Wisconsin hasn't played all that great to start the year, or at least consistently to their potential. The Badgers are 5-0 in Quad 3 or 4 games but 0-2 in Quad 1 or 2 games. It's not a great start in the opportunities that build the resume, yet they also don't have a bad loss yet. In other words, it's still early, and the season has mostly been a wash.
Which is probably why ESPN's bracketologist expert Joe Lunardi has Wisconsin in a middle-of-the-road spot, really a precarious spot. The Badgers are listed as a 9-seed in the East Region, which, as of this projection, is the same region as Duke. The second matchup for Wisconsin, if they truly ended up as a 9-seed.
Wisconsin is projected as a 9-seed in ESPN's first bracketology
Check out the full bracketology on ESPN here.
If all of what Joe Lunardi projects were to come true, the Badgers would face off against Utah State as an 8-seed in the first round. Wisconsin would have to face Duke in the second round, and the winner would most likely play either Florida or Illinois.
Lunardi has 11 Big Ten teams in right now, with Wisconsin being one of the lowest-seeded teams. UCLA and Ohio State, being 10-seeds, are the only two currently projected to finish lower in the NCAA Tournament. This many teams only goes to show that the Big Ten will be the proving ground for Wisconsin and any other Big Ten team that wants to make the tournament.
The season is still young, and Wisconsin's hot and cold start hasn't impressed the pundits much. This week against Northwestern and Marquette could help tremendously, but really, the whole month of December, Wisconsin should be looking to go undefeated with games against Northwestern, Marquette, Nebraska, Villanova, and Central Michigan.