There are several interesting threads to follow when it comes to IU basketball right now.
Not the least of whom are apparently at odds, but both remain relevant on the NCAA Tournament and the status of the Mike Woodson era.
But after two losses last week and a brutal schedule ahead, we should probably start our weekly look at March’s bracketology with a refresher on the modified Big Ten Tournament in the 18-team era.
A few schools in the expanded Big Ten will have to stay home and watch the league’s basketball tournament in 2025. As previously reported, this year’s Big Ten tournament will only include 15 of the conference’s 18 teams.
Alone in ninth place at the moment, IU (14-7, 5-5) is currently well above the danger zone. But the most difficult part of their schedule remains. Indiana’s next six games will all be against KenPom’s top 33 teams (schedule below). Already losing four of the last five games, and tough stretches over the next five will certainly put missing the Big Ten tournament front and center. That’s a tough subject to imagine for a preseason top 20 team.
It would be especially unfortunate if Indiana missed the pack this year. The 2025 Big Ten tournament is being played in nearby Indianapolis.
So what about the NCAA tournament?
Of the 17 Bracket Matrix tipsters who have updated their field projection leading up to Sunday’s action, only two still have IU on the field, both in 11th place.
Indiana is currently No. 68 in the NCAA NET rankings, going 2-7 in Quad-1 games and 12-0 in the other three quads. The Hoosiers fell seven spots in the NET over the past week. Teams ranked in the 60s generally don’t make the field without a very impressive performance in Quad-1 matches.
Bart Torvik’s model gives IU a 6.4% chance of being on the field Monday afternoon.
In the final projection from ESPN’s Joe Lunardi (before the Maryland game), Indiana was still one of the “bottom four outs.”
Despite the bleak outlook, Indiana isn’t that far from the Field of 68 as things stand. And that same demanding schedule continues to present an opportunity to bridge the gap.
Here are Indiana’s remaining 12 regular season games:
- at Purdue – Quad-1
- in Wisconsin – Quad-1
- vs. Michigan – Quad-1
- at Michigan State – Quad-1
- vs. UCLA – Quad-2
- vs. Purdue – Quad-1
- vs. Penn State – Quad-2
- in Washington – Quad-2
- in Oregon – Quad-1
- vs. Ohio State – Quad-1
If IU can somehow get six or seven wins in the back half of the Big Ten, they’ll probably sneak into the field.
As a reminder, here is how the NCAA NET rankings divide games into quadrants:
- Quadrant 1: Home 1-30, Neutral 1-50, Away 1-75
- Quadrant 2: Home 31-75, Neutral 51-100, Away 76-135
- Quadrant 3: Home 76-160, Neutral 101-200, Away 135-240
- Quadrant 4: Home 161-353, Neutral 201-353, Away 241-353
You can always find links to the latest NET rankings and other national ranking sites and services here:
For complete coverage of IU basketball, GO HERE.
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