Last Eight In: VCU, Texas, New Mexico, Purdue, Florida, Arizona State, Saint Mary’s, Wisconsin
First Eight Out: Illinois, Duquesne, Virginia Tech, Rutgers, Saint Louis, TCU, Georgetown, Oregon State
The Big Ten is a mess. Right now there are 12 teams with a legitimate claim to an NCAA Tournament spot. Only Northwestern and Nebraska, both who have losing records, are on the outside of the tournament picture. Minnesota is only 9-7 overall, but they have an RPI in the top 60. We have Minnesota out, along with Illinois and Rutgers. The Illini had a huge week, beating the Scarlet Knights and Badgers. Rutgers picked up a nice win over Penn State and have an RPI in the 20’s. That is impressive, as is their 3-2 conference in Big Ten play, but in our minds, they still have a lot to prove. Penn State has an RPI in the 80’s, but are still 12-4 and entered last week ranked in the top 25 and we have them in the bracket for the time being. It seems unlikely that the Big Ten will get more than nine or ten teams into the tournament and it will be a fierce fight well into March to see who gets left out.
ACC: Duke, Florida State, Louisville, North Carolina State, Virginia
American: Houston, Memphis, Wichita State
Big East: Butler, Creighton, Marquette, Seton Hall, Villanova
Big 12: Baylor, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech, West Virginia
Big Ten: Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin
Pac-12: Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Oregon, Stanford
SEC: Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, LSU
A-10: Dayton, VCU
CAA: Delaware
C-USA: Louisiana Tech
Horizon: Wright State
MAC: Akron
MVC: Northern Iowa
MWC: New Mexico, San Diego State
WCC: BYU, Gonzaga, St. Mary’s
America East: Vermont
A-Sun: Liberty
Big Sky: Eastern Washington
Big South: Campbell
Big West: UC Irvine
Ivy League: Yale
MAAC: Rider
MEAC: Bethune-Cookman
NEC: Bryant
OVC: Belmont
Patriot: Colgate
Southern: East Tennessee State
Southland: Stephen F. Austin
Summit: South Dakota
Sun Belt: Georgia State
SWAC: Grambling State
WAC: New Mexico State
