Latest Bracketology

by rencito on Dec 23, 2008 1:23 PM CST

(Bumped to the front page by PJS, because I was going to write the same thing, and now I don't have to!)

According to Joe Lunardi over at the world wide leader, the Golden Gophers men's basketball team is slated to be a 10 seed (they had previously been off the board all together, including bubble teams on the outside) facing off against seventh seeded Miami in Portland. Lunardi also has Kentucky as a 9 seed in Dayton. If the seeds are this close between Kentucky and Minnesota, I can't see the committee resisting putting them against each other in some fashion in the first round. As it stands now, the Minnesota/Miami winner would presumably play Gonzaga. Oh the sweet irony. The downfall of our program began with Gonzaga's run to one of the elite programs in the country back in 1998.

Michigan joins Minnesota as the 6th Big Ten team in the tournament; the highest tally in some time for the Big 10 and more than the Pac-10 (5) and SEC (4). Lunardi projects Michigan getting an 8 seed an squaring off against Maryland in the first round opposite top seeded UConn. Ohio State and Purdue each are looking at top billing for the Big 10 with 3 seeds.

Of course, this is basically if the season ended today--which it most certainly is not. Naturally, this is a living, breathing document that will see a lot of change as we get closer to March and teams' resumes become more crystalized. But it is good to see us in the picture. A decent Big 10 showing should be all we need to make it into the dance. if we can continue to knock off a few of the big boys, our projected seeding will only climb.

On a personal note, I will be attending the first two rounds of the tournament on location in Miami (regardless of who is playing there). I'm selfishly hoping for the Gophers to land in one of those pods of the tournament.

Editors of The Daily Gopher retain the right to remove posts deemed excessively offensive or grossly inappropriate. Keep it clean and don't be mean.

Tweet Comment 3 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

OSU

The Buckeyes have playe great, no doubt. And BJ Mullens is going to continue to get better. But I think they might tail off just a bit over the next month or so with David LIghty gone with an injury. The Spartans tailed off when Suton was out. Granted losing a big man is different, but Lighty is one of the more experienced Buckeyes. Good thing we get the Buckeyes in the second conference game of the year.

Maroon and Gold Headquarters: The Daily Gopher

by PJS on Dec 23, 2008 2:01 PM CST reply actions

Gophers Will Play Kentucky When Both Make NCAA Tourney

No doubt whatsoever. That is too juicy for NCAA committee to ignore.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 23, 2008 2:24 PM CST reply actions

No one in the Big 10 is unbeatable

I think we will see the top six teams in the conference beat up on each other throughout the year. The conference has done enough in out of conference play to warrant six teams and not just on the merits of mediocrity.

I would bet that some talking head somewhere or some lube jobs on message boards elsewhere will want to call the Big 10 weak just because we won’t have a dominant 16-2 team in conference play. I’m guessing a bunch will be right around the 12-4 to 9-9 range, each cannibalizing the other. All six will be battle tested and ready for March. The Big 10 is back in a big way. I’m still not sure if I can cheer for Wisconsin tonight against Texas. I…just…can’t…do…it. Just like I could not cheer for the Packers last night.

I will be tuning in to the TCU/Boise State game. That is going to be the best bowl game of the season up until Penn State/USC.

by rencito on Dec 23, 2008 2:53 PM CST reply actions