Offseason Bracketology Puts Indiana on NCAA Tournament Bubble

Though the 2024 NCAA Tournament is nearly eight months away, ESPN's Joe Lunardi released his latest Bracketology on Tuesday, projecting the entire 68-team field. Indiana was listed as a No. 10 seed and one of the "last four byes."

It's only August, but Joe Lunardi is already making brackets.

Lunardi released his latest ESPN Bracketology on Tuesday, providing a way-too-early projection for the 2024 NCAA Tournament. 

And following two trips to the Big Dance in the first two years of the Mike Woodson era, Lunardi predicts that Indiana will barely squeak into the tournament. The Hoosiers are listed as a No. 10 seed and one of the "last four byes," meaning only seven teams are below them and still in the 68-team field.

In this scenario, Indiana would face 7-seed Memphis in the Round of 64, with a potential matchup against 2-seed Tennessee in the Round of 32. 

Here's the full Midwest Region, per Lunardi's latest Bracketology.

Indiana received a No. 10 seed in Joe Lunardi's latest Bracketology

Indiana is the lowest-seeded Big Ten team out of seven conference squads that made Lunardi's projection. Purdue and Michigan State highlight the list as No. 1 seeds, while Illinois is next as a No. 5 seed, followed by Wisconsin as a No. 7 seed and Northwestern and Maryland as No. 8 seeds.

Rutgers and Ohio State are just one the outside looking in as two of the "first four out," followed by Iowa in the "next four out" category. 

For a full recap of what each Big Ten basketball team lost, gained and returned this offseason, check out our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series below.

• WISCONSIN EVALUATION: In our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series, we'll discuss the Wisconsin Badgers, a team that returns its entire starting lineup and key bench players. CLICK HERE
• RUTGERS EVALUATION: In our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series, we'll discuss the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, a team that lost three starters but returns All-Big Ten forward Clifford Omoruyi. CLICK HERE
• PURDUE EVALUATION: In our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series, we'll discuss the reigning Big Ten champion Purdue Boilermakers, who return most of last year's roster. CLICK HERE
• PENN STATE EVALUATION: In our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series, we'll discuss the Penn State Nittany Lions, who replaced coach Micah Shrewsberry with Mike Rhoades and recruited 10 new players. CLICK HERE
• OHIO STATE EVALUATION: In our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series, we'll discuss the Ohio State Buckeyes, who lost leading scorers Brice Sensabaugh, but bring in a talented freshman class. CLICK HERE
• NORTHWESTERN EVALUATION: In our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series, we'll discuss the Northwestern Wildcats, who lost starters Chase Audige and Robbie Beran, but should still carry NCAA Tournament expectations with coach Chris Collins and All-Big Ten guard Boo Buie. CLICK HERE
• NEBRASKA EVALUATION: In our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series, we'll discuss the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who lost two starters but returns 3-point marksman Keisei Tominaga as coach Fred Hoiberg looks for his first NCAA Tournament appearance entering his fifth season in Lincoln. CLICK HERE
• MINNESOTA EVALUATION: In our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series, Minnesota lost two of its top scorers after a 9-22 season, making them the favorite to finish last in the Big Ten for a second consecutive year. CLICK HERE
• MICHIGAN STATE EVALUATION: Michigan State returns nearly its entire roster from last year's run to the Sweet 16 and added the conference's top-ranked freshman class, making the Spartans one of the Big Ten favorites. CLICK HERE
• MICHIGAN EVALUATION: In our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series, Michigan enters what looks like a rebuilding season in year five under coach Juwan Howard after losing its top three players, Hunter Dickinson, Kobe Bufkin and Jett Howard. CLICK HERE
• INDIANA EVALUATION: In our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series, we discussed the Indiana Hoosiers, who lost a major chunk of scoring but bring in some of the conference's top-ranked talent. CLICK HERE
• MARYLAND EVALUATION: In our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series, coach Kevin Willard enters his second season at Maryland with an All-Big Ten duo of Jahmir Young and Julian Reese, which puts the Terrapins in good shape to improve. CLICK HERE
• IOWA EVALUATION: In our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series, we discussed the Iowa Hawkeyes, who lost four starters and bring in just one top-100 recruit entering year 14 under coach Fran McCaffery. CLICK HERE
• ILLINOIS EVALUATION: In our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series, we discussed the Illinois Fighting Illini, who return All-Big Ten candidates Terrence Shanon Jr. and Coleman Hawkins but have point guard questions entering coach Brad Underwood's seventh season. CLICK HERE