Link: http://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...ewatch030618/one-game-season-tourney-hopefuls
Big Ten
LOCKS
Michigan State, Purdue, Ohio State, Michigan (automatic bid)
WORK TO DO
Penn State (21-13, 9-9)
(BPI: 26 | SOS: 60 | SOR: 57 | RPI: 80)
Welcome to the suspenseful delights of an early conference tournament, Nittany Lions. It's like you're in a coma but aware of everything going on around you. There's nothing you can do to control events, but you see everything. All Penn State can do is wait out Championship Week and hope for the best after losing to Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. It will be tough to get an at-large bid. Three wins against Ohio State -- and no other Quadrant 1 victories to go with eight Q1 losses -- might not be enough to get the job done.
============================
Nebraska (22-10, 13-5)
(BPI: 63 | SOS: 59 | SOR: 35 | RPI: 63)
On more than one occasion in recent years, the committee has shown itself capable of surprising us utterly and completely. Whether it was the bid UCLA received in 2015 or the one that Tulsa snagged in 2016, it has almost seemed at times that the committee affirmatively enjoys zigging when every other projected bracket zags.
Which brings Bubble Watch to Nebraska. The Cornhuskers likely need a Tulsa-level hand grenade from the committee in order to get into this field. They have a home win against Michigan, and that's it in terms of victories against at-large level opponents.
As Tim Miles himself pointed out, that one-point loss to Kansas in Lincoln in December looms rather large.
Big Ten
LOCKS
Michigan State, Purdue, Ohio State, Michigan (automatic bid)
WORK TO DO
Penn State (21-13, 9-9)
(BPI: 26 | SOS: 60 | SOR: 57 | RPI: 80)
Welcome to the suspenseful delights of an early conference tournament, Nittany Lions. It's like you're in a coma but aware of everything going on around you. There's nothing you can do to control events, but you see everything. All Penn State can do is wait out Championship Week and hope for the best after losing to Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. It will be tough to get an at-large bid. Three wins against Ohio State -- and no other Quadrant 1 victories to go with eight Q1 losses -- might not be enough to get the job done.
============================
Nebraska (22-10, 13-5)
(BPI: 63 | SOS: 59 | SOR: 35 | RPI: 63)
On more than one occasion in recent years, the committee has shown itself capable of surprising us utterly and completely. Whether it was the bid UCLA received in 2015 or the one that Tulsa snagged in 2016, it has almost seemed at times that the committee affirmatively enjoys zigging when every other projected bracket zags.
Which brings Bubble Watch to Nebraska. The Cornhuskers likely need a Tulsa-level hand grenade from the committee in order to get into this field. They have a home win against Michigan, and that's it in terms of victories against at-large level opponents.
As Tim Miles himself pointed out, that one-point loss to Kansas in Lincoln in December looms rather large.
