Bracketology: Lunardi moves us to a 4 seed
i know he's not the most accurate, but he's the easiest to find, so here is Lundardi's most recent bracketology:
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology
other notes:
- he moved OSU down to a 6
- he moved Wisc. down to a 3
- he kept Iowa at a 4 and MSU as a 1
- B1G gets 6 teams in Lunardi's bracket (the above and 9 seend Minny)
January 23rd, 2014 at 3:38 PM ^
He's had some "issues" predicting the seeding, regions for each team, and other items like that, but the guy is pretty damn good and predicting who makes the tournament and who doesn't. He nailed last year's field, which wasn't the first time he got them all correct.
January 23rd, 2014 at 3:40 PM ^
to predict the field. You already know the automatic bids and most of at large bids like Michigan for example. The only thing that is questionable is the bubble teams, but you can reasonably eliminate them based on their resume.
the hard part is the seedings and regions placement.
January 23rd, 2014 at 3:40 PM ^
January 23rd, 2014 at 3:50 PM ^
January 23rd, 2014 at 4:13 PM ^
Except they won't get an outside threat since no one on the team can shoot. That won't magically change until new recruits come in.
January 23rd, 2014 at 4:50 PM ^
Your post just gave IU the Heisman. Hello!
January 23rd, 2014 at 3:40 PM ^
I got some seed in my jeans
January 23rd, 2014 at 3:45 PM ^
He actually is the most accurate of the bracketologists, which is a testament to how difficult the science of predicting brackets is. In fact, isn't bracketology his own term?
Anyways, it's still too early, but I'm loving how since the start of B1G play, our national perception has made a 180.
January 23rd, 2014 at 3:46 PM ^
LOL no he isn't.
Based on bracket matrix, he didn't even finish in the top 30 last year among people who do this.
January 23rd, 2014 at 3:52 PM ^
But he's #1 in getting paid at it. He's the college basketball version of Mel Kiper - carve out a niche and claim it for your own. Doesnt matter if you're any good at it as long as people associate your name with the activity.
Kiper = NFL Draft "expert"
Lunardi = Bracketologest "expert"
January 23rd, 2014 at 5:50 PM ^
Ok, so the most accurate thing is clearly not the case, but correctly picking all the teams who got in (I know , I know, big whoop) and being spot or within one seed for 58 teams ain't bad at all. Maybe he doesn't deserve anywhere near all the hype he gets, but he's no slouch and seems to improve every year.
January 23rd, 2014 at 3:47 PM ^
Lunardi is a good resource after mid-February, but ESPN is still firmly in the "click-whore" camp by making his brackets a constantly updated item throughout the season.
January 23rd, 2014 at 3:51 PM ^
that's fine. they got my click beause i'm excited about my team.
January 23rd, 2014 at 4:01 PM ^
them as a No. 1 seed. Not that 17-1 shouldn't get that seeding, but the record and quality of performance that has led to it, lately, just doesn't seem deserving. I mean a Sparty team minus Adrien Payne isn't deserving of that. With him, yes. And he will be there at the end, so the results are what they are.
Just saying. Right now, I think Iowa is a more difficult team to play. And on the road, I think Michigan has a better shot of winning Saturday night than it does when it has to go to Iowa City for a rematch with the Hawkeyes. I just think that home court makes the Hawkeyes extremely difficult to beat. And as their confidence grows, they will be hard to beat at year's end as well, whereever.
What makes Sparty difficult to beat minus Payne is their home court. Play that game at Crisler, and I think Michigan wins going away. At Breslin, looking for a real close game, not a blowout loss like last year.
January 23rd, 2014 at 5:07 PM ^
January 23rd, 2014 at 4:04 PM ^
Seems about right, though if you put this team in the tourney now, I think they'd be a terrifying #4 seed for anyone. But this early, I figure these brackets are still skewed by early success and some minor forecasting.
Still, sounds about right. I do think the B1G will get one more team just because all the high-ranked teams will get upset at least once or twice, giving bubble teams the "marquee" win they might need. I'm looking squarely at Illinois and Indiana, who really could still get in if they pull off a nice upset, especially on the road.
January 23rd, 2014 at 4:04 PM ^
Pretty sad day when the Champion of the B1G is a 4 seed!
January 23rd, 2014 at 4:08 PM ^
I enjoy being a 4 seed.
January 23rd, 2014 at 4:08 PM ^
January 23rd, 2014 at 4:08 PM ^
January 23rd, 2014 at 4:12 PM ^
January 23rd, 2014 at 4:19 PM ^
January 23rd, 2014 at 4:20 PM ^
Do you have a source for this information besides hoping really hard?
January 23rd, 2014 at 4:21 PM ^
January 23rd, 2014 at 4:44 PM ^
January 23rd, 2014 at 4:50 PM ^
I'm with you.
It's all pure speculation with me but I just have this feeling he's going to be back playing later in the year. How much, I'm not sure. It's a gut feeling, though. (If I'm wrong I'm wrong).
January 23rd, 2014 at 4:24 PM ^
The Bracket Matrix, which hasn't been updated since Tuesday night, has Michigan as the highest #6 seed. My guess is U-M will move up to a 4/5 when they put out another update (probably tonight or tomorrow morning).
January 23rd, 2014 at 4:53 PM ^
The way they're playing right now, knock on wood, this team is more like a 2 seed, honestly. These guys are surpassing all expectations I've had for this year. Again, I hate to speak too early, but these guys are gelling and playing at a high level not many teams would be able to match. A tournament nightmare for any team, save for 3-4 elite teams (though I'm not sure a truly elite team exists this year).
January 23rd, 2014 at 5:10 PM ^
/end rant
January 23rd, 2014 at 5:27 PM ^
Funnily enough, TeamRankings' latest projections sort of agree with BiSB's assessment of the Big Ten in Opponent Watch, where there is a solid cutoff with Minnesota. As for specific rankings, they project Michigan and Ohio State both as 4-seeds, with MSU as a 1-seed and Wisconsin as a 3-seed. Beyond that, they would project Iowa as a 5-seed and Minnesota as a 9-seed. They have Indiana as the next best chance of a bid after that, but still on the outside looking far in.
January 23rd, 2014 at 6:27 PM ^
January 23rd, 2014 at 7:44 PM ^
If that's our region, we're going to the Final Four. Also, my second team is UNC and even I have to admit they don't deserve to be in the tournament right now.