Wisconsin’s projections took a dive over the weekend.
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The Wisconsin Badgers saw their NCAA Tournament projections take a hit over the weekend after their poor 86-75 loss to the Penn State Nittany Lions, which was their third loss over the past five games.
That prompted the Badgers to end the regular season with a 23-8 record, including 13-7 in conference play, narrowly missing out on a top-four seed in the Big Ten Tournament.
Now, Wisconsin has some room to make to reclaim a top seed in the NCAA Tournament, which will be dependent on their performance this week in Indianapolis.
So, what seed will the Badgers end up in the NCAA Tournament? Let’s look at current projections.
ESPN: ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has the Badgers as a No. 4 seed and the No. 14 overall seed after the weekend, placing them in the Midwest Region with a first-round draw of No. 13 Yale.
JBR: JBR Bracketology has Wisconsin as a No. 4 seed and the No. 16 overall seed after the weekend, also placing them in the Midwest Region with a first-round draw of No. 13 Arkansas State.
CBS Sports: CBS Sports’s Jerry Palm is still optimistic about the Badgers, having them as a No. 3 seed and the No. 10 seed overall, earning them the Milwaukee draw in the Midwest region with a first-round draw of No. 14 Utah Valley.
USA Today: USA Today also has Wisconsin as a No. 3 seed, earning them the Milwaukee draw in the West region, where they would take on No. 14 Northern Colorado.
My Thoughts
I don’t see Wisconsin as a No. 3 seed after the hole they dug with their loss to Penn State, and quite frankly, it feels like their chances of playing in Milwaukee are shot without a tremendous week with a Big Ten Championship.
It feels like the Badgers will need to jump back to the top of the No. 3 line, where they can then get their choice of region, to earn that Milwaukee draw. That just seems like too many teams to climb without a conference championship in their hands.
Right now, Wisconsin seems like a No. 4 seed that could move up to a No. 3 seed with two to three wins, depending on other teams. But, it feels like the Big Ten Tournament will be huge for placement with seeding, as a lot of teams have played each other only once.
For example, wins over UCLA and Michigan State would be great for Wisconsin’s resume, as they lost to both teams during the regular season. Maryland, Michigan, Purdue, Oregon, and Illinois are all teams looking to bump up in the NCAA Tournament projections.
Wisconsin would only have the chance to play Oregon before the championship if they beat both Indiana and Michigan State, as the other four teams are on the other side of the bracket.
It feels like a lot is at stake for the Big Ten this weekend, with teams having the chance to move up or down. The Badgers are right in that mix, hoping to go far and earn that No. 3 seed, even if it doesn’t come with the coveted Milwaukee draw.