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Beginning next week during the NCAA conference tournaments, I will begin projecting the NCAA tournament field, leading up to Selection Sunday on March 14th.  The 65 teams that will begin dancing on March 18th and begin the road they all hope leads to the Final Four in Indianapolis. 

In the Big Ten, the Wisconsin Badgers find themselves just one game out of the first place logjam atop the conference.  Purdue was dealt a devastating blow to their national title hopes with the loss of Robbie Hummel last week.  Where will the Badgers land?  Right now, I have coach Bo Ryan's squad pegged as a number-4 seed.  And no, I don't have Wisconsin playing in Milwaukee for the first two rounds of the tournament.  Considering the Badgers have not been a good road team this year, no quality wins away from the Kohl Center, (pre-season tournaments don't count), I don't believe they should be rewarded with NCAA tournament games in their backyard.  Sure they beat Duke, Michigan State, Ohio State and Purdue at home, but they have not beat a quality team on the road this year.  Sorry, wins at Indiana, Northwestern, and Penn State are free cupcakes.  If the Badgers are to get to the NCAA Sweet 16, they will have to earn it, beating teams on a neutral court.   The teams that won consistently away from home, Kansas, Syracuse, Kentucky, and Duke will get the best seeds and will get to play close to home in the first two rounds.  I will say this, if the Badgers can win the Big Ten conference tournament, they would likely get a three seed and regardless of what I think, they could get slotted in Milwaukee.

With that said, I believe this Wisconsin team has what it takes to get to the Final Four.  They have senior guards, Trevon Hughes and Jason Bohannon.  When they are hot, and especially if they are BOTH hot, this Wisconsin team is terrific!  They have the right mix of players that know their roles, a quality big man in Jon Leuer, another guard in Jordan Taylor who at times has been the best player on the team.  They are very well-coached and will always be prepared.   However, if this Wisconsin team does not shoot the ball well as was evident against Minnesota two weeks ago, they can be beaten soundly.  The Gophers are a team I can't figure out, they have tons of talent, and a legitimate man in the middle in Ralph Sampson III.  Another win during the regular season and a win or two in next week's Big Ten tournament and Tubby Smith's team will likely get into the big dance. 

NCAA selection experts currently have Marquette in the tournament.  If you would have asked me in November if the Golden Eagles would be part of the conversation for an at-large bid in early March, I would have told you to get your head examined.  Marquette was left for dead several weeks ago when they lost to lowly DePaul in suburban Chicago.  Yes, a terrible loss.  But since then, MU has won eight of nine, and have clinched their fifth straight winning record in the Big East.  They have some good wins, beat Georgetown at home, UCONN on the road, knocked off Atlantic 10 leader Xavier on a neutral court earlier in the season, and have won five Big East road games in a row including three straight overtime games last week all against teams that like Marquette are on the bubble.

They finish this week with two home games, Tuesday night against Louisville and Saturday afternoon against arch-rival, Notre Dame.  Two teams that are playing some great basketball of late.  Two more teams that are on the bubble, although I think Louisville is a cinch to get in.  If MU gets in, they will likely be a seed ranging anywhere from 9 to 13. 

As for the Big East, I will be shocked if eight teams don't get in.  You could make a case that 9 should get in.  Another win for Marquette is probably needed.  But if you look at the teams that are locks:  Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia, Pitt, Georgetown, all but the Hoyas are teams that I believe could go to the Final Four.  And if you look at a team like UCONN or Louisville, if they get in, look out, I think the Cardinals have the talent to go deep in the tournament. 

It is certainly fun to speculate, and starting this Sunday, I will release my own brackets.  Feel free to send in your own selections or just tell me what seed the Badgers should be and where they should be placed by the NCAA tournament committee.

Please share your thoughts!