Big Ten Roundup: Joe Lunardi's Latest Bracketology

ESPN's Joe Lunardi released a new edition of Bracketology, attempting to predict the 2023 NCAA Tournament layout. His projections had eight Big Ten team making the tournament, which was the most of any conference in the country.

It's never too early for Bracketology, right?

ESPN's Joe Lunardi released his latest attempt at predicting the 2023 NCAA Tournament on Tuesday. His bracket featured eight Big Ten teams, which was more than any other conference. 

Lunardi gave Gonzaga the No. 1 overall seed, followed by 2022 runner-up North Carolina, Houston and Kentucky to round out the top seeds. Let's take a look at where Lunardi placed the Big Ten.

4 – Indiana

Matched up against Drake in the first round, the Hoosiers are Lunardi's top-seeded team from the Big Ten. In this projection, Indiana could matchup with No. 1 seed Kentucky in the Sweet 16. With the return of Trayce Jackson-Davis, three other starters and a top-10 recruiting class, Indiana has been picked to win the Big Ten by a number of national outlets. 

6 – Illinois

Lunardi stacked Illinois up against Oklahoma in the first round, followed by a potential meeting with the three-seed Duke Blue Devils. Illinois will look much different with the loss of Trent Frazier, Alfonso Plummer, Andre Curbelo, Damonte Williams and Kofi Cockburn. Head coach Brad Underwood did well to bring Terrance Shannon Jr. from Texas Tech and Matthew Mayer from Baylor, but the question lies in how well a team can mesh with so many new faces.

6 – Michigan

The Wolverines moved down in Lunardi's latest Bracketology after freshmen Caleb Houstan and Moussa Diabate decided to stay in the NBA Draft. Hunter Dickinson has a chance to be one of the best players in the Big Ten, but head coach Juwan Howard will have four new starters and rely heavily upon incoming freshmen, who comprise the No. 10 recruiting class in the country.

7 – Michigan State

The Spartans would play Wyoming in this tournament projection, who lost to Indiana in the First Four in last year's NCAA Tournament. Head coach Tom Izzo has a strong backcourt nucleus with A.J. Hoggard, Tyson Walker and Jaden Akins, but the loss of Marcus Bingham Jr. and Julius Marble leaves the Spartans a bit thin up front. 

7 – Purdue

The Boilermakers would play 10-seed Saint John's then the 2021 National Champion Baylor Bears in Lunardi's latest bracket. Zach Edey, Mason Gillis and Caleb Furst complete one of the top frontcourts in the Big Ten, but finding a reliable point guard for the upcoming season could be a tall task for Matt Painter after the departure of Eric Hunter Jr., Jaden Ivey, Isaiah Thompson and Sasha Stefanovic. 

9 – Ohio State

Leading scorers E.J. Liddell and Malaki Branham are off to the NBA, leaving Zed Key, Justice Sueing and Eugene Brown as the only Buckeyes with experience playing for Chris Holtmann. Ohio State did well in the portal to bring in experienced starters Isaac Likekele from Oklahoma State, Sean McNeil from Ohio State and Tanner Holden from Wright State. Holtmann also recruited four four-star players to compile a top-10 freshman class.

10 – Iowa

The Hawkeyes got a tough draw from Lunardi, potentially facing a pair of recent Final Four teams in Texas Tech and UCLA in the first two rounds. Iowa loses leading scorer Keegan Murray to the NBA and longtime floor general Jordan Bohannon. Keegan's brother Kris is back in Iowa City, and could experience a similar breakout season after receiving NBA feedback.

11 – Rutgers

Lunardi slotted Rutgers in the First Four, which would be the second year in a row for head coach Steve Pikiell. Leading scorers Ron Harper Jr. and Geo Baker are off to the NBA, leaving behind starters Caleb McConnell, Paul Mulcahy and Cliff Omoruyi. Rutgers might be offensively challenged this season, but Pikiell has established a strong defensive foundation in Piscataway. 

Next Four Out – Wisconsin

Big Ten Player of the Year Johnny Davis and his backcourt mate Brad Davison are both gone, so Chucky Hepburn will run the offense in his sophomore season. Tyler Wahl and Steven Crowl are back to command the paint, but depth appears to be a question for head coach Greg Gard. 

Stories related to Indiana basketball:

• BIG TEN ROUNDUP: BREAKOUT CANDIDATES: 17 players were named to the first, second or third team All-Big Ten during the 2021-2022 college basketball season. But of those players, only Trayce Jackson-Davis, Hunter Dickinson and Zach Edey are back in the Big Ten for the 2022-2023 season. Here are the top breakout candidates for each team.
• BIG TEN ROUNDUP: CONFERENCE PROJECTIONS: As the deadline to stay in or withdraw from the NBA Draft passed this week, Big Ten basketball rosters are close to being finalized. With plenty of roster reshuffling from the draft and transfer portal, here is how college basketball analysts view the Big Ten. CLICK HERE
• BIG TEN ROUNDUP: NBA DRAFT, TRANSFER PORTAL UPDATE: The deadline to withdraw from or stay in the 2022 NBA Draft has passed, providing more clarity to what Big Ten basketball will look like next season. Here's a breakdown of the biggest storylines from the NBA Draft and transfer portal in the Big Ten. CLICK HERE
• BIG TEN ROUNDUP: TOP 25 INCOMING FRESHMEN: The 2022 freshman basketball class will be arriving to campuses around the Big Ten soon, so it's time to take a look at which schools are bringing in the top talent. CLICK HERE