Big Ten Conference men’s basketball may have a literal meaning for the NCAA Tournament.
The consensus of 92 projections at Bracket Matrix includes 10 teams from the conference in the field of 68. That runs from No. 2 seed Purdue to No. 11 Nebraska.
Right now that feels like a best-case scenario. Unless someone in the lower half makes a big push in the final month, the league’s case for more than half of its teams making the field will rest on the Cornhuskers’ bubble status.
1. Purdue (18-5, 10-2)
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Unless Boilermakers are blowing your team out, expect to watch Braden Smith for the full 40 minutes.
2. Michigan (17-5, 9-2)
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If Wolverines end up with the trophy, they’ll have earned it. Six of last nine opponents are KenPom top 25 teams.
3. Wisconsin (18-5, 8-4)
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John Tonje trying to finish sixth year strong. Over last five games: 23.2 points, 52.4% 3-pointers.
4. Michigan State (18-4, 9-2)
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Tale as old as time: Midwest beauty queen goes to Hollywood and leaves damaged and disillusioned.
5. UCLA (17-6, 8-4)
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Petitioning to move Big Ten tournament to Couer d’Alene, Idaho, so it can play in the Pacific time zone.
6. Maryland (17-5, 7-4)
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Great sign for Terps? Derik Queen has not been the leading scorer in any of its four straight wins.
7. Illinois (15-8, 7-6)
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Are the Illini shaping up as a dangerous mid-tier NCAA tournament seed, or is there simply something flawed here?
8. Ohio State (13-9, 5-6)
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After getting cracked by 24 points at Maryland on Dec. 4, Buckeyes need to make a statement against Terrapins Thursday night.
9. Nebraska (15-8, 5-7)
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As of Thursday morning, has more Quad 1 wins than Indiana, Iowa and Penn State combined.
10. Oregon (16-7, 5-7)
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Some big early season wins may salvage the resume, but with four straight losses, these Ducks are flying south.
11. USC (13-9, 5-6)
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Who would have picked the Trojans as the first Big Ten team to beat Michigan State before the season started?
12. Rutgers (12-11, 5-7)
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Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper can show how far they’ve come as freshmen with some tough road trips ahead.
13. Northwestern (13-10, 4-8)
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The rest of this season falls on Nick Martinelli’s shoulders, and he stepped up in a big way against USC.
14. Indiana (14-9, 5-7)
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I’m sure Dusty May being in Assembly Hall on Saturday will not be awkward at all.
15. Penn State (13-10, 3-9)
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Man, how long ago does that win over Purdue seem right now? Nittany Lions have won once since Jan. 2.
16. Iowa (13-9, 4-7)
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Enjoy DEFCON Fran while you still can. Hawkeyes might be on the verge of adopting a new scale.
17. Minnesota (12-11, 4-8)
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Gophers aren’t talented enough to play with consistency but spunky enough to pull a surprise before season’s end.
18. Washington (11-11, 2-9)
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Not how the Huskies hoped to celebrate the 20th anniversary of being a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Big Ten men’s basketball power rankings: Purdue takes top spot, Michigan State falls
