Big Ten Tournament Seeding Has Been Set (and NCAA Tournament Resumes)

This weekend saw Illinois piss away its NCAA Tournament hopes by losing to Rutgers, Indiana break the record for points scored against Ohio State in Value City Arena since it opened in 1998, Maryland beat Michigan State on a buzzer-beating 3, Iowa kept its bubble hopes alive, Northwestern hung tough with Purdue before falling by four at home, Wisconsin drubbed Minnesota to snag the 2-seed in the Big Ten Tournament, and Michigan handed Nebraska its worst home loss ever.

Here are the seeds for the Big Ten Tournament, along with my initial seeding predictions from February 13 in parentheses.

1.  Purdue (14-4) (Wisconsin)

2.  Wisconsin (12-6) (Purdue)

3.  Maryland (12-6) (Maryland)

4.  Minnesota (11-7) (Northwestern) 

5.  Michigan State (10-8) (Michigan State)

6.  Northwestern (10-8) (Minnesota)

7.  Iowa (10-8) (Indiana)

8.  Michigan (10-8) (Iowa)

9.  Illinois (8-10) (Nebraska)

10.  Indiana (7-11) (Michigan)

11.  Ohio State (7-11) (Penn State)

12.  Nebraska (6-12) (Ohio State)

13.  Penn State (6-12) (Illinois)

14.  Rutgers (3-15) (Rutgers)

3 out of 14 isn't fantastic, but it's slightly better than I did last year.  I didn't expect Illinois, Iowa, or Michigan to play as well as they did down the stretch, nor did I expect IU to play so poorly (granted, they only lost one more game than I thought they would).

Here is the schedule for the Big Ten Tournament with my predictions (all times Eastern):

3/8 – First Round

4:30 p.m. (ESPN2) (12) Nebraska vs. (13) Penn State.  Predicted winner:  Penn State

7 p.m. (BTN) (11) Ohio State vs. (14) Rutgers.  Predicted winner:  Ohio State

3/9 – Second Round

12 p.m. (BTN) (8) Michigan vs. (9) Illinois.  Predicted winner: Michigan

2:30 p.m. (BTN) (5) Michigan State vs. (13) Penn State.  Predicted winner:  Michigan State

6:30 p.m. (ESPN2) (7) Iowa vs. (10) Indiana.  Predicted winner:  Indiana

9 p.m. (ESPN2) (6) Northwestern vs. (11) Ohio State.  Predicted winner:  Ohio State

3/10 – Quarterfinals

12 p.m. (ESPN) (1) Purdue vs. (8) Michigan.  Predicted winner:  Michigan

2:30 p.m. (ESPN) (4) Minnesota vs. (5) Michigan State.  Predicted winner:  Michigan State

6:30 p.m. (BTN) (2) Wisconsin vs. (10) Indiana.  Predicted winner:  Indiana

9 p.m. (BTN) (3) Maryland vs. (11) Ohio State.  Predicted winner:  Maryland

3/11 – Semifinals

1 p.m. (CBS) (5) Michigan State vs. (8) Michigan.  Predicted winner:  Michigan

3:30 p.m. (CBS) (3) Maryland vs. (10) Indiana.  Predicted winner:  Indiana

3/12 – Final

3 p.m. (CBS) (8) Michigan vs. (10) Indiana. Predicted winner:  Indiana

It's just that easy, Hoosiers.

NCAA Tournament Resumes for All 14 Big Ten Teams

More importantly, let's take one final look at all 14 Big Ten teams' NCAA Tournament resumes.  Right now, I think 7 teams are in pretty safely, although I'm still keeping my bubble relatively big, just in case there are some surprises in the Big Ten Tournament.  Interestingly, the pundits are saying this is a down year for the Big Ten, but I'm not so sure the numbers agree.  Sure, the top half of the league was much stronger, but last year at the end of the season, there were six Big Ten teams with RPIs over 100.  This year, there is only one.  Also, every team in the Big Ten has at least 12 wins for the fourth time ever (1999, 2012, and 2014 are the other three years).

Here is each Big Ten team's NCAA Tournament resume, including each team's RPI (based on ESPN's daily RPI), BPI (based on ESPN's BPI rankings), overall record against D-1 opponents, "good" wins (wins against RPI Top 50 teams or, if none, the team's best win), "bad" losses (losses against teams with an RPI of 101+ or, if none, the team's worst loss).  An * means the game was played on a neutral court, and for the "good" wins and "bad" losses, the team's current RPI is identified.  I have categorized the teams by "In," "Bubble," or "Out," which is my best guess, based on what I know right now, as to whether each team is a lock for the NCAA Tournament, is on the bubble, or is out.  I have also added a record vs. the RPI Top 50 and Top 100.  For the "In" and "Out" teams, I'm putting them in order based on RPI ranking.  For the "Bubble" teams, I am putting them in order based on what I think their likelihood of making the NCAA Tournament is (which may or may not fall in line with the RPI ranking).

In

1.  Purdue

RPI:  17

BPI:  11

Overall record:  25-6

Record vs. RPI Top 50:  5-4

Record vs. RPI Top 100:  15-6

Good wins:  5 (Notre Dame* (24), at Maryland (25), Wisconsin (37), at Michigan State (47), Michigan State (47))

Bad losses:  None (at Nebraska (92))

2.  Minnesota

RPI:  19

BPI:  40

Overall record:  23-8

Record vs. RPI Top 50:  6-6

Record vs. RPI Top 100:  14-8

Good wins:  6 (at Purdue (17), at Maryland (25), Arkansas (26), UT Arlington (40), Vanderbilt* (44), Michigan (47))

Bad losses:  None (at Penn State (98))

3.  Maryland

RPI:  25

BPI:  44

Overall record:  24-7

Record vs. RPI Top 50:  4-3

Record vs. RPI Top 100:  15-7

Good wins:  4 (at Minnesota (19), Oklahoma State (31), at Michigan (47), Michigan State (47))

Bad losses:  None (at Penn State (98))

4.  Wisconsin

RPI:  37

BPI:  20

Overall record:  23-8

Record vs. RPI Top 50:  4-5

Record vs. RPI Top 100:  14-8

Good wins:  4 (at Minnesota (19), Minnesota (19), Maryland (25), Michigan (46))

Bad losses:  None (at Ohio State (78))

Bubble

5.  Northwestern

RPI:  51

BPI:  43

Overall record:  21-10

Record vs. RPI Top 50:  4-7

Record vs. RPI Top 100:  10-10

Good wins:  4 (Dayton* (21), Wake Forest (28), at Wisconsin (37), Michigan (46))

Bad losses:  None (at Indiana (80))

6.  Michigan State

RPI:  47

BPI:  47

Overall record:  18-13

Record vs. RPI Top 50:  5-8

Record vs. RPI Top 100:  11-12

Good wins:  5 (Minnesota (19), at Minnesota (19), Wichita State* (35), Wisconsin (37), Michigan (46))

Bad losses:  1 (Northeastern (132))

7.  Michigan

RPI:  46

BPI:  21

Overall record:  20-11

Record vs. RPI Top 50:  4-7

Record vs. RPI Top 100:  11-11

Good wins:  4 (Purdue (17), SMU* (18), Wisconsin (37), Michigan State (47))

Bad losses:  None (Ohio State (78))

8.  Iowa

RPI:  69

BPI:  77

Overall record:  18-13

Record vs. RPI Top 50:  5-7

Record vs. RPI Top 100:  9-11

Good wins:  5 (Purdue (17), at Maryland (25), Iowa State (29), at Wisconsin (37), Michigan (46))

Bad losses:  2 (Memphis* (109), Omaha (129))

9.  Illinois

RPI:  57

BPI:  63

Overall record:  18-13

Record vs. RPI Top 50:  3-8

Record vs. RPI Top 100:  11-12

Good wins:  3 (VCU* (23), Michigan (46), Michigan State (47))

Bad losses:  None (at Penn State (98), Penn State (98))

Out

10.  Ohio State

RPI:  78

BPI:  60

Overall record:  17-14

Record vs. RPI Top 50:  4-8

Record vs. RPI Top 100:  8-13

Good wins:  4 (Minnesota (19), Wisconsin (37), at Michigan (46), Michigan State (47))

Bad losses:  1 (Florida Atlantic (277))

11.  Indiana

RPI:  80

BPI:  32

Overall record:  17-14

Record vs. RPI Top 50:  3-10

Record vs. RPI Top 100:  8-13

Good wins:  3 (Kansas* (2), North Carolina (4), Michigan State (47))

Bad losses:  1 (at Fort Wayne (172))

12.  Nebraska

RPI:  92

BPI:  117

Overall record:  12-18

Record vs. RPI Top 50:  3-10

Record vs. RPI Top 100:  7-16

Good wins:  3 (Purdue (17), Dayton* (21), at Maryland (25))

Bad losses:  2 (at Rutgers (167), Gardner-Webb (183))

13.  Penn State

RPI:  98

BPI:  87

Overall record:  14-17

Record vs. RPI Top 50:  3-7

Record vs. RPI Top 100:  7-14

Good wins:  3 (Minnesota (19), Maryland (25), Michigan State* (47))

Bad losses:  3 (George Mason (108), Albany (148), Rutgers (167))

14.  Rutgers

RPI:  167

BPI:  142

Overall record:  14-17

Record vs. RPI Top 50:  0-10

Record vs. RPI Top 100:  3-17

Good wins:  None (Illinois (57))

Bad losses:  None (Penn State (98))