By Teddy Greenstein
Both Northwestern and Notre Dame are perceived to be on the NCAA tournament bubble, and the Wildcats beat the Irish 72-58 on a neutral floor in November.
But ESPN.com "bracketologist" Joe Lunardi says Notre Dame has legitimate hopes for a bid. Northwestern? Not so much.
"This is as nicely as I can say it," Lunardi said Tuesday by telephone, "I have a better chance of getting a date with Scarlett Johansson than Northwestern does of making the NCAA tournament."
Both Northwestern and Notre Dame are perceived to be on the NCAA tournament bubble, and the Wildcats beat the Irish 72-58 on a neutral floor in November.
But ESPN.com "bracketologist" Joe Lunardi says Notre Dame has legitimate hopes for a bid. Northwestern? Not so much.
"This is as nicely as I can say it," Lunardi said Tuesday by telephone, "I have a better chance of getting a date with Scarlett Johansson than Northwestern does of making the NCAA tournament."
The problem is that the Wildcats (16-7) are 1-5 against the RPI top 50.
And they have only one chance left in the regular season to improve
that mark, by beating Wisconsin in Madison on Feb. 21.
A key for Northwestern is to score two major upsets in the Big Ten tournament.
Notre Dame is 1-2 against the RPI top 50, but has remaining dates against Louisville (42), Pittsburgh (21), Georgetown (7), Connecticut (57) and Marquette (59).
"Notre Dame has a legitimate path," Lunardi said. "They'll play teams that will elevate their profile."
A key for Northwestern is to score two major upsets in the Big Ten tournament.
Notre Dame is 1-2 against the RPI top 50, but has remaining dates against Louisville (42), Pittsburgh (21), Georgetown (7), Connecticut (57) and Marquette (59).
"Notre Dame has a legitimate path," Lunardi said. "They'll play teams that will elevate their profile."
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