The Big Ten Tournament not only crowns the champion of the conference, but it also provides an opportunity for teams to boost their stock before hitting the national stage. For some, the tournament is their last hope at making the big dance.
Heading into the tournament, only five Big Ten teams are projected to miss March Madness: IU, Northwestern, Minnesota, Penn State and Nebraska.
In a stacked Big Ten, winning the conference tournament to secure a March Madness bid is unlikely but also these teams' final hope.
For the conference’s top teams, a strong performance in the Big Ten Tournament can help solidify a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Michigan, Illinois, Ohio State and Iowa would all be nearly guaranteed a top seed if they were to win the prestigious Big Ten.
Here is my prediction for how the Big Ten's finish will shake out.
The Big Ten has been a powerhouse conference this year, so it is hard to predict one champion. I believe there are five genuine championship contenders: Iowa, Ohio State, Michigan, Illinois and Michigan State.
Following a 2-7 start in Big Ten play, Michigan State ended the year winning seven of its final 11 contests. Tom Izzo is the most experienced coach in the conference and can lead the Spartans to continued success in March.
Michigan State has also taken down three of the four favorites who have dominated throughout the season. While the other top seeds duke it out evenly, Ohio State has struggled against the frontrunners as of late.
Although their games have been tight, the Buckeyes dropped their final four games of the year to the conference’s best. The Big Ten Tournament will be immense for their confidence going into NCAA Tournament play next week.
The Fighting Illini have dominated down the stretch, winning 11 of their last 12 games in conference play. Sophomore Kofi Cockburn, the seven-foot center, has gone unmatched in the paint. Michigan and Illinois have the most likely route to secure a No. 1 seed in March Madness following this weekend’s play.
The Big Ten is by far the best conference in the NCAA. With nine teams projected to make the NCAA Tournament — two more than any other conference — it has the opportunity to steal the show on the biggest stage.
For Illinois, Michigan and Iowa to be overthrown in the conference tournament, the underdogs will have to come ready to play spoiler. But then again, it is March.
