97.1 The Ticket -- Michigan State entered Sunday's Big Ten championship game against rival Michigan with a slim shot at earning a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament, thanks to Auburn knocking off another potential 1-seed in Tennessee earlier in the day.
The Wolverines gave them a run for their money, but Michigan State erased a 13-point deficit and completed a three-game season sweep to keep their hopes alive.
MSU has a solid case to be a 1-seed. They have the most Quad 1 wins in the entire country and are tied for the most wins between Quad 1 + Quad 2 along with Michigan, whom they swept. They have one more win than North Carolina, three more Q1 wins, three more wins between Q1+Q2, and three more such wins away from home.
It would not be a shock if the Selection Committee left the Spartans (28-6) as a No. 2 seed, in favor of North Carolina. What could keep the Spartans off the top line is a pair of losses to Indiana and one at Illinois, whereas UNC's worst loss is against Texas on a neutral floor.
But keep this in mind: no team in the KenPom era has won the regular season and conference tournament in the best KenPom-rated conference -- which the Spartans just did -- and been left off the top line.
Here's the latest projected field of 68 from our college basketball expert, Kyle Beery, who has been running a weekly Ticket Bracketology series over the last seven weeks.
*Note: Conference champions who have earned automatic bids are listed in bold. Those projected to win their conference championships today have their conference denoted in parenthesis.
SOUTH REGIONAL
Columbia, SC1. Duke (ACC) vs. 16. NCCU (MEAC) / Prairie View A&M (SWAC)8. Iowa vs. 9. Baylor
Salt Lake City, UT4. Kansas vs. 13. Northeastern (CAA)5. Wisconsin vs. 12. New Mexico State (WAC)
Tulsa, OK3. Houston vs. 14. Saint Louis (A-10)6. Buffalo (MAC) vs. 11. Ohio State
Jacksonville, FL2. Kentucky vs. 15. Northern Kentucky (Horizon)7. Wofford (SOCON) vs. 10. VCU
EAST REGIONAL
Columbia, SC1. Virginia vs. 16. Gardner-Webb (Big South) / Iona (MAAC)8. UCF vs. 9. Ole Miss
Hartford, CT4. Purdue vs. 13. UC Irvine (Big West)5. Kansas State vs. 12. Liberty (ASUN)
Tulsa, OK3. Texas Tech vs. 14. Georgia State (Sun Belt)6. Cincinnati (AAC) vs. 11. Oregon (Pac-12)
Jacksonville, FL2. Tennessee vs. 15. Abilene Christian (Southland)7. Nevada vs. 10. Oklahoma
MIDWEST REGIONAL
Columbus, OH1. Michigan State (Big Ten) vs. 16. Fairleigh Dickinson (NEC)8. Seton Hall vs. 9. Baylor
San Jose, CA4. Villanova (Big East) vs. 13. Vermont (America East)5. Virginia Tech vs. 12. St. Mary's (WCC)
Des Moines, IA3. LSU vs. 14. Montana (Big Sky)6. Maryland vs. 11. St. John's/TCU
Columbus, OH, 2. North Carolina vs. 15. Bradley (MVC)7. Mississippi State vs. 10. Washington
WEST REGIONAL
Salt Lake City, UT1. Gonzaga vs. 16. North Dakota State (Summit)8. Utah State (MWC) vs. 9. Syracuse
San Jose, CA4. Auburn (SEC) vs. 13. Old Dominion (C-USA)5. Iowa State (Big 12) vs. 12. Murray State (OVC)
Hartford, CT3. Florida State vs. 14. Yale (Ivy)6. Marquette vs. 11. Arizona State / Temple
Des Moines, IA 2. Michigan vs. 15. Colgate (Patriot)7. Louisville vs. 10. Florida
Bubble Talk:
The bubble has been a disaster all season long, and though it cleared up a bit over the weekend, it's still looking pretty murky. Bid stealers like Oregon and the A-10 championship effectively dashed the hopes of Indiana, Clemson and Texas. NC State is hanging by a thread, while it appears low-majors Belmont and UNC Greensboro may be on the outside looking in.
Last 4 byes: VCU, Oklahoma, Florida, Ohio StateLast 4 in: Temple, St. John's, Arizona State, TCUFirst 4 out: Belmont, NC State, UNCG, IndianaNext 4 out: Texas, Clemson, Alabama, Furman
Bracket Notes:
- Duke is the No. 1 overall seed -- the Blue Devils have only lost one game at full-strength, own two wins over Virginia, and have more wins between Quad 1 + Quad 2 than the Cavaliers.
- Virginia is the No. 2 overall seed, while Tennesse is No. 3 and Gonzaga is No. 4
- The winners of the South and West regionals would meet each other in the Final Four, while the East and Midwest champions would square off.
