World News - Ohio The Big Ten got seven teams into the field for the 2017 NCAA Tournament: Purdue (No. 4 seed, Midwest); Minnesota (No....
World News - Ohio
The Big Ten got seven teams into the field for the 2017
NCAA Tournament: Purdue (No. 4 seed, Midwest); Minnesota (No. 5 seed,
South); Maryland (No. 6 seed, West); Michigan (No. 7 seed, Midwest);
Wisconsin (No. 8 seed, East); Northwestern (No. 8 seed, West); and
Michigan State (No. 9 seed, Midwest).
Here are seven thoughts on those seven teams, and which ones I think can make a run.
1. Wisconsin's was seeded low: That's not an original thought. Google "Wisconsin" and "seed", and you'll find plenty who agree.
It's not so much that the Badgers were a No. 8 seed. That's surprisingly low, but there are holes to be poked in Wisconsin's resume. It's Wisconsin's seed relative to others in the Big Ten that's weird.
Minnesota earned a No. 5 seed, and the second-highest overall seed of the seven Big Ten teams in the field. Wisconsin beat Minnesota twice and was 10 spots higher than Minnesota in Ken Pomeroy's advance stat rankings (23 to 33). Minnesota's edge was in top-50 RPI wins (8 to 5), and in overall RPI (20 to 33). But the head-to-head matchup and the fact that Wisconsin advanced further in the Big Ten Tournament than Minnesota didn't seem to matter here.
2. And Maryland is too high: How the Terrapins ended up on the six-seed line is a mystery. Of the seven Big Ten teams in the field, Maryland is last in KenPom (No. 45), tied for fewest RPI top-50 wins (5), lost its Big Ten Tournament opener and went 6-6 in its last 12 games.
3. Most favorable opening matchup: No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 13 Vermont. The Boilermakers are the top Big Ten team in the field, so this makes sense. Vermont has the lowest KenPom ranking (63) of any of the Big Ten's opening opponents. The Catamounts have won 21 straight, though, including an unbeaten run through the America East Conference and postseason tournament. OK, maybe this won't be that easy.
4. Toughest draw: Take your pick of any of the three Big Ten teams staring at a potential matchup with a No. 1 seed in the Round of 32.
Wisconsin would play Villanova, Northwestern would play Gonzaga and
Michigan State would play Kansas. Give the edge for toughest draw to the
Badgers. Villanova is the No. 1 overall seed, and Wisconsin shouldn't
be in that spot in the first place.
5. Most intriguing matchup: Would come if Michigan State can beat Miami (Fla.) in the Round of 64. That would set up a Round of 32 matchup with No. 1 Kansas, and pit the Big Ten's only NBA Draft lottery talent, Michigan State forward Miles Bridges, against another lottery talent, Kansas wing Josh Jackson.
Intriguing side not here: Jackson is a Michigan native who chose Kansas over Michigan State. Sign me up for that one.
If you're looking for a game: Michigan vs. Oklahoma State in the opening round. That's the No. 5 KenPom offense vs. the No. 1 KenPom offense. Could be a shootout.
6. OK, so who make a run? Call this my kiss of death. Last year I really liked Purdue to make a run, and it lost to Arkansas-Little Rock in the Round of 64. So apologies in advance to the team I like this year: Minnesota.
The Gophers defend every inch of the floor, No. 18 in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency, and I tend to ride good defense when picking tournament teams.
I think Minnesota's seed is too high. This also hasn't been the most efficient offensive team, though they have had some high-scoring games. But the Gophers' Round of 64 matchup is against a No. 12 Middle Tennessee State team that's a little too trendy for my liking, and a win there would pit Minnesota against either Butler or Winthrop.
Butler, which has 10 top-50 wins and beat Villanova twice, will not be an easy out. But a lot of these picks are based on hunches, and I have hunch that Minnesota will get to the Sweet 16 with everyone questioning their seed.
One more to watch: Northwestern. I'm not a huge fan of an opening game against Vanderbilt, but the Wildcats might have some first-time magic here. Bryant McIntosh is one of the toughest guards in the country. I'd love to see what he and Northwestern can do in a potential game with No. 1 Gonzaga in the Round of 32.
7. And the drought continues: Going out on a limb with this one, but the Big Ten won't get its first national champion since 2000. I'm not even seeing much of a chance of getting more than one team to the Sweet 16. The paths just aren't there.
I was never on the Big Ten stinks train this year. I think the top of the league lacked a dynamic team, but still liked its overall depth. That makes for the kind of wacky season we saw this year, and why there are still seven teams in the field, but it doesn't make for one of your teams making a March run.
1. Wisconsin's was seeded low: That's not an original thought. Google "Wisconsin" and "seed", and you'll find plenty who agree.
It's not so much that the Badgers were a No. 8 seed. That's surprisingly low, but there are holes to be poked in Wisconsin's resume. It's Wisconsin's seed relative to others in the Big Ten that's weird.
Minnesota earned a No. 5 seed, and the second-highest overall seed of the seven Big Ten teams in the field. Wisconsin beat Minnesota twice and was 10 spots higher than Minnesota in Ken Pomeroy's advance stat rankings (23 to 33). Minnesota's edge was in top-50 RPI wins (8 to 5), and in overall RPI (20 to 33). But the head-to-head matchup and the fact that Wisconsin advanced further in the Big Ten Tournament than Minnesota didn't seem to matter here.
2. And Maryland is too high: How the Terrapins ended up on the six-seed line is a mystery. Of the seven Big Ten teams in the field, Maryland is last in KenPom (No. 45), tied for fewest RPI top-50 wins (5), lost its Big Ten Tournament opener and went 6-6 in its last 12 games.
3. Most favorable opening matchup: No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 13 Vermont. The Boilermakers are the top Big Ten team in the field, so this makes sense. Vermont has the lowest KenPom ranking (63) of any of the Big Ten's opening opponents. The Catamounts have won 21 straight, though, including an unbeaten run through the America East Conference and postseason tournament. OK, maybe this won't be that easy.
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Printable NCAA Tournament bracket
Here is a printable bracket for the 2017 NCAA men's basketball tournament. The pairings were announced Sunday evening on CBS.
5. Most intriguing matchup: Would come if Michigan State can beat Miami (Fla.) in the Round of 64. That would set up a Round of 32 matchup with No. 1 Kansas, and pit the Big Ten's only NBA Draft lottery talent, Michigan State forward Miles Bridges, against another lottery talent, Kansas wing Josh Jackson.
Intriguing side not here: Jackson is a Michigan native who chose Kansas over Michigan State. Sign me up for that one.
If you're looking for a game: Michigan vs. Oklahoma State in the opening round. That's the No. 5 KenPom offense vs. the No. 1 KenPom offense. Could be a shootout.
6. OK, so who make a run? Call this my kiss of death. Last year I really liked Purdue to make a run, and it lost to Arkansas-Little Rock in the Round of 64. So apologies in advance to the team I like this year: Minnesota.
The Gophers defend every inch of the floor, No. 18 in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency, and I tend to ride good defense when picking tournament teams.
I think Minnesota's seed is too high. This also hasn't been the most efficient offensive team, though they have had some high-scoring games. But the Gophers' Round of 64 matchup is against a No. 12 Middle Tennessee State team that's a little too trendy for my liking, and a win there would pit Minnesota against either Butler or Winthrop.
Butler, which has 10 top-50 wins and beat Villanova twice, will not be an easy out. But a lot of these picks are based on hunches, and I have hunch that Minnesota will get to the Sweet 16 with everyone questioning their seed.
One more to watch: Northwestern. I'm not a huge fan of an opening game against Vanderbilt, but the Wildcats might have some first-time magic here. Bryant McIntosh is one of the toughest guards in the country. I'd love to see what he and Northwestern can do in a potential game with No. 1 Gonzaga in the Round of 32.
7. And the drought continues: Going out on a limb with this one, but the Big Ten won't get its first national champion since 2000. I'm not even seeing much of a chance of getting more than one team to the Sweet 16. The paths just aren't there.
I was never on the Big Ten stinks train this year. I think the top of the league lacked a dynamic team, but still liked its overall depth. That makes for the kind of wacky season we saw this year, and why there are still seven teams in the field, but it doesn't make for one of your teams making a March run.
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