Big Ten Bracketology: Zombie Indiana, Precarious Minnesota

The thing I won’t miss about compiling this piece every week? Auto-play video. You are the literal worst, CBS Sports.

Bracketology

B1G Talking Points

• I am not a 15-over-2 guy, but if I was...the South Dakota State Jackrabbits against Michigan in Des Moines? That puppy’s got home court advantage and upset written all over it. Mike Daum, baby!
• There’s nothing too exciting about Michigan State slipping. We’re just holding out hope that Loyola’s got some more magic—or, better, yet, that my Drake Bulldogs upset the Ramblers in Arch Madness, then do the damn thing. Wear the D!
• A few projections, including D-Ratings, have Michigan-Sparty-Purdue all in a line, wrapping from the low two-seeds into the high-three seeds.
• Count me among those rooting for wisconsin to slip onto the 5-seed line and face whatever frisky-yet-flawed team wins a 12/12 matchup in Dayton.
• I mean, it’s fun thinking Maryland are already gonna lose to, like Temple, but imagine if it was wisconsin losing when the Owls went all Hack-a-Happ.
• Lunardi’s onto the Iowa late-season-swoon bit. Hawks in an 8-9 matchup, meaning we have, at max, two more games to worry about this stupidity.
• Ohio State as a 10 in Lunardi, 11 in Palm...would a loss to Northwestern send them to Dayton? I’m just asking the important questions here.
• Interestingly, the upset over Purdue wasn’t enough to move Minnesota off the 11-line and into a more comfortable position. But, if you’re Minnesota...do you almost want to stay on an 11-line, rather than move to the 10 and have to face North Carolina or Kentucky in the Round of 32? I’d much rather face LSU or Houston...though maybe not Texas Tech.
• Indiana are lurking comfortably on that bubble, for being 15-14. Assuming they can sweep their final two with (at)Illinois and Rutgers, are we talking 17-14 Indiana sneaking in? Could Archie be returning, at least, to Dayton? Nuts to think that a team that lost to Northwestern would be allowed in the NCAA Tournament.
• NIT bracketology coverage has left a lot to be desired this year. (Looking at you, The Barking Crow.) But from what outlets we can read, Indiana should slide into the MSG Madness—Chinese food joke goes here—if they don’t go Dancing, while there are a lot of questions about whether Penn State or Rutgers, even coming in under .500, should get a look.
• I’d take Rutgers for sure—you’re guaranteed a rockin’ atmosphere at the RAC.