Skip to main content
penn-state logo

Penn State continues climb in NCAA Tournament projections

nate-mug-10.12.14by:Nate Bauer•03/12/23•

NateBauerBWI

Penn State's rise from the outside looking in, to the bubble, to a firm spot in next week's NCAA Tournament continues to take shape.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 11: Jalen Pickett #22 of the Penn State Nittany Lions handles the ball against Jalen Hood-Schifino #1 of the Indiana Hoosiers during the second half in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament at United Center on March 11, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

Minutes earlier, Jalen Pickett had just poured in another 28 points, with eight rebounds and four assists, in another Penn State win. The third for the Nittany Lions in three days, this time a 77-73 decision over Indiana in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament, it also marked the program’s eighth win in its last nine games.

A study in contrasts from Penn State’s precarious position just a month earlier when it lost a fourth-straight game, the transformation was complete. Then virtually out of room for error if they’d hoped to reach the NCAA Tournament, the Nittany Lions won enough games to find the bubble and assure an at-large bid. And on Sunday afternoon, set to face No. 1-seed Purdue (3:30 p.m., CBS), they have an opportunity to lock down their first Big Ten Tournament title and earn the automatic bid that comes with it.

“It’s really important for us. We have a poster in our locker room saying believe, and I think our team is believing in us,” Pickett said. “We ended the regular season pretty well on a high note, and now we’re showing it in the tournament. I feel like we’re playing our best basketball right around now.”

Penn State NCAA Tournament projections

Surveying the landscape of college basketball’s national bracketologists, that new reality is reflected with their latest updates.

At ESPN, Joe Lunardi has officially moved Penn State’s logo out of the mix of 16 teams that comprise his last four byes, last four in, first four out, and next four out. In his latest update early on Sunday morning, his projection for the Nittany Lions is as a 10-seed in the South regional. They would face 7-seed Missouri in Des Moines, Iowa, to open the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 16.

CBS expert Jerry Palm, meanwhile, released his latest bracket picks early Sunday morning as well. In his projection, Penn State has climbed to a projected 9-seed, facing 8-seed Auburn in the first round. Though in the Midwest regional in his bracket, Palm also has Penn State playing in Des Moines.

With the Big Ten Tournament final serving as the unofficial conclusion of conference tournament season nationally, Penn State will learn its NCAA Tournament destination shortly thereafter. CBS will air its Selection Sunday Show at 6 p.m., placing 32 automatic qualifiers and 36 at-large programs into the field of 68.

You may also like