Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, February 9, 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. The Big Ten continues to look like a six-bid league. But Wisconsin-winners of five in a row–is making some noise in Lunardi?s analysis.
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JERRY PALM
No. 1 Iowa vs. No. 16 play-in foe, East
No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 15 Stephen F. Austin, Midwest
No. 3 Maryland vs. No. 13 UAB, South
No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 13 UC Irvine, West
No. 8 Indiana vs. No. 9 Washington, Midwest
No. 9 Michigan vs. No. 8 Seton Hall, West
Palm?s bracket is holding steady with six Big Ten teams. Iowa and Maryland remain the same seeds as last week. Michigan State, winners of four in a row, Purdue and Indiana have moved up one spot. Michigan, which lost two home games, fell three spots.
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JOE LUNARDI
No. 1 Iowa vs. No. 16 Bucknell/Hampton, Midwest
No. 2 Maryland vs. No. 15 UNC Asheville, East
No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 14 Akron, South
No. 5 Purdue vs. No. 12 Arkansas-Little Rock, East
No. 8 Indiana vs. No. 9 George Washington, South
No. 9 Michigan vs. No. 8 St. Mary?s, West
Lunardi also still has the same six Big Ten schools in his bracket as last week. Iowa and Michigan State remain the same seeds as last week. Maryland has moved up one. Purdue has dropped a seed, while Indiana and Michigan each have fallen two spots.
The biggest development: Lunardi has Wisconsin among his ?first four out.? Last week, the Badgers were on the ?next out? category. So, keep an eye on the Badgers, who went to the last two Final Fours, including last season's national final. The remaining schedule is grueling, featuring road games at Maryland, Michigan State and Purdue, but there's no question the Badgers are playing much better.
See Lunardi's full bracketology.
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