(WXYZ) -- In 2013, Michigan and Michigan State opened NCAA Tournament play at The Palace of Auburn Hills, the first stop on the Wolverines' eventual run to the National Championship game.
The NCAA is back in the Motor City for March Madness in 2018, and there is a possibility the Spartans and Wolverines could both get shut out of playing at Little Caesars Arena.
During a conference call on Thursday, ESPN bracket expert Joe Lunardi was asked about the possibility of both teams getting placed in Detroit, especially following Michigan's Big Ten Tournament championship.
"It looks unlikely, given the current geography," said Lunardi. "And by that I mean there are teams on or around them on the seed list that for whom Detroit is also the closest spot. Xavier and Purdue in particular, and maybe Cincinnati, that if you go strictly by the mileage consideration, would kind of have first dibs on that spot. Now how much the Committee wants a Michigan-Michigan State atmosphere in that building, it’s hard to say. Because you could send Xavier to Pittsburgh, a difference of 20 miles or Xavier to Nashville for another 20 miles. I’m not Rand McNally so I’m not the expert on that, but you could do that. But it would be going against typical bracketing practice."
Lunardi added that if there's one available spot in Detroit between Michigan State and Michigan, the Spartans are likely to get the nod.
"I think Michigan State will be higher on the seed list than Michigan, in spite of losing to them in the Big Ten tournament and Michigan winning the whole thing. Michigan State did finish two or three games ahead of them in the regular season. Even with an unbalanced schedule that’s still a pretty significant difference. I still have Xavier ahead of the two Michigans on the seed list and that’s not likely to change. I have Purdue ahead of the two Michigans on the seed list, and that is a matter of debate because Purdue finished in between them in the standings, advanced further than one of them in the tournament, and of course lost to the other in the final, but probably has the strongest overall body of work."
The NCAA Tournament bracket will be announced this Sunday and Little Caesars Arena will host first and second round games Friday and Sunday, March 16 and 18.
