Big Ten Basketball

Maybe Wisconsin will ride the No. 1 seed to the Big Ten Tournament title. Or perhaps Michigan State or Maryland, one of the other conference's co-regular season champions, will win it all.

It's also March Madness time. It could be a surprise team that gets on a roll and takes down the Big Ten's top sides and wins the conference tournament.

Conference championship week is one of the most exciting times of the college basketball season, and the Big Ten tournament is going to be a good one to watch starting Wednesday.

The conference is filled with talented teams this year, and it should be thrilling to see which one emerges as the tournament champion.

Here's everything you need to know for this year's Big Ten tournament.

             

Tournament Schedule

All times ET. Games can be streamed live at BTNplus.com.

Wednesday, March 11

First Round

Game 1: No. 12 Minnesota vs. No. 13 Northwestern (6 p.m., Big Ten Network)

Game 2: No. 11 Indiana vs. No. 14 Nebraska (25 minutes after Game 1, Big Ten Network)

        

Thursday, March 12

Second Round

Game 3: No. 8 Rutgers vs. No. 9 Michigan (noon, Big Ten Network)

Game 4: No. 5 Iowa vs. Game 1 winner (25 minutes after Game 3, Big Ten Network)

Game 5: No. 7 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Purdue (6:30 p.m., Big Ten Network)

Game 6: No. 6 Penn State vs. Game 2 winner (25 minutes after Game 5, Big Ten Network)

        

Friday, March 13

Quarterfinals

Game 7: No. 1 Wisconsin vs. Game 3 winner (noon, Big Ten Network)

Game 8: No. 4 Illinois vs. Game 4 winner (25 minutes after Game 7, Big Ten Network)

Game 9: No. 2 Michigan State vs. Game 5 winner (6:30 p.m., Big Ten Network)

Game 10: No. 3 Maryland vs. Game 6 winner (25 minutes after Game 9, Big Ten Network)

       

Saturday, March 14

Semifinals

Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner (1 p.m., CBS)

Game 12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner (25 minutes after Game 11, CBS)

        

Sunday, March 15

Championship

Game 13: Semifinal winners (3:30 p.m., CBS)

            

Tournament Predictions

Michigan State and Maryland may have lost the tiebreaker to Wisconsin for the No. 1 seed in the tournament, but they are the two best teams in this conference. And with both on the same side of the bracket, they're poised to meet in a semifinal matchup that could be one of the best games of the week.

During the regular season, Michigan State and Maryland split its series. The Terrapins won 67-60 on the road on Feb. 15, while the Spartans got revenge when they won 78-66 on Feb. 29. The two teams are well-matched as they played competitive games each time.

So, who wins the tiebreaker when the No. 2-seeded Spartans and the No. 3-seeded Terps meet again with a spot in the Big Ten tournament championship on the line?

It's been a great season for Maryland, but it struggled a bit down the stretch, losing three of four games before winning its regular-season finale at home against Michigan. Although that was a solid victory, the Terps still don't have much momentum entering tournament play.

Meanwhile, Michigan State has won five straight games and six of its last seven, beating four ranked opponents to end the regular season: Iowa, Maryland, Penn State and Ohio State. Plus, the Spartans have an experienced team and past postseason success, after winning the Big Ten tournament last year.

Led by senior guard Cassius Winston, Michigan State will reach the championship game again, taking down Maryland to get there.

On the other side of the bracket, Wisconsin will face fierce competition from teams such as Iowa and Michigan, which both have the potential to make a deep run through the bracket and reach the championship game.

However, the Badgers are the best team among that group, and they'll use their recent momentum (eight straight wins and nine of their last 10) to advance to the championship game.

In the end, it will be Michigan State that wins the Big Ten tournament title for the fifth time since 2012. Entering this year, the Spartans have won it six times, more than any other school in the conference, with head coach Tom Izzo always seeming to find a way to get his teams playing well in March.

He'll do it again in 2020, as Michigan State adds another banner and nabs the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Prediction: Michigan State over Wisconsin.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers men's basketball team has called in some reinforcements ahead of the Big Ten tournament.

According to Yahoo Sports, Nebraska has added football players Brant Banks and Noah Vedral to the roster. Both will be eligible for Wednesday's first-round game against Indiana.

Vedral, a backup quarterback in 2019, was a two-time all-state basketball player in Nebraska with 1,286 points and 267 steals in his high school career, per Robin Washut of Rivals.com.

Banks, an offensive tackle who redshirted in 2019, averaged 11.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game as a junior in high school before concentrating on football as a senior, per Washut. At 6'7", 300 pounds, he could provide valuable size inside for Nebraska.

The Cornhuskers need all the help they can get after a 7-24 regular season, finishing dead last in the Big Ten with a 2-18 conference record. The squad enters Wednesday's game on a 16-game losing streak.

Championship week is here, and it should be spectacular.

That's true for many conferences, but it's extra accurate around the upcoming Big Ten Tournament. This field is absurdly stacked. Six different squads take Top 25 rankings into the tournament. Ten teams might be celebrating March Madness berths come Selection Sunday. Oh, and Iowa's Luka Garza could be the national player of the year.

So...yeah, this tournament is kind of a big deal. Let's dive into it, then, with scheduling, seeding, odds (courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook) and three fully guaranteed* predictions.

               

Big Ten Tournament 2020

When: March 11-15, 2020

Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind.

TV: Big Ten Network and CBS

                     

Tournament Schedule, Matchups

Wednesday, March 11

Game 1 (6 p.m. ET): No. 12 Minnesota vs. No. 13 Northwestern on BTN

Game 2 (25 min. after): No. 11 Indiana vs. No. 14 Nebraska on BTN

               

Thursday, March 12

Game 3 (12 p.m. ET): No. 8 Rutgers vs. No. 9 Michigan on BTN

Game 4 (25 min. after): No. 5 Iowa vs. Game 1 winner on BTN

Game 5 (6:30 p.m. ET): No. 7 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Purdue on BTN

Game 6 (25 min. after): No. 6 Penn State vs. Game 2 winner on BTN

               

Friday, March 13

Game 7 (12 p.m. ET): No. 1 Wisconsin vs. Game 3 winner on BTN

Game 8 (25 min. after): No. 4 Illinois vs. Game 4 winner on BTN

Game 9 (6:30 p.m. ET): No. 2 Michigan State vs. Game 5 winner on BTN

Game 10 (25 min. after): No. 3 Maryland vs. Game 6 winner on BTN

                  

Saturday, March 14

Game 11 (1 p.m. ET): Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner on CBS

Game 12 (25 min. after): Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner on CBS

                  

Sunday, March 15

Game 13 (3:30 p.m. ET): Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner on CBS

                   

Big Ten Tournament Champion Odds

Michigan State +225

Maryland +325

Wisconsin +700

Ohio State +900

Illinois +1000

Michigan +1000

Iowa +1200

Penn State +1600

Purdue +2200

Minnesota +2500

Indiana +6000

Northwestern +100000

Nebraska +250000

Rutgers N/A

                   

Predictions

Penn State Drops Its Opener

It was all good just a couple of weeks ago.

At one point, the Nittany Lions looked like they might roar to the top of the conference. Between Dec. 10 and Feb. 15, the team reeled off a 13-3 stretch and knocked off nearly all of the other Big Ten powers in the process.

But everything went off track late in the season. Starting with a 62-56 home loss to Illinois on Feb. 18, Penn State dropped five of its final six contests. That stretch was lowlighted by Sunday's 80-69 loss at Northwestern against a Wildcats team that went just 3-17 in conference play (two wins over last-place Nebraska, one over Penn State and none against everyone else).

"We look weary, mentally and physically," coach Patrick Chambers told reporters. "We need a couple days off. Let's reboot."

Rebooting against a double-digit seed might sound like a welcome break, but this is the Big Ten. That double-digit seed could (and should) be an Indiana team that went 9-11 in conference play and knocked off a number of ranked opponents, including this same Penn State squad in late February.

The Hoosiers are talented and hungry. They might not have a ticket to the Big Dance just yet, and handling the Huskers would only do so much. Indiana probably needs two wins to feel good about securing its spot, and Penn State looks as vulnerable as any beyond the bottom-feeders.

               

Iowa Reaches the Finals

The Hawkeyes don't count depth among their strengths. Their defense can disappear at any time.

But doesn't having the top player in the conference (and maybe the country) matter? Garza is a 6'11", 260-pound bulldozer—with a 35.8 percent three-point shot in his back pocket. He's basically unguardable at this level. If that sounds hyperbolic, consider that the last time he didn't score 20-plus points was Jan. 7.

"He's got to be at the top of [national player of the year] conversations," Illinois coach Brad Underwood told reporters. "He's probably at the forefront of our league as well, and when you're the best player in the best league in the country, I would think he'd be right there."

Garza gives the Hawkeyes a puncher's chance against anyone. His nightly contributions include 23.9 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.2 assists. He converts 54.2 percent of his field-goal attempts. He's equally comfortable powering his way through the low post or tickling the twine from distance.

Iowa's offense is electric (sixth in adjusted efficiency, per KenPom.com), and while Garza drives a lot of that success, it's not all about him. If the Hawkeyes squeeze enough perimeter production out of Joe Wieskamp, CJ Fredrick and Joe Toussaint, they can score their way to three straight wins.

                

Michigan State Wins It All

Let's take nothing away from the Wisconsin Badgers, who sprinted to the No. 1 seed with eight consecutive victories in league play. But no matter what the seed lines say, the Spartans are the most complete team in this conference.

KenPom has Michigan State seventh in the country and first in the Big Ten. Tom Izzo's team combines the conference's second-best offense (10th nationally) with its third-best defense (13th). No one else is matching that two-way balance.

The Spartans were the conference's only club to play better than .500 away from home (7-4). They also tied for the Big Ten lead with seven wins over ranked opponents. Oh, they're surging down the stretch, too, having won five straight—each of the last four against a ranked opponent.

If you want to talk intangibles, the Spartans win that conversation, too. Senior point guard Cassius Winston is a winner, and he's learned many of those successful ways from legendary skipper Tom Izzo.

"There is nothing in the entire world I like more than hanging banners," Izzo said. "These are memory makers, footprints in the sand. Somebody this building will crumble but those banners will move to another building and they ain't forgetting us. I'll make sure of that."

This field is so deep it shouldn't feel this easy to pick a champion, but the Spartans seem a half-step (or better) above the rest.

With a lot of talented teams throughout the conference this season, the Big Ten has a strong chance of having one of its schools go on to win the national championship in March Madness this year.

But first, the Big Ten must crown its own tournament champion.

On Sunday, the regular season came to an end, and with Michigan State and Maryland both winning, it created a three-way tie at the top of the Big Ten standings with Wisconsin, which secured the No. 1 seed for the tournament in a tiebreaker.

All 14 teams in the conference will participate in the tournament, which awards an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament to the winner, although the top four seeds don't have to play until the quarterfinals.

Here's everything you need to know about this year's Big Ten Tournament, which begins Wednesday.

        

Tournament Schedule

All times ET

Wednesday, March 11

First Round

Game 1: No. 12 Minnesota vs. No. 13 Northwestern (6 p.m., Big Ten Network)

Game 2: No. 11 Indiana vs. No. 14 Nebraska (25 minutes after Game 1, Big Ten Network)

        

Thursday, March 12

Second Round

Game 3: No. 8 Rutgers vs. No. 9 Michigan (noon, Big Ten Network)

Game 4: No. 5 Iowa vs. Game 1 winner (25 minutes after Game 3, Big Ten Network)

Game 5: No. 7 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Purdue (6:30 p.m., Big Ten Network)

Game 6: No. 6 Penn State vs. Game 2 winner (25 minutes after Game 5, Big Ten Network)

        

Friday, March 13

Quarterfinals

Game 7: No. 1 Wisconsin vs. Game 3 winner (noon, Big Ten Network)

Game 8: No. 4 Illinois vs. Game 4 winner (25 minutes after Game 7, Big Ten Network)

Game 9: No. 2 Michigan State vs. Game 5 winner (6:30 p.m., Big Ten Network)

Game 10: No. 3 Maryland vs. Game 6 winner (25 minutes after Game 9, Big Ten Network)

       

Saturday, March 14

Semifinals

Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner (1 p.m., CBS)

Game 12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner (25 minutes after Game 11, CBS)

        

Sunday, March 15

Championship

Game 13: Semifinal winners (3:30 p.m., CBS)

       

Tournament Odds

No. 2 Michigan State +300 (bet $100 to win $300)

No. 3 Maryland +350

No. 9 Michigan +500

No. 7 Ohio State +600

No. 5 Iowa +800

No. 4 Illinois +1000

No. 8 Rutgers +1200

No. 1 Wisconsin +1200

No. 6 Penn State +1400

No. 10 Purdue +2000

No. 11 Indiana +4000

No. 12 Minnesota +4000

No. 13 Northwestern +15000

No. 14 Nebraska +150000

Odds courtesy of BetOnline.ag (h/t Sports Betting Dime)

       

Although Wisconsin came away with the No. 1 seed in the tournament, the early odds are favoring Michigan State and Maryland, which shared the Big Ten regular-season championship with the Badgers as all three teams finished with 14-6 records in conference play.

The Spartans are on a roll entering the postseason, as they've won six of their last seven games. Their last four victories have all come against ranked opponents, with them taking down Iowa, Maryland, Penn State and Ohio State.

This marked the third straight year that Michigan State has won at least a share of the Big Ten regular-season championship. It's also won the conference tournament title four times since 2012, including last year.

"It's the third year in a row that we're playing here for a championship," Spartans head coach Tom Izzo said, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com). "And there is nothing in the entire world I like more than hanging banners."

Michigan State has won the Big Ten Tournament six times, more than any other team in the conference. It wouldn't be surprising to see the Spartans carry on their late-season momentum and add another this year.

Maryland has never won the Big Ten Tournament, but it's only been a member of the conference since the 2014-15 season. 2019-20 has been the Terrapins' most successful season since then, as this is the first time they've won a share of the Big Ten regular-season title.

It's been a strong year for Maryland, but it missed an opportunity to win the regular-season crown outright with a slow finish. The Terps were 22-4 after a win over Northwestern on Feb. 18, but they then lost three of their next four games.

However, Maryland put an end to that rough stretch with a quality home victory over Michigan in Sunday's regular-season finale. Perhaps that victory will put the Terps back on track entering the most important time of the year.

"Would we have liked to have won [the regular-season title] outright? Absolutely, but we're still champs," Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon said, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com).

The Terps could still own a championship to themselves if they can take down the Big Ten's other top teams to win the conference tournament title.

If the Big Ten regular season is any indicator of what we will see at the Big Ten tournament, it could be the most competitive one of Championship Week.

The Wisconsin Badgers, Maryland Terrapins and Michigan State Spartans all finished at 14-6 in league play. The Badgers took the No. 1 seed on tiebreakers.

At least 10 Big Ten programs are on track to qualify for the NCAA men's basketball tournament, and that total could rise depending on performances at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Since a few of the squads at the bottom of the regular-season standings have opportunities to improve their respective March Madness resumes, most games should carry additional meaning.

                   

Big Ten Tournament Bracket

The 2020 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket is set. #B1GTourney pic.twitter.com/M2mVxPb7lD

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) March 9, 2020

     

Storylines to Watch

How Will Bubble Teams Perform?

The initial focus in Indianapolis will be on the Indiana Hoosiers, Purdue Boilermakers and Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Indiana opens up Wednesday against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, while Minnesota plays the same night versus the Northwestern Wildcats.

Archie Miller's team is listed on the "last four in" column by ESPN's Joe Lunardi, but a loss or wins by a few bid thieves in other conferences could make that status more fragile.

Beating Nebraska will not move the needle with the NCAA tournament selection committee, but a loss would.

If the Hoosiers set up a second-round meeting with the Penn State Nittany Lions, they have an opportunity to improve their resume.

Indiana has victories over Michigan State, Penn State and the Iowa Hawkeyes, but it finished with a 9-11 conference mark and lost three of its last four.

Minnesota is off the bubble radar right now, but it could leap back on it by going on a deep run in Indianapolis.

That has to begin with avoiding an upset to Northwestern, but if the Golden Gophers can somehow muster a trip to the semifinals, it might make up for its 8-12 regular-season mark, but that is also dependent on results elsewhere.

Purdue faces the most difficult start in a matchup with the Ohio State Buckeyes. At the moment, Matt Painter's side is on Lunardi's "next four out" line.

If the Boilermakers get past their opening game, they will have a chance to earn a quality win over Michigan State in the quarterfinals.

Just like its fellow bubble members, Purdue may have to make a deep run with a few victories to persuade the selection committee to include it on Selection Sunday.

The odds are against those three teams carving a path to the semifinals since no programs seeded below No. 8 have advanced to that stage over the last five years.

               

Will the Michigan Stronghold Be Broken?

The last four Big Ten tournaments have been won by Michigan and Michigan State.

The Spartans are the reigning champion and they also came out on top in 2016, while Michigan won in 2017 and 2018.

In 2019, Michigan State defeated its in-state rival in the championship game. The Wolverines beat Wisconsin and Purdue to earn their crowns.

Juwan Howard's Wolverines are the No. 9 seed. Michigan previously won as a No. 8 seed, so a run to the final is possible.

But this is a different iteration of Michigan with Howard taking over for John Beilein, who made four Sweet 16 trips during his tenure in Ann Arbor.

Michigan also has to recover from three defeats in the last four games, which was preceded by a five-game winning streak.

Tom Izzo's Spartans are also in a familiar spot as the No. 2 seed, and they are playing some of the best basketball in Division I.

Michigan State enters Indianapolis on a five-game winning streak, with four of those triumphs coming against Top 25 foes.

Senior guard Cassius Winston is one of the most experienced players in the conference, and he has reached the 20-point mark in three of the last four contests.

Wisconsin and Maryland are the top contenders to end the state of Michigan's dominance.

The Badgers are on an eight-game winning streak and have lost once since the start of February, while Maryland rebounded from a rough patch with a win over Michigan on Sunday.

There could be some questions about the Terrapins because of the three losses they suffered in the closing five-game stretch, but they have one of the best inside-outside duos in Anthony Cowan Jr. and Jalen Smith.

The Illinois Fighting Illini have a similar duo in Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn, while Iowa always has a chance to be competitive with National Player of the Year candidate Luka Garza patrolling the paint.

The conventional logic leads us to take the field in this situation, but it would not be surprising to see Michigan State appear in the championship game based on its recent form.

             

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

On Saturday, Wisconsin clinched at least a share of the Big Ten regular-season championship. However, it hasn't secured the No. 1 seed for the conference tournament just yet.

Entering the final day of the regular season, the Badgers are in a good spot after they beat Indiana in their last game before the Big Ten Tournament. Now they are waiting to see how Maryland and Michigan State, both a half-game back at 13-6 in conference play, fare Sunday before knowing whether they will be the top seed.

If Wisconsin, Maryland and Michigan State all finish at 14-6, then the Badgers will be the No. 1 seed. But if they tie with just the Terrapins or Spartans, it's possible they could lose a tiebreaker based on which team then finishes third in the standings.

It may be complicated, but everything will be finalized by Sunday night.

With the Big Ten Tournament set to begin Wednesday, here are predictions for how the bracket will look following the final regular-season contests.

                        

Big Ten Tournament Bracket Prediction

1. Wisconsin

2. Michigan State

3. Maryland

4. Illinois

5. Iowa

6. Penn State

7. Ohio State

8. Rutgers

9. Michigan

10. Purdue

11. Indiana

12. Minnesota

13. Northwestern

14. Nebraska

                 

Michigan State and Maryland will both win their regular-season finales Sunday. And in doing so, they will prevent each other from having a chance at the No. 1 seed. Both teams will head into the Big Ten Tournament with momentum, though, coming off impressive wins over quality opponents.

The Spartans host Ohio State, which will provide a big test heading into tournament play. However, Michigan State has an experienced roster, led by senior guard Cassius Winston, and this is the time of year when head coach Tom Izzo's teams typically thrive.

It should be an exciting game that will only whet fans' appetites ahead of the Big Ten Tournament.

Maryland needs a win after losing three of its past four games. The Terrapins were in great position to finish atop alone the Big Ten standings before that skid, which has included falling to Ohio State, Michigan State and Rutgers.

On Sunday, Maryland hosts Michigan, which has also struggled of late, dropping two of its past three games.

The Wolverines are a strong team, but they won't have an answer for the Terps' terrific duo of senior guard Anthony Cowan Jr. and sophomore forward Jalen Smith. Those standouts will get Maryland back on track heading into the tournament.

Michigan State will be the No. 2 seed, as it places second in the three-way tiebreaker with Wisconsin and Maryland, which will push the Terrapins back to the No. 3 seed.

While seeding is important, there's a strong chance all three teams can reach the semifinals of this year's Big Ten Tournament. Each program has experienced past success and is among the top teams in the country this season.

However, there are a lot of other powerful outfits in the Big Ten this year. Illinois, Iowa, Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan will also contend and give the top three teams some competitive games and potentially score some upset victories.

No matter how it all unfolds, the Big Ten is arguably the strongest conference in the nation this season, and the tournament should consequently feature some of the most exciting games of Championship Week.

For most of the past decade, the Big Ten Tournament has been dominated by schools from Michigan.

Since 2012, Michigan State has won the tournament championship four times (2012, 2014, 2016 and 2019), while Michigan won it in back-to-back years in 2017 and 2018. The only other school to win the title in the last six years was Wisconsin in 2015.

Both Michigan State and Michigan are having solid seasons again this year and could continue the state's dominance at the Big Ten Tournament. However, there is a lot of competition for this year's tournament title, as the Big Ten is stacked with strong teams this season.

Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, eight Big Ten teams are ranked in the AP Top 25 poll. Plus, the regular-season conference title is still up for grabs with Maryland, Michigan State and Wisconsin all owning 13-6 records in Big Ten play.

With the Big Ten Tournament coming up next week, here are three players to keep an eye on during the tourney, followed by predictions for how it will unfold this year.

       

Players to Watch

Jalen Smith, Maryland

One of only two players averaging a double-double in the Big Ten this season, Smith has emerged as one of the Big Ten's best in his sophomore season for the Terrapins. He's averaging 15.4 points and a team-high 10.5 rebounds per game as he's been a double-double machine, posting 20 in 30 games.

Smith was a solid player in his freshman campaign, as he started 33 games for Maryland and averaged 11.7 points per game. But he's taken the next step this year while being more of a presence on the glass.

The Terps have yet to win the Big Ten Tournament since joining the conference in 2014. In fact, they haven't won a conference tournament championship since winning the ACC Tournament in 2004, which is their only tourney title since 1984.

If Maryland is going to end its drought, Smith will likely need to continue to play the way he has throughout the regular season. He should be fun to watch in the tournament, as he's been an imposing force in the Big Ten all year.

     

Cassius Winston, Michigan State

This won't be the first time that Winston will be a player to watch in the Big Ten Tournament. Now in his senior season, the 6"1' guard has been a key part of Michigan State's team for four years.

Winston is having a season similar to his junior year, as many of his stats are comparable from a year ago. He's averaging 18.3 points per game, which ranks third in the Big Ten, along with 5.9 assists. He ranks second in the conference in free-throw percentage at 85.5 percent.

Last year, Winston had a strong showing in the Big Ten Tournament, posting 14 points and 11 assists in the Spartans' championship game victory over Michigan. He went on to lead Michigan State to the Final Four, scoring at least 16 points in four of its five NCAA Tournament contests.

One of the best shooters in the Big Ten, Winston will look to end his college career by leading the Spartans to more postseason success. He's likely to start that off by having some strong showings next week.

       

Luka Garza, Iowa

After being a solid player for the Hawkeyes his first two seasons, Garza has developed into one of the top college basketball players in the nation this year. He's averaging a Big Ten-high 23.7 points per game to go along with 9.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.

Garza had a breakout performance on Dec. 6 when he scored 44 points in a loss to Michigan. In the second half of the regular season, he's been a consistent force for Iowa, as he's scored at least 20 points in 15 straight games, which included a 38-point showing at Indiana on Feb. 13.

The Hawkeyes have only won the Big Ten Tournament twice, with their most recent championship coming in 2006. But they've had a strong season and could contend for the title this year.

If they do, it will likely because of Garza, who should continue his impressive season with more big performances against Iowa's conference rivals.

       

Predictions

Michigan State over Maryland

Although there are a lot of strong teams in the Big Ten this season, the conference tournament will come down to two that should be among the top three seeds.

Maryland has one of the top duos in the conference, as Smith and Anthony Cowan Jr. should guide the Terps to the championship game. They may have lost three of their last four games, but if they beat Michigan at home on Sunday, then they could have the momentum they'll need for the Big Ten tourney.

Michigan State could be peaking at the right time, as it's won four straight games, a stretch that includes strong victories over Iowa, Maryland and Penn State. If the Spartans beat Ohio State in Sunday's regular-season finale, then they could be considered the favorites heading into the Big Ten Tournament.

The main reason why Michigan State will end up on top? Experience. Longtime head coach Tom Izzo knows how to get the most out of his teams in March, and this year's squad has players such as Winston who have experienced past success.

Therefore, don't expect the Spartans' run of recent success to come to an end this year, as they'll win the conference tournament for the second straight season.

The Big Ten men's basketball standings suffered another significant shift over the last two days, as the Maryland Terrapins, Wisconsin Badgers and Michigan State Spartans are now tied at 13-6. 

Maryland suffered a road defeat to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights Tuesday, while Michigan State mounted a comeback at the Penn State Nittany Lions on the same night. 

Wisconsin took care of the Northwestern Wildcats at home Wednesday to put itself into first place on head-to-head tiebreakers over Maryland and Michigan State. 

Greg Gard's team can lock up the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten tournament Saturday by beating the Indiana Hoosiers, while Maryland and Michigan State have a chance to secure the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds. 

The Illinois Fighting Illini are in the best position to grab the fourth double-bye position in the bracket.

Penn State, Rutgers, the Iowa Hawkeyes and Ohio State Buckeyes are among the sides jockeying for positions Nos. 5-8, which will not be determined until Sunday.  

                 

Big Ten Tournament Schedule

All times ET

Wednesday, March 11

No. 12 seed vs. No. 13 seed (6 p.m., Big Ten Network)

No. 11 seed vs. No. 14 seed (8:30 p.m., BTN)

      

Thursday, March 12

No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed (noon, BTN)

No. 5 seed vs. No. 12 vs. No. 13 winner (2:30 p.m., BTN)

No. 7 seed vs. No. 10 seed (6:30 p.m., BTN)

No. 6 seed vs. No. 11 vs. No. 14 winner (9 p.m., BTN) 

         

Friday, March 13

No. 1 seed vs. No. 8 vs. No. 9 winner (noon, BTN) 

No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 vs. No. 12/13 winner (2:30 p.m., BTN) 

No. 2 seed vs. No. 7 vs. No. 10 winner (6:30 p.m., BTN) 

No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 vs. No. 11/14 winner (9 p.m., BTN) 

           

Saturday, March 14

Semifinal No. 1 (1 p.m., CBS)

Semifinal No. 2 (3:30 p.m., CBS) 

       

Sunday, March 15

Championship (3:30 p.m., CBS) 

       

Bracket Predictions

1. Wisconsin

2. Maryland 

3. Michigan State

4. Illinois

5. Penn State

6. Iowa

7. Ohio State

8. Rutgers

9. Michigan

10. Purdue

11. Indiana

12. Minnesota

13. Northwestern

14. Nebraska

     

Wisconsin resides in the best position of any Big Ten team going into the weekend.

The Badgers are currently the top seed in the conference tournament with victories over Maryland and Michigan State, and they finish the regular season at Assembly Hall against an Indiana team that is 3-2 in its last five games. 

The Hoosiers could be a difficult foe for the Badgers since they have defeated Penn State, Michigan State and Iowa on home soil.

However, Archie Miller's team has been inconsistent down the stretch in the chase for an NCAA men's basketball tournament berth, as it is 4-7 in its last 11 contests. 

Wisconsin is riding a seven-game winning streak that includes a pair of road victories over the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Michigan Wolverines. 

The Badgers have five players who average over nine points per game, with Nate Reuvers on top of the scoring chart at 12.8 points per contest. 

If they attack Indiana from all angles, like they have during their winning run, the Badgers should head to Indianapolis as the top seed. 

Maryland and Michigan State face more challenging regular-season finales, but both will be at home Sunday. 

The Terrapins welcome Michigan to the Xfinity Center, while the Spartans play the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Breslin Center. 

Maryland owns a 15-1 home mark and Michigan State is 11-3 on its home court, so both squads will be favored. 

Tom Izzo's squad can be trusted more to finish the job Sunday because it is riding a four-game winning streak, which includes a triumph at Maryland Saturday. 

Mark Turgeon's Terps have gone from fringe candidate to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament to one that has suffered three losses in the last four games. 

A home win over Michigan should set things straight for Anthony Cowan Jr. and Co. before embarking on a potential three-game trip to the Big Ten tournament title. 

Illinois faces the most difficult finish of the top four, as it visits Ohio State Thursday and then welcomes Iowa Sunday. 

The good news for Brad Underwood's side is it needs to win one of those two to secure a top-four spot since it is two games ahead of Penn State, Iowa and Ohio State in the loss column. 

Ohio State has the biggest opportunities in front of it, and if it splits with Illinois and Michigan State, it could carry some added confidence into next week. 

Penn State is the favorite to land the No. 5 seed because it concludes the regular season with a trip to Northwestern.

If the Nittany Lions avoid a bad loss, they might finish a game ahead of Iowa and Ohio State, depending on how they perform on the road Sunday. 

Since the Big Ten is viewed as the deepest league in Division I, the tournament may not go to chalk. 

Seven programs reside in the Top 25 and 10 are projected to make the NCAA tournament, per ESPN's Joe Lunardi.

The Purdue Boilermakers could add themselves to that collection if they go on a run. They earned a quality win at Iowa Tuesday and host Rutgers Saturday. 

With teams fighting for NCAA tournament seeding and March Madness berths, there is a good chance the top two seeds are not the last duo standing March 15. 

               

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com

March has officially arrived in college basketball, and it has taken down another ranked team.

Three days after blowing an opportunity to win the Big Ten outright, No. 9 Maryland crumbled at Rutgers on Tuesday, 78-67.

Jacob Young came off the bench to score 17 points for the Scarlett Knights, while Montez Mathis added 15 points. Maryland's Anthony Cowan Jr. led the Terps with 19.

The timing couldn't have been any worse for Maryland, either. Shortly before the final buzzer went off at Rutgers Athletic Center, co-Big Ten leader No. 16 Michigan State finished off a 19-point come back on the road at Penn State.

The Terps have now dropped three of their last four games with Tuesday being just the second time this season they have lost back-to-back in the conference. The slide may very well cost them the league title. Maryland (23-7, 13-6 in Big Ten) plays at home against No. 25 Michigan in the regular-season finale on Sunday a few hours before MSU hosts No. 19 Ohio State.

A loss to the Wolverines and the Terps will cede control of their title hopes. A victory would mean they still have to sweat out an MSU game to see whether they win the title outright.

It didn't have to be this way.

Maryland had already beaten Rutgers once this year, pulling off a 56-51 victory in College Park in early February. Revenge came quickly Tuesday. The Knights raced out to a 19-8 lead midway through the first half. The last Maryland lead came three minutes after the start of the game when the score was 4-2. For the next 37 minutes, the Terps were chasing Rutgers, at one point down by 21.

Maryland shot just 38.5 percent from the field for the game, including 6-of-32 behind the arc.

No. 23 Illinois (which still has two games remaining against Ohio State and No. 18 Iowa), and No. 24 Wisconsin (still to play Northwestern and Indiana) are both just a half-game back of Michigan State and Maryland. All four could share the league title provided they each win out.