmouth, East Region
No. 8 Michigan vs. No. 9 Gonzaga in Midwest Region
Noteable: Iowa rose from a No. 4 to a No. 2; Maryland fell from a No. 1 to a No. 2; Michigan State slipped from a No. 1 to a No. 3; Purdue went up from a No. 5 to a No. 4; Indiana also went up one slot from a No. 8 to a No. 7; Michigan went from a No. 10 to a No. 8.
