The Road to Selection Sunday — College Hoops Report: BT Tourney Bye Within Gopher Grasp

The Gophers’ mission tonight is simple. Win in Happy Valley and they move a huge step closer to their third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, as well as a rare bye (top-5 finish) in the Big Ten Tournament. Lose and they face the prospect of having to sweep the Michigan schools at The Barn just to get to .500 in the Big Ten.

All RPI references are courtesy of Jerry Palm at collegerpi.com, through games played Wednesday, February 16.

RPI Sweet 16
1. Kansas (24-2)
2. BYU (23-2)
3. San Diego State (24-1)
4. Ohio State (25-1)
5. Georgetown (20-6)
6. Duke (24-2)
7. Pitt (24-2)
8. Texas (23-3)
9. Purdue (21-5)
10. Notre Dame (21-4)
11. UConn (20-5)
12. Florida (20-5)
13. North Carolina (19-6)
14. Vandy (19-6)
15. Kentucky (18-7)
16. St. John’s (16-9)

Big Ten in the RPI
4. Ohio State (25-1)
9. Purdue (21-5)
18. Wisconsin (19-6)
36. GOPHERS (17-8)
38. Illinois (17-9)
50. Michigan State (13-11)
59. Michigan (15-11)
66. Penn State (13-11)
76. Nebraska (17-8)
89. Northwestern (14-10)
153. Iowa (10-15)
162. Indiana (12-14)

Big Ten RPI Top-50 Wins (36)
Wisconsin (6) — Ohio State (4), Purdue (9), Gophers (36), Illinois (38), vs. Boston College (42), Michigan State (50)
Ohio State (6) — Purdue (9), @ Florida (12), @ Gophers (36), Gophers (36), @ Illinois (38), Michigan State (50)
Illinois (4) — North Carolina (13), Wisconsin (18), @ Gophers (36), Michigan State (50)
Purdue (4) — Wisconsin (18), Gophers (36), @ Illinois (38), Michigan State (50)
GOPHERS (3) — Purdue (9), vs. North Carolina (13), vs. West Virginia (23)
Michigan State (3) — Wisconsin (18), Gophers (36), vs. Washington (37)
Penn State (3) — Wisconsin (18), Illinois (38), Michigan State (50)
Indiana (2) — Gophers (36), Illinois (38)
Michigan (2) — Harvard (46), @ Michigan State (50)
Nebraska (1) — Texas A&M (29)
Northwestern (1) — Illinois (38)
Iowa (1) — Michigan State (50)

Road/Neutral Records
1. Ohio State (8-1)
2. Purdue (7-5)
3. GOPHERS (6-5)
4. Wisconsin (5-6)
5. Illinois (5-7)
6. Northwestern (4-7)
7. Michigan (3-7)
8. Iowa (3-8)
9. Michigan State (3-9)
10. Nebraska (2-7)
11. Penn State (1-7)
12. Indiana (0-11)

Gophers’ Nonconference Opponents/RPI & Record
13. North Carolina (19-6, 9-2 ACC)
23. West Virginia (16-9, 7-6 Big East)
145. Akron (15-10, 7-5 MAC East)
149. Virginia (12-13, 3-8 ACC)
154. Wofford (15-12, 12-4, SoCon South)
195. Western Kentucky (12-13, 6-6 Sun Belt East)
204. Saint Joseph’s (7-18, 2-9 Atlantic 10)
209. South Dakota State (15-9, 9-6 Summit)
211. Siena (10-16, 7-9 MAAC)
235. Cornell (6-16, 2-6 Ivy)
240. North Dakota State (11-12, 7-8 Summit)
248. Eastern Kentucky (13-12, 9-7 Ohio Valley)

Average RPI of Nonconference Opponents: 168.833 (last week = 171.083)
Preseason Projected RPI of Nonconference Opponents (excluding UNC & WV): 133.5

Conference Road Wins (22)
Ohio State (6) — Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Gophers, Northwestern
Purdue (3) — Illinois, Michigan, Penn State
Gophers (2) — Iowa, Michigan
Illinois (2) — Iowa, Gophers
Wisconsin (2) — Iowa, Northwestern
Michigan (2) — Michigan State, Penn State
Iowa (1) — Indiana
Penn State (1) — Indiana
Northwestern (1) — Iowa
Michigan State (1) — Northwestern
Nebraska (1) — Oklahoma
Indiana (0)

Updated Big Ten Tournament Bracket
Thursday, March 10 (1st Round)
1:30 p.m. — #8 Michigan (6-8) vs. #9 Northwestern (4-9), ESPN2
3:55 p.m. — #7 GOPHERS (6-7) vs. #10 Iowa (3-10), ESPN2
6:30 p.m. — #6 Penn State (6-7) vs. #11 Indiana (3-10), BTN

Friday, March 11 (Quarterfinals)
11 a.m. — #1 Ohio State (12-1) vs. Michigan/Northwestern winner, ESPN
1:25 p.m. — #4 Illinois (7-6) vs. #5 Michigan State (6-7), ESPN
5:30 p.m. — #2 Purdue (10-3) vs. GOPHERS/Iowa winner, BTN
7:55 p.m. — #3 Wisconsin (9-4) vs. Penn State/Indiana winner, BTN