Bracketologist has Nebraska basketball inches away from NCAA Tournament lock status

Nebraska basketball stormed back from down 20 to beat Northwestern on Sunday. It wasn't a season-saving win, but it may make things easier as they look to get an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.

The Huskers now sit at 17-9 (7-8 in the Big Ten) and, according to one bracketologist, they are just two wins away from gaining "lock status" for March Madness.

Most potential brackets have Nebraska sitting at a 10-seed. If Nebraska can somehow win out and win a game or two in the Big Ten Dance, a 7 or even a 6-seed is not out of the question.

Nebraska basketball is convincing the experts it belongs

Let's be honest: none of us saw this coming in January amid their 6-game losing streak. I'm a perpetual optimist, and there were times I lost faith. It shows you that a season as long as basketball can turn on a dime.

What's Nebraska basketball's easiest path to two more wins?

With five games to go and just two wins needed to be a lock, Nebraska's path is a whole lot easier than it seemed when they were down big in the first half to Northwestern.

Let's breakdown each of their final five games.

At Penn State

• NET: 78
• Quad opportunity: Quad 2
• ESPN win probability: 50.6% Penn State
• The big question: Can Nebraska bring their own juice to a mid-week evening game in a half-filled arena against a Penn State team that won't make the conference tournament?
• My prediction: Nebraska wakes up and handles the Nittany Lions and gets within one game of lock status.

Michigan

• NET: 20
• Quad opportunity: Quad 1
• ESPN win probability: 51.7% Michigan
• The big question: Will Berke Buyuktuncel be back? (Hint: Nebraska will need him.)
• My prediction: Nebraska feeds off a raucous PBA crowd and gets a performance to remember from Brice the Bucket to beat another top-25 team and is a lock for the Big Dance.

Minnesota

• NET: 94
• Quad opportunity: Quad 3
• ESPN win probability: 80.1% Nebraska
• The big question: Will Nebraska get complacent against an overmatched Minnesota team or try to deliver the knockout punch early?
• My prediction: Nebraska holds off a pesky Gopher crew and pulls away in the second half to a comfortable win.

At Ohio State

• NET: 27
• Quad opportunity: Quad 1
• ESPN win probability: 73.8% Ohio State
• The big question: How will Nebraska defend Ohio State, who has multiple high-level scorers in the backcourt?
• My prediction: Nebraska puts up a good fight on the road, but Ohio State has a bit too much offensive firepower for the Huskers on this night.

Iowa

• NET: 62
• Quad opportunity: Quad 2
• ESPN win probability: 69.5% Nebraska
• The big question: How will Nebraska adjust defensively so they don't allow Iowa to get comfortable from the 3-point arc?
• My prediction: The overtime loss to Iowa is top of mind for the Huskers and they dominate the Hawkeyes from start to finish on Senior Day.