Bracketology: Bubble Watch and a mailbag full of questions

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Jan 21, 2017; Bloomington, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard James Blackmon Jr. (1) takes a shot against Michigan State Spartans guard Eron Harris (14) at Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

Big Ten

Lead-Pipe Lock: None.

Some Perspiration: Wisconsin, Purdue, Maryland, Minnesota, Northwestern

Better Double-Up on the Deodorant: Indiana, Michigan State, Illinois, Michigan

Wisconsin Badgers, 17-3 (6-1): Only three losses on the season, all to top-25 teams, and Wisconsin is still not a lock. Why, you ask? Because of their lack of quality wins. Marquette and Minnesota are just fine, but in each of their three losses, they were not able to keep the final score within single digits. Wisconsin is in great shape in terms of making the tournament, and even finding a top-four seed somewhere, but they still have some work to do before locking up a bid.

Quality wins: vs. Marquette, @ Minnesota

Bad losses: None.

Missed opportunities: @ Creighton, vs. North Carolina, @ Purdue

Up next: vs. Rutgers (1/28), @ Illinois (1/31)

Purdue Boilermakers, 17-4 (6-2): Like Wisconsin, Purdue is awfully close to getting the locked treatment. They have five very solid wins, and their lone bad loss came on the road against Peter Jok and Co. Yet, there is still room to add another quality win or two before moving up a notch. Their tournament hopes are very high and without a major slip-up, they will be solidly in the field of 68.

Quality wins: vs. Notre Dame, vs. Wisconsin, vs. Illinois, @ Ohio State, @ Michigan State

Bad losses: @ Iowa

Missed opportunities: vs. Villanova, @ Louisville, vs. Minnesota

Up next: @ Nebraska (1/29), vs. Northwestern (2/1)

Maryland Terrapins, 18-2 (6-1): The wins aren’t great, and the loss to Nebraska isn’t either, but it is hard to say Maryland hasn’t had a good season. Their strength of schedule is sneaky good, even without games against the top teams in the nation. The Terrapins still have Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Northwestern left on the road this season and they also get Purdue at home. Lots of tough games remain.

Quality wins: vs. Kansas State, vs. Illinois, @ Illinois

Bad losses: vs. Nebraska

Missed opportunities: vs. Pittsburgh

Up next: @ Minnesota (1/28), @ Ohio State (1/31)

Minnesota Golden Gophers, 15-5 (3-4): Now losers of their past three games, Minnesota is falling down the rankings, although they are still very likely to make the tournament. Of those three games, the really tough one was losing to Penn State. Getting back on track to defeat Ohio State might be a bigger deal than most think. Six of the Gophers’ last 11 games are going to be at home, which will hopefully bump that conference record over .500.

Quality wins: vs. Arkansas, @ Purdue, @ Northwestern

Bad losses: @ Penn State

Missed opportunities: @ Florida State, vs. Michigan State, @ Michigan State, vs. Wisconsin

Up next: @ Ohio State (1/25), vs. Maryland (1/28)

Northwestern Wildcats, 16-4 (5-2): Northwestern is in very good shape in terms of making the tournament. With only four losses in late January, it is interesting to note that each one of the teams they lost to has been in or is still in the top-25 this season. The Wildcats have won four straight games, and now get two at home in very winnable match-ups.

Quality wins: vs. Wake Forest, vs. Dayton, @ Ohio State

Bad losses: None.

Missed opportunities: @ Butler, vs. Notre Dame, @ Michigan State, vs. Minnesota

Up next: vs. Nebraska (1/26), vs. Indiana (1/29)

Indiana Hoosiers, 14-6 (4-3): After beating Kansas and North Carolina early in the season, Indiana hasn’t done a whole lot. Yet, those wins are still very valuable and with two tough road games coming up, their resume would get a boost with a 1-1 or 2-0 record in those games. The Hoosiers still have to play Purdue twice and Wisconsin once down the stretch.

Quality wins: vs. Kansas, vs. North Carolina, vs. Michigan State, vs. Illinois

Bad losses: @ Fort Wayne, vs. Nebraska

Missed opportunities: vs. Butler, vs. Louisville, @ Maryland, vs. Wisconsin

Up next: @ Michigan (1/26), @ Northwestern (1/29)

Michigan State Spartans, 12-9 (4-4): Nine losses are not a great place to be in January, but it is not horrible for the Spartans. With a top-10 strength of schedule, MSU has had plenty of opportunities for big wins, and can say they have four wins over possible tournament teams. Their next stretch is relatively easy, but they finish with Wisconsin, Purdue, and Maryland in their last six games.

Quality wins: vs. Wichita State, @ Minnesota, vs. Minnesota, vs. Northwestern

Bad losses: vs. Northeastern, @ Penn State

Missed opportunities: vs. Baylor, vs. Kentucky, @ Duke, vs. Arizona, @ Indiana, @ Ohio State

Up next: vs. Michigan (1/29), @ Nebraska (2/2)

Illinois Fighting Illini, 12-8 (2-5): The Illini already have eight losses, but they have quality wins over NC State, VCU, Michigan and Ohio State. The one bad loss to Winthrop might hold them back, however, there are plenty of chances to rack up some resume building wins.

Quality wins: vs. NC State, vs. VCU, vs. Michigan, vs. Ohio State

Bad losses: vs. Winthrop

Missed opportunities: vs. Florida State, vs. West Virginia, @ Maryland, vs. Maryland, @ Purdue, @ Michigan, @ Indiana

Up next: vs. Iowa (1/25), @ Penn State (1/28)

Michigan Wolverines, 13-7 (3-4): Basically the definition of a bubble team this year, Michigan has a few above-average wins, one bad loss, and a plethora of missed opportunities. In the Big Ten, there are chances for quality wins everywhere, and Michigan is going to need a couple more to make the Big Dance.

Quality wins: vs. SMU, vs. Marquette, vs. Illinois

Bad losses: @ Iowa

Missed opportunities: @ UCLA, @ South Carolina, vs. Virginia Tech, vs. Maryland, @ Wisconsin, @ Illinois

Up next: vs. Indiana (1/26), @ Michigan State (1/29)

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