Busting Brackets
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NCAA Basketball: How the games this weekend will affect March Madness

By Jonathan Goehring

AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 3: The Texas Longhorns bench reacts as the Texas Longhorns defeated the West Virginia Mountaineers 87-79 in overtime at the Frank Erwin Center on March 3, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 3: The Texas Longhorns bench reacts as the Texas Longhorns defeated the West Virginia Mountaineers 87-79 in overtime at the Frank Erwin Center on March 3, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 02: Anton Gill
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 02: Anton Gill /

Nebraska Cornhuskers

Just when it appeared as if Nebraska could compete with anyone in the elite Big Ten conference, they played their opening game of the conference tournament on Friday against Michigan. The Cornhuskers were the fourth seed, while the Wolverines were the fifth, a competitive matchup on paper.

But this contest was anything but competitive. The eventual champions of the tournament romped the Huskers 77-58, leading to yet another early exit. It couldn’t have come at any worse of a time for Nebraska, as they were solidly on the bubble prior to the game. Now, not so much.

The argument for Nebraska is that they played their best basketball during conference play, finishing 13-5. This is the same record that the Wolverines put up, and they are ranked in the top 15 nationally. It also helps the Huskers slightly that the team that beat them in the conference tournament ended up winning it all.

This gives them the argument, valid or not, that in any other case, Nebraska would have had a better chance to advance to the semifinal round and face Michigan State.

Right now, even with all of the reasons the committee has to consider them, it will take a lot for Nebraska to find their way in. Lunardi projects them as one of the Next Four out, in a position where they would need to pass seven teams in front of them to get in.

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