Minnesota is spiraling but will still easily make the Field of 68

Minnesota finished with a losing record in the Big Ten and got bounced by Illinois (and Brandon Paul) in Thursday's first round of the league tournament in Chicago, meaning the Gophers have now dropped 11 of their past 16 games and mostly looked miserable while doing it. But they'll be in the Field of 68. Anybody suggesting otherwise hasn't looked at their entire body of work.

Minnesota finished with a losing record in the Big Ten and got bounced by Illinois (thanks to Brandon Paul's dagger at the buzzer) in Thursday's first round of the league tournament in Chicago, meaning the Gophers have now dropped 11 of their past 16 games and mostly looked miserable while doing it.

But they'll be in the Field of 68.

Anybody suggesting otherwise hasn't looked at their entire body of work.

The Gophers own wins over Indiana, Michigan State, Memphis, Wisconsin and Illinois, which gives them five victories over teams ranked in the top 50 of the RPI. They're still 11-9 against the top 100 with an RPI of 37 and strength of schedule that ranks second nationally, and that's going to be plenty good enough to keep Tubby Smith's team on the right side of the bubble come Selection Sunday.

Will Minnesota be a factor in the Field of 68?

Man, it sure doesn't look like it.

But the Gophers will be in ... for better or worse.

(H/T, BigLeadSports)