B1G bubble: Joe Lunardi's latest bracketology for the conference's four teams fighting for a bid
Bubble talk season is here.
OK, so maybe it really started back in February, but with one week remaining in the regular season and conference tournaments just around the corner, the conversation is starting to heat up. There are four B1G teams the find themselves on the bubble heading into the pivotal stretch to close out the 2020-21 campaign.
In his latest bracketology, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi updated his bubble with some serious B1G changes.
After three-straight wins — Indiana, No. 5 Illinois and No. 4 Ohio State — Michigan State is now one of Lunardi’s Last Four In heading into the final week of the season. The Spartans are 13-9 on the year and now 7-9 in conference play. Just a week ago, Tom Izzo’s squad was sitting at 10-9 with a 4-9 mark in B1G games.
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On the outside looking in are Indiana and Minnesota as both teams have encountered seriously losing streaks. The Hoosiers have dropped their last three games to Michigan State, Rutgers and No. 3 Michigan while the Golden Gophers are losers of five consecutive contest, which includes recently defeats at the hands of Northwestern and Nebraska, the two worst teams in the league.
Indiana is 7-10 in the B1G with a 12-12 record overall. Minnesota is 6-12 in conference play and 13-12 this season. Lunardi has the Hoosiers in the First Four Out and the Gophers in the Next Four Out category.
The other team that is sitting on the bubble is Maryland. The Terrapins are 8-9 in league play with a 14-10 mark overall. However, the Terrapins appear to be comfortably in after a four-game winning streak, at least for now.
Here are the remaining schedules for the four teams. It should be fun down the stretch in the B1G:
Michigan State (13-9, 7-9 B1G)
- at Maryland
- vs. Indiana
- at No. 3 Michigan
- vs. No. 3 Michigan
Indiana (12-12, 7-10 B1G)
- at Michigan State
- at Purdue
Minnesota (13-12, 6-12 B1G)
- at Penn State
- vs. Rutgers
Maryland (14-10, 8-9 B1G)
- vs. Michigan State
- at Northwestern
- vs. Penn State