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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Evan Bachman

ESPN Bracketology: Latest update headed into March

It was a good week for Ohio State basketball have won back-to-back games and three of their four games since interim head coach Jake Diebler took over.

The Buckeyes ended a 17 game road losing streak on Sunday as Dale Bonner’s game winning three pointer gave Ohio State a 60-57 victory over Michigan State.

On Thursday night, Ohio State got a big home victory as Jamison Battle’s 32 points led the Buckeyes to a 78-69 win over Nebraska.

Ohio State will likely still need a deep run in the Big Ten tournament to claim a spot in the big dance but it’s good to see the Buckeyes playing good basketball down the stretch.

Who is projected to make the field of 68 from the Big Ten?  Here are the six teams ESPN’s Joe Lunardi projects to get in the big dance in his latest Bracketology update.

Purdue (25-3) - Top Overall Seed

USA TODAY Sports

Bracketology Breakdown

Seeding | No. 1 – Midwest Region (Indianapolis)
Opponent | No. 16 seed (winner of Eastern Kentucky vs. Norfolk State)

The season so far

Key Loss(es) | at Northwestern, at Nebraska, at Ohio State
Best Win(s) | Arizona, Marquette, Tennessee, Gonzaga, Illinois, at Rutgers, Northwestern, at Wisconsin

Illinois (21-7)

USA TODAY Sports

Bracketology Breakdown

Seeding | No. 5 – South Region (Pittsburgh)
Opponent | No. 12 seed McNeese State

The season so far

Key Loss(es) | Marquette, at Tennessee, at Purdue, Maryland, at Northwestern, at Michigan State, at Penn State
Best Win(s) | FAU, at Rutgers, Missouri, Northwestern, Michigan State, Indiana, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota

Wisconsin (18-10)

Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Bracketology Breakdown

Seeding | No. 6 – West Region (Memphis)
Opponent | No. 11 seed (winner of New Mexico vs. Seton Hall)

The season so far

Key Loss(es) | Tennessee, at Providence, at Arizona, at Penn State, at Nebraska, Purdue, at Michigan, at Rutgers, at Iowa, at Indiana
Best Win(s) | Virginia, Marquette, at Michigan State, Nebraska, at Ohio State, Northwestern, at Minnesota, Michigan State

Northwestern (20-8)

Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Bracketology Breakdown

Seeding | No. 8 – West Region (Salt Lake)
Opponent | No. 9 seed TCU

The season so far

Key Loss(es) | Chicago State, Mississippi State, at Illinois, at Wisconsin, at Nebraska, at Purdue, at Minnesota, at Rutgers
Best Win(s) | Purdue, Dayton, Arizona State, Michigan State, at Penn State, Illinois, Ohio State, Nebraska, at Indiana

Michigan State (17-11)

Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports

Bracketology Breakdown

Seeding | No. 9 – East Region (Brooklyn)
Opponent | No. 8 seed Mississippi State

The season so far

Key Loss(es) | James Madison, Duke, Arizona, Wisconsin, at Nebraska, at Northwestern, at Illinois, at Wisconsin, at Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio State
Best Win(s) | Baylor, Butler, Rutgers, Minnesota, at Maryland, Maryland, Illinois, at Penn State

Nebraska (20-9)

Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Bracketology Breakdown

Seeding | No. 9 – South Region (Memphis)
Opponent | No. 8 seed Mississippi State

The season so far

Key Loss(es) | UConn, Auburn, Kansas, at Wisconsin, at Iowa, at Rutgers, at Maryland, at Illinois, at Northwestern, Ohio State
Best Win(s) | Maryland, at Michigan, Indiana, Purdue, Northwestern, Ohio State, Wisconsin, at Indiana, Minnesota

Iowa (17-12) - Next Four Out

Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

The season so far

Key Loss(es) | at Creighton, Oklahoma, at Purdue, at Iowa State, Michigan, at Wisconsin, Purdue, Maryland, at Indiana, at Penn State, at Maryland, at Illinois
Best Win(s) | Seton Hall, Rutgers, Nebraska, at Minnesota, Ohio State, Minnesota, Wisconsin, at Michigan State

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Evan Bachman on X.

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