Can anyone upset Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament this week?
March is the best time of the year for college basketball fans, as we get conference tournaments followed by the NCAA Tournament. It gives us basketball all day long and Cinderella stories galore.
The Michigan Wolverines finished in last place in the Big Ten and will play on the first day of the tournament against Penn State (Wednesday, 9 p.m., Peacock). Somehow, the Wolverines don’t have a very tough path to the semifinals, but for a team that has lost eight straight and 18 of their last 20, nothing is easy.
The Wolverines have a shot to win a couple games, but they could also be done with their forgettable season on Wednesday night. When it comes to March, anything can happen.
There is still great basketball to be played, so we take a stab at some predictions for the Big Ten Tournament .
First Round
Rutgers vs Maryland
Michigan vs Penn State
Flip a coin for either of these games, as all four teams have not been good for most of the year and could win. Rutgers and Maryland split their regular season games, while Michigan lost to Penn State despite leading by double-digits at halftime.
The Terrapins have lost five of their last six, but their win was against the Scarlet Knights. We say they take this one again and move on. The Wolverines haven’t won in what seems like a year, but call us crazy, as we are taking them to shock their fans and get a win and prolong the misery another day.
Winners: Michigan and Maryland
Second Round
Minnesota vs Michigan State
Maryland vs Wisconsin
Ohio State vs Iowa
Michigan vs Indiana
There are a couple intriguing games in the second round, as Michigan State is fighting to get on the right side of the bubble, while Minnesota is looking to put a nail in the Spartans’ coffin. The Badgers have also been struggling and might need to beat Maryland to secure their spot. The Buckeyes have been playing better since firing Chris Holtmann, and the Hawkeyes need to make a run this week or they are likely headed to the NIT . Lastly, the Hoosiers have also been playing a lot better lately, but barely beat the Wolverines this year.
I think the Golden Gophers are going to shock the Spartans and make them sweat out selection Sunday. The Spartans just haven’t been very impressive lately and have lost four of their last five games, including their season finale against Indiana.
The Terrapins nearly upset the Badgers three weeks ago, so I think they will advance to the quarterfinals. The Badgers will join the Spartans on the hot seat for the tournament.
The Buckeyes continue their hot run and end the Hawkeyes’ chance to make the tournament. Finally, the Wolverines will lose by double-digits to Indiana yet again.
Winners – Minnesota, Maryland, Ohio State and Indiana
Quarterfinals
Minnesota vs Purdue
Maryland vs Northwestern
Ohio State vs Illinois
Indiana vs Nebraska
The top four seeds finally hit the court. The Boilermakers have been the best team in the conference all season long and are fighting for the top seed in the NCAA Tournament. Their fight continues, as they easily take care of the overmatched Golden Gophers.
The Wildcats have stumbled a bit down the stretch, but they right the ship enough on Friday to stop the Terrapins’ run. They will earn a rubber match with the Boilermakers in the semifinals.
The Buckeyes will test the Fighting Illini, but Illinois pulls away late for a hard-fought win.
Lastly, the Cornhuskers won only two road Big Ten games all season, but one of them was against Indiana. They will get the win yet again.
Winners – Purdue, Northwestern, Illinois and Nebraska
Semifinals
Purdue vs Northwestern
Illinois vs Nebraska
The Boilermakers only lost three games in the Big Ten this year, and one of them came against the Wildcats. Purdue will get its revenge, but it will come in overtime as Zach Edey goes for yet another double-double.
The Cornhuskers will be looking to make the finals for the first time ever, but need to get by a very good Fighting Illini team. The Cornhuskers live and die by the three, and it is going to be enough in this one. They upset the Fighting Illini and get another shot at the Boilermakers.
Winners – Purdue and Nebraska
Final
Purdue vs Nebraska
The two teams met just once this year, with the Cornhuskers picking up the 88-72 upset win. Keisei Tominaga hit five three-pointers and scored a game-high 19 points in that win. The Cornhuskers also held Edey to just 15 points — they will need to do that again if they want to upset the Boilermakers again.
Edey, though, will be much better in the championship game and will lead the Boilermakers to a second straight Big Ten Tournament Championship. It will be a dog fight, but the Boilermakers pull away in the second half and show why they should be the top seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Champion – Purdue