B101's Bracket Bag - Jan. 9

Some of the best questions we get each week aren't from people posting in the comments section, but from those who send us questions via e-mail. In a new semi-weekly feature to B101, we will some of these questions posed by our readers.

Ben writes:
I am a huge Husker fan from Lincoln. You have Nebraska as one of the last four in, but are you at all worried about Nebraska's RPI being in the 130's? Obviously it will rise during conference play, but I see NU's out of conference schedule as being too weak to garner an at-large unless they go 10-6 and probably get one win in the conference tourney? What is your thinking on Nebraska? Are Nebraska's two quality Pac-10 wins enough justification right now?

B101: Nebraska’s RPI is certainly troubling (it’s at 128 as of Wednesday night), but as you mentioned, it will get a big bump when the Huskers open conference play Saturday (at home against Kansas). We have Nebraska in the bracket right now because we like what they were able to do out of conference. Their win over Arizona State is looking better and better, as is their victory over Oregon, thanks to the Ducks’ win last week at Arizona. One thing the Huskers still need to do, though, is pick up a signature road win. They’ve only played two road games – against Creighton and Western Kentucky – and lost them both. Not only would a conference road win over a Texas or a Texas A&M, or even a Kansas State, help them to get to 10 wins in conference (which should get them in) but it will help the team’s aforementioned RPI.

David writes:
Indiana a FOUR seed?????? Keep drinking that UNC & Memphis Kool-Aid. Indiana will win the Big 10 by 3 games. Final Four at a minimum…write it down.

B101: First off, we’ll take a large pitcher of UNC and Memphis Kool-Aid, thank you. The Tar Heels and Tigers have been the best two teams in the country all year (with Kansas a close third) and it would be a shock if both weren’t playing in San Antonio. It also wouldn’t be shocking if your Hoosiers were there, too. The duo of Eric Gordon and D.J. White is as good as any 1-2 punch in the country, and their supporting cast isn’t shabby either. We’re not quite sure they’ll win the Big Ten by three games (Michigan State is still in the Big Ten, right?) but they probably won’t finish any worse than second, which should earn them no worse than a four seed. As far as Indiana’s current seed goes, it’s a four because the Hoosiers only have one win so far against a tournament team (Illinois State), and their only OOC road win was against Southern Illinois. Once they get some more quality wins, their seed will get a bump.

Do you have a question for a future Bracket Bag? E-mail us at bracketologyblog@yahoo.com