Big Ten Basketball

The Big Ten regular season was a dogfight between Michigan State, Purdue and Michigan.

The Spartans and Boilermakers tied for the regular-season championship with 16-4 records, while the Wolverines were a game behind at 15-5.

One of those top three seeds will have the best chance to win the Big Ten tournament, but the most important game may be the second-round matchup between eighth-seeded Ohio State and ninth-seeded Indiana.

Those two teams will meet at 12:30 p.m. ET Thursday, the first of four games at the United Center in Chicago.

The victor may have a chance to gain a ticket to the NCAA tournament, while the loser will almost certainly be eliminated from contention.

According to ESPN college basketball bracketologist Joe Lunardi, the teams are currently listed in the "first four out" section. 

The two teams are going in opposite directions as the tournament gets underway, because Ohio State lost four of its last five regular-season games, while the Hoosiers won their last four.

The winner will get the top-seeded Spartans, and Michigan State had a pair of victories against the Buckeyes but lost both of its games against Indiana.             

The 2019 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket. #B1GTourney pic.twitter.com/jIWfLEoU9k

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) March 10, 2019

           

Big Ten tournament

Wednesday, March 13

First round

Game 1: No. 12 Rutgers vs. No. 13 Nebraska (6:30 p.m. ET, BTN)
Game 2: No. 11 Illinois vs. No. 14 Northwestern (9 p.m., BTN)      

Thursday, March 14

Second round

Game 3: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Indiana (12:30 p.m. ET, BTN)
Game 4: No. 5 Maryland vs. Game 1 winner (3 p.m., BTN)
Game 5: No. 7 Minnesota vs. No. 10 Penn State (7 p.m, BTN)
Game 6: No. 6 Iowa vs. Game 2 winner (9:30 p.m., BTN)                  

Friday, March 15

Quarterfinals

Game 7: No. 1 Michigan State vs. Game 3 winner (12:30 p.m. ET, BTN)
Game 8: No. 4 Wisconsin vs. Game 4 winner (3 p.m., BTN)
Game 9: No. 2 Purdue vs. Game 5 winner (7 p.m., BTN)
Game 10: No. 3 Michigan vs. Game 6 winner (9:30 p.m., BTN)                   

Saturday, March 16

Semifinals

Game 11: Friday afternoon winners (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
Game 12: Friday evening winners (3:30 p.m., CBS)           

Sunday, March 17

Championship

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

The tournament gets underway Wednesday with a double-header featuring 12th-seeded Rutgers meeting 13th-seeded Nebraska at 6:30 p.m. ET, while 11th-seeded Illinois will face 14th-seeded Northwestern about 20 minutes after the first game concludes.

Rutgers will try to advance to the second round behind guard Geo Baker, who is second on the team in scoring with an average of 12.3 points and 4.1 assists per game.

Nebraska will try to counter the Scarlet Knights behind the scoring of guard Jesse Palmer, who is averaging 19.1 points per game.

Northwestern earned its first NCAA tournament slot two years ago, but the Wildcats have fallen on hard times since. They finished the regular season with a 13-18 record, and 11 losses in their last 12 games. Leading scorer Vic Law was carried off the court in the regular-season finale with a leg injury.

Illinois was 11-20 during the season, and if the Illini are going to do any kind of damage in the tournament, guard Ayo Dosunmu should lead the way. He averaged 14.1 points per game during the regular season.

The top-seeded Spartans are led by guard Cassius Winston, who is averaging 19 points and 7.6 assists per game. He can get hot with his shooting and carry the team, and he is connecting on 47.1 percent of his shots from the field.

Michigan State is also getting a solid contribution from Nick Ward, who is averaging 15.1 point and 6.7 rebounds per game. He suffered a fractured left hand and missed the last five games of the regular season, but he could be back here.

Purdue closed the season with six wins in its last seven games, and they are dependent on big gun Carsen Edwards for offense. The guard is averaging 23.4 points per game, and he is often at his most dangerous when the Boilermakers need him in the late stages of the second half.

Michigan split its last four games of the year, and both of those losses came against Michigan State. If the Wolverines are going to win the conference tournament, they are most likely going to have to overcome both the Boilermakers and the Spartans. 

Forward Ignas Brazdeikis is averaging 15 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, while Jordan Poole and Charles Matthews are averaging 13 and 12.8 points per game, respectively.

         

Predictions

Look for Ohio State to reverse its recent form and defeat Indiana in the crucial second-round game. While that victory should help them get into the postseason, it seems unlikely that Ohio State will get by Michigan State in the quarterfinal round.

Look for Michigan State and fourth-seeded Wisconsin should meet in one semifinal, and expect the Spartans to register their second victory of the year over the Badgers.

Michigan handled Purdue easily in a 76-57 victory early in the season. While this game will be more challenging, expect the Wolverines to win and advance to the championship game.

The Wolverines will hang in with the Spartans well into the second half, but Winston will make the key plays down the stretch the Spartans will be the Big Ten conference tournament champions.

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All Big Ten tournament games can be live streamed at BTN2go.com

The Big Ten has been one of the most competitive conferences in college basketball all season, and the nature of the league is expected to extend into the 2019 Big Ten tournament in Chicago.

Michigan State, Purdue and Michigan established themselves as the top teams in the league during the regular season, but there are plenty of other championship-worthy programs beneath them on the seed list. 

Before the top teams in the Big Ten take to the floor at the United Center Friday, one of the most important games of Championship Week will take place between two teams on the NCAA men's basketball tournament bubble. 

The top four seeds enter the tournament Friday, and the conference's automatic bid will be the last one handed out before Selection Sunday.

                        

Bracket

The 2019 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket. #B1GTourney pic.twitter.com/jIWfLEoU9k

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) March 10, 2019

                   

Odds

Opening odds to win the Big Ten Conference Tournament:

Michigan State +140
Michigan +225
Purdue +300
Wisconsin +600
Maryland +1400
Iowa/Penn State/Indiana +5000
Minnesota/Nebraska/Ohio State +6600
Northwestern/Illinois/Rutgers +20000

— Odds Shark (@OddsShark) March 11, 2019

                   

Matchups

All Times ET. 

Wednesday, March 13

No. 12 Rutgers vs. No. 13 Nebraska (6:30 p.m., BTN) 

No. 11 Illinois vs. No. 14 Northwestern (9 p.m., BTN)

                   

Thursday, March 14

No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Indiana (12:30 p.m., BTN) 

No. 5 Maryland vs. Rutgers/Nebraska winner (3 p.m., BTN) 

No. 7 Minnesota vs. No. 10 Penn State (7 p.m., BTN) 

No. 6 Iowa vs. Illinois/Northwestern winner (9:30 p.m., BTN) 

                    

Friday, March 15 

No. 1 Michigan State vs. Ohio State/Indiana winner (12:30 p.m., BTN) 

No. 4 Wisconsin vs. Maryland vs. Rutgers/Nebraska winner (3 p.m., BTN) 

No. 2 Purdue vs. Minnesota/Penn State winner (7 p.m., BTN) 

No. 3 Michigan vs. Iowa vs. Illinois/Northwestern winner (9:30 p.m., BTN) 

                   

Saturday, March 16

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

Semifinal No. 2 (3:30 p.m., CBS) 

                    

Sunday, March 17 

Championship (3:30 p.m., CBS) 

                        

Predictions

Ohio State-Indiana Winner Earns Spot In NCAA Tournament

The 8-9 matchup at the Big Ten tournament is one of a few early conference-tournament games that carries a ton of meaning for the NCAA tournament. 

Ohio State and Indiana both enter the Big Ten tournament in need of improving their respective resumes to move into the field of 68. 

The Buckeyes are barely in better shape than the Hoosiers, as they're the last team in, according to ESPN.com's Joe Lunardi. 

But the margins are as slim as they can be between the two programs, with Indiana being the first team out in the eyes of Lunardi. 

The Buckeyes plummeted down to the bubble by losing four of their final five regular-season games, but they're receiving a boost going into Chicago, as Kaleb Wesson will play Thursday, per Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch. 

Indiana is riding a four-game winning streak into the United Center that includes victories over Michigan State and Wisconsin.

Wesson could be the deciding factor in the contest, as he will come into the game with plenty of motivation to lead the Buckeyes into the NCAA tournament after a three-game suspension. 

Romeo Langford and Juwan Morgan will keep the game close for Indiana, but Wesson will take over in the closing minutes to keep Ohio State's March Madness hopes alive and leave the Hoosiers on the brink of missing out. 

                             

Michigan Reaches 3rd Straight Big Ten Tournament Final

Even though they're the No. 3 seed, the Michigan Wolverines have to be considered one of the favorites to win the Big Ten tournament given their recent history. 

The Wolverines are the two-time defending champions of the event, and they have a mix of experience and youth that can put them in the championship game once again. 

John Beilein's group will enter Chicago with an extra edge after dropping two of their last four regular-season results to rival Michigan State, who landed the No. 1 seed. 

In order to earn a third game against Tom Izzo's Spartans, Michigan must beat either Minnesota or Penn State in the quarterfinals before a potential semifinal showdown with No. 2 seed Purdue. 

Michigan won the lone meeting with the Boilermakers in the regular season, but that came way back on December 1. 

What makes Michigan such a good tournament team is its offensive balance and defensive discipline. 

The combination of the versatile Ignas Brazdeikis and Jon Teske in the paint paired with guards Jordan Poole and Zavier Simpson make the Wolverines hard to guard on almost every possession.

Add into the mix that Beilein is one of the most successful postseason coaches in recent memory and you have a perfect combination to get the Wolverines back into the Big Ten tournament final.

In addition to asserting their will on the Big Ten, the Wolverines will use their performances in Chicago as a springboard to earn a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. 

                         

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.

Michigan State served notice once again that it is a force to be reckoned with in the Big Ten. However, that does not mean the other conference contenders fear Tom Izzo's team.

While the Spartans were the regular-season co-champions along with Purdue, they are quite beatable. Both the Spartans and Boilermakers were 16-4 in the Big Ten regular season, with the Michigan Wolverines a game behind with a 15-5 mark. 

Wisconsin and Maryland followed at 14-6 and 13-7, respectively, and those top five teams have the best chance to come away with the Big Ten conference tournament.

That postseason championship begins Wednesday in Chicago at the United Center.

     

Wednesday, March 13

First round

Game 1: No. 12 Rutgers vs. No. 13 Nebraska (6:30 p.m. ET, BTN)
Game 2: No. 11 Illinois vs. No. 14 Northwestern (9 p.m., BTN)

       

Thursday, March 14

Second round

Game 3: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Indiana (12:30 p.m. ET, BTN)
Game 4: No. 5 Maryland vs. Game 1 winner (3 p.m., BTN)
Game 5: No. 7 Minnesota vs. No. 10 Penn State (7 p.m, BTN)
Game 6: No. 6 Iowa vs. Game 2 winner (9:30 p.m., BTN)     

              

Friday, March 15

Quarterfinals

Game 7: No. 1 Michigan State vs. Game 3 winner (12:30 p.m. ET, BTN)
Game 8: No. 4 Wisconsin vs. Game 4 winner (3 p.m., BTN)
Game 9: No. 2 Purdue vs. Game 5 winner (7 p.m., BTN)
Game 10: No. 3 Michigan vs. Game 6 winner (9:30 p.m., BTN)   

                 

Saturday, March 16

Semifinals

Game 11: Friday afternoon winners (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
Game 12: Friday evening winners (3:30 p.m., CBS)       

     

Sunday, March 17

Championship

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

     

All 14 teams in the conference are eligible for the tournament. The top four teams in the conference will not play until the quarterfinals during the third day of the tournament.

The Spartans will meet the winner of the Indiana-Ohio State game, and it seems likely that Izzo would rather play the Buckeyes than the Hoosiers.

Michigan State lost both meetings against Indiana, while sweeping the season series against Ohio State. The Spartans are led by guard Cassius Winston, who is averaging 19.0 points and 7.6 assists per game. He is shooting 47.1 percent from the field and connecting on 82.6 percent of his free throws.

Nick Ward is Michigan State's second-leading scorer with 15.1 points, and he is also contributing 6.7 rebounds per game. He has missed the last five games with a fractured left hand, but he could be available for the Big Ten tournament.

Guard Matt McQuaid has been a sparkplug for the Spartans, averaging 9.3 points and shooting 42.7 percent from beyond the arc.

The 2019 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket. #B1GTourney pic.twitter.com/jIWfLEoU9k

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) March 10, 2019

The Purdue Boilermakers come into the tournament having won six of their last seven games and will play the winner of the Minnesota-Penn State game in the quarterfinals.

The Boilermakers will go as far as guard Carsen Edwards will take them. Edwards is leading the way with an average of 23.4 points per game, and while he is not an overwhelming shooter (39 percent from the field), he can score when the game is on the line.

Ryan Cline is averaging 11.8 points per night and is the Boilermakers' second-leading scorer.

The Boilermakers can hit the deep shot and are connecting on 36.7 percent of their three-point shots.

Third-seeded Michigan comes into the Big Ten tournament after splitting its last four games.

Both of those losses were to Michigan State, and both games followed similar patterns. The Wolverines were able to lead early and play on even terms for most of the game, but the Spartans took control in the late part of the game.

Michigan is a superb defensive team, allowing 58.8 points per game and ranking third in the nation. Forward Ignas Brazdeikis leads the Wolverines with 15.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He is getting scoring help from Jordan Poole and Charles Matthews.

Poole is scoring 13.0 points per game and connecting on 80.8 percent of his free throws, while Matthews is scoring 12.8 points and coming down with 5.1 rebounds per game.

Wisconsin finished the season by winning five of its last six games, and the Badgers are once again a solid defensive team as they allow 61.2 points per game.

Forward Ethan Happ leads Wisconsin in scoring with 17.8 points and 10.4 rebounds per night. Guard D'Mitrik Trice is a key offensive factor, and he is contributing 11.9 points per night.

     

Big Ten conference tournament odds

The Spartans are the favorites to come away with the championship, as they are +175 favorites, per Caesars Palace. A $100 bet on Michigan State will return a profit of $175 if Izzo's team wins the tournament.

Michigan is the second choice at +250, while Purdue follows at +300 and Wisconsin is next at +800.

Here are the rest of the odds for the 14 teams in the Big Ten.

Michigan State, +175
Michigan, +250
Purdue, +300
Wisconsin, +800
Maryland, +1000
Penn State, +2500
Indiana, +3000
Iowa, +5000
Minnesota, +5000
Nebraska, +7500
Ohio State, +7500
Illinois, +10000
Northwestern, +20000
Rutgers, +20000

The Big Ten Conference wrapped up its regular-season slate on Sunday, which means the bracket is now set for the annual Big Ten tournament.

This year's conference showdown will be played at the United Center in Chicago. Things get started on Wednesday with the two play-in games, with play continuing throughout the week leading up to the championship game on Sunday.

Ahead you'll find the full tournament bracket, relevant scheduling and TV information, and a few notable storylines to watch.

     

Bracket

The 2019 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket. #B1GTourney pic.twitter.com/jIWfLEoU9k

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) March 10, 2019

    

Big Ten Tournament Schedule (All Times ET)

Wednesday, March 13

Game 1: No. 12 Rutgers vs. No. 13 Nebraska (6:30 p.m., BTN)

Game 2: No. 11 Illinois vs. No. 14 Northwestern (9 p.m., BTN)

    

Thursday, March 14

Game 3: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Indiana (12:30 p.m., BTN)

Game 4: No. 5 Maryland vs. Game 1 winner (25 min after Game 3, BTN)

Game 5: No. 7 Minnesota vs. No. 10 Penn State (7 p.m., BTN)

Game 6: No. 6 Iowa vs. Game 2 winner (25 min after Game 5, BTN)

      

Friday, March 15

Game 7: No. 1 Michigan State vs. Game 3 winner (12:30 pm., BTN)

Game 8: No. 4 Wisconsin vs. Game 4 winner (25 min after Game 7, BTN)

Game 9: No. 2 Purdue vs. Game 5 winner (7 p.m., BTN)

Game 10: No. 3 Michigan vs. Game 6 winner (25 min after Game 9, BTN)

     

Saturday, March 16 (Semifinals)

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

Game 12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner (3:30 p.m., CBS)

     

Sunday, March 17 (Championship Game)

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

     

Storylines to Watch

Bubble Teams: Minnesota, Ohio State and Indiana

Michigan State, Michigan, Purdue, Wisconsin, Maryland and Iowa are all locks to be part of the 68-team NCAA tournament field, regardless of their performance in the Big Ten tournament.

That said, the conference could wind up with as many as nine representatives, depending on how the bubble plays out.

Minnesota, Ohio State and Indiana are all part of the bubble conversation.

The Golden Gophers are projected for a No. 10 seed in the latest Bracket Matrix. Led by senior double-double machine Jordan Murphy, they sit at No. 56 in the NET rankings and have quality wins over Washington, Wisconsin and Iowa.

The Buckeyes had a chance to improve their stock in the regular-season finale on Sunday but fell to Wisconsin in overtime. They're currently projected for a No. 11 seed and check in at No. 52 in the NET rankings. Nonconference road wins against Cincinnati and Creighton, along with a home win over Minnesota, highlight their resume.

The Hoosiers are on the outside looking in right now as one of the First Four Out in the Bracket Matrix. With a solid No. 55 NET spot and wins against Michigan State, Marquette and Louisville, they've proved they can beat anyone. They also have some bad losses on the books, though, and played a weak nonconference schedule overall.

All three of these teams will need to perform well in the Big Ten tournament if they hope to punch their ticket to March Madness.

     

Can Michigan State Still Grab a No. 1 Seed?

With a win against No. 7 Michigan on Saturday, Michigan State secured a share of the Big Ten regular-season title with Purdue.

The Spartans will now undoubtedly move up from their spot at No. 9 in the AP poll, and entering the conference tournament, they look like the one Big Ten team with an outside shot at a No. 1 seed.

The latest Bracket Matrix has them as a No. 2 seed behind Virginia, Gonzaga, North Carolina, Duke, Kentucky and Tennessee.

With Virginia, North Carolina and Duke all sharing the ACC conference and both Kentucky and Tennessee coming out of the SEC, at least three of those teams are going to lose again before the season is over.

If the Spartans can run the table and win the Big Ten tournament, would that be enough for them to jump up to a No. 1 seed?

It's not completely out of the question.

      

Dark Horse to Watch: Penn State

Penn State finished 7-13 in conference play and 14-17 overall during the regular season.

That record doesn't tell the whole story.

After an 0-10 start to the conference slate, they went 7-3 to close out the season, including wins over Michigan (No. 6 in the AP poll at the time) and Maryland (No. 17 in the AP poll at the time).

With a win over Illinois on Sunday, the Nittany Lions avoided having to take part in one of the play-in games on Wednesday.

They still face a tall task in their pursuit of the tournament title and its accompanying automatic bid, but if there's a surprise team capable of running through the field, it's this upstart Penn State squad.

Although the Michigan State Spartans are once again the No. 1 seed for the men's Big Ten tournament, there could be several upsets on the horizon.

During the regular season, MSU, Purdue and Michigan stood out as the teams to beat. However, they each dropped a couple of games to unranked opponents in surprising fashion, suggesting the battle for an automatic NCAA tourney berth could be wild.

All 14 Big Ten programs will head to the United Center in Chicago knowing if they win the tournament, they're going dancing.

The action starts Wednesday with the lowest-seed teams, while both Thursday and Friday feature four contests. The semifinals and final follow Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Note: BTN2go will stream tournament games.

           

Bracket

Here is your Big Ten Tournament Bracket pic.twitter.com/Zg78Q5VhlD

— sportswriterKay (@KaySportswriter) March 10, 2019

           

Wednesday, March 13

First round

Game 1: No. 12 Rutgers vs. No. 13 Nebraska (6:30 p.m. ET, BTN)
Game 2: No. 11 Illinois vs. No. 14 Northwestern (9 p.m., BTN)

                 

Thursday, March 14

Second round

Game 3: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Indiana (12:30 p.m. ET, BTN)
Game 4: No. 5 Maryland vs. Game 1 winner (3 p.m., BTN)
Game 5: No. 7 Minnesota vs. No. 10 Penn State (7 p.m, BTN)
Game 6: No. 6 Iowa vs. Game 2 winner (9:30 p.m., BTN)

               

Friday, March 15

Quarterfinals

Game 7: No. 1 Michigan State vs. Game 3 winner (12:30 p.m. ET, BTN)
Game 8: No. 4 Wisconsin vs. Game 4 winner (3 p.m., BTN)
Game 9: No. 2 Purdue vs. Game 5 winner (7 p.m., BTN)
Game 10: No. 3 Michigan vs. Game 6 winner (9:30 p.m., BTN)

                

Saturday, March 16

Semifinals

Game 11: Friday afternoon winners (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
Game 12: Friday evening winners (3:30 p.m., CBS)

         

Sunday, March 17

Championship

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

        

Two major injuries? No problem.

Michigan State played the last five regular-season games without Joshua Langford and Nick Ward, starters who both averaged 15-plus points. Still, the Spartans finished 4-1 during that stretch to share the Big Ten crown with Purdue.

Junior guard Cassius Winston was an absolute star, posting 10 games of at least 20 points and seven assists. Two of those performances happened in wins against rival Michigan, and those victories ended up being the tiebreaker for the No. 1 seed.

Purdue dipped to No. 2 but managed to overcome a significant roster overhaul thanks to Carsen Edwards.

The conference's leading scorer, Edwards has carried a heavy burden. While he's regularly turned in 20-point games this season, the junior shot 33.3 percent or worse in four of the last six contests―and a combined 22.4 mark from three-point range.

Both programs earned their places atop the Big Ten, but the reasons for a potential letdown in Chicago are obvious.

           

Can Michigan Find More Magic?

Two seasons ago, the Michigan basketball program underwent a scary moment en route to the Big Ten tournament. While trying to leave an Ann Arbor-area airport, the pilots aborted takeoff and skidded through a chain-link fence past the runway.

One safe flight and four victories later, the Wolverines celebrated a memorable Big Ten tournament title.

Last year, John Beilein's squad trudged to a 5-4 stretch midway through league play and seemed to be limping toward March Madness. But then Michigan ripped off 14 straight wins, winning the conference tourney before reaching the national championship.

How will the 2018-19 story end?

The Wolverines surged to a program-best 20-1 record this season. Since the beginning of February, though, they're just 6-4 with losses to Iowa, Penn State and Michigan State (twice).

Key guard Charles Matthews has missed three straight games because of an ankle injury, and Michigan doesn't have the depth to withstand his absence. But if he's healthy, might the Wolverines conjure up some March magic for the third straight year?

           

Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.

Michigan State, Purdue and Michigan locked up the top three seeds for the 2019 Big Ten tournament during their regular-season finales on Saturday.

The Spartans and Boilermakers split the Big Ten regular-season title, but Tom Izzo's team earned the No. 1 seed based on tiebreakers.

While the top seeds are set for the tournament in Chicago, plenty still has to be decided during Sunday's four-game slate in the Big Ten.

Wisconsin has an opportunity to lock up the No. 4 seed, while a handful of programs in the middle of the standings are jockeying for the best positions and matchups possible in Chicago.

                                

Big Ten Tournament Bracket Prediction

1. Michigan State

2. Purdue

3. Michigan 

4. Wisconsin

5. Maryland 

6. Iowa

7. Minnesota

8. Ohio State

9. Indiana

10. Illinois

11. Rutgers

12. Penn State

13. Nebraska

14. Northwestern 

                           

When the Big Ten tournament bracket is unveiled Sunday, most outside observers will point to the potential semifinal clash between Purdue and Michigan.

But in order to reach the semifinals, the Boilermakers must fend off a desperate Minnesota team that beat Matt Painter's side Tuesday.

The Golden Gophers sit just above the chaos in the middle of the Big Ten standings, which will be settled Sunday.

At 9-11 in Big Ten play, Minnesota should land the No. 7 seed, with Ohio State expected to lose to Wisconsin, who is trying to secure the No. 4 seed.

Ohio State can't afford another defeat, but it won't have enough firepower to keep up with the Badgers.

Even if Indiana wins at home over Rutgers, Ohio State is basically guaranteed to earn the No. 8 seed with a loss to Wisconsin because it owns a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Hoosiers.

While Ohio State lost three of its past four games to put its NCAA tournament hopes at risk, Indiana's reeled off three straight wins to put itself into the bubble conversation.

According to ESPN.com's Joe Lunardi, the Buckeyes are one spot above the First Four participants, while Indiana is listed as the second team out.

A win over Rutgers, who won't be an easy out in Chicago, will put Indiana three games over .500 and in position to grab a spot in the field of 68 with a win over Ohio State in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals.

We're pegging Illinois to win the other Big Ten game Sunday, which would land the Fighting Illini the No. 10 seed since it would lose the head-to-head tiebreaker to Indiana.

Penn State, Nebraska and Northwestern have had miserable seasons and aren't expected to last long in Chicago, but it is worth noting the Nittany Lions made it to the Big Ten tournament semifinals as a No. 7 seed a year ago.

                                   

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.

The No. 9 Michigan State Spartans finished their regular season with an exclamation point by defeating the No. 7 Michigan Wolverines 75-63 Saturday night in front of their raucous fans at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.

The final score was lopsided in favor of the Spartans, but Michigan State had to overcome a 12-point first-half deficit—the largest lead lost by the Wolverines this season.

The rivals met on Feb. 24 at Michigan, and the Spartans won 77-70. With this victory, the Spartans earned a share of the regular-season Big Ten title with Purdue. It marks the first time in Michigan-Michigan State history that the conference championship was at stake on the season's final day, per STATS (h/t CBSSports.com).

The Spartans will also be the No. 1 seed in next week's Big Ten tournament.

Spartans junior guard Cassius Winston overcame a shaky start to lead all scorers with 23 points and also chipped in seven assists. Sophomore forward Xavier Tillman came up huge in Nick Ward's absence with 17 points and five blocks.

Michigan forward Ignas Brazdeikis battled foul trouble throughout the game. Before ultimately fouling out with 5:10 left to go in the game, the freshman had 20 points and four rebounds. Sophomore guard Jordan Poole scored 15 points for the Wolverines.

Ahead of the game, Spartans head coach Tom Izzo suggested it may be the biggest installment yet in this storied rivalry, and in the end, his squad delivered.

     

Cassius Winston Is the March Leader MSU Needs

Winston had just seven points at halftime, and things looked bleak for Michigan State. However, the second half proved why this team goes as Winston goes.

ESPN sideline reporter Molly McGrath relayed on the broadcast that, with 10:47 left in the second half, Winston told his team, "We are taking this lead and never looking back."

According to McGrath, associate head coach Dane Fife said the Spartans turned the game on its head "all because of Cassius." Winston's three-pointer 30 seconds later gave the Spartans a 53-50 lead, and they never trailed again.

Last month, Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press asked Tillman who the Big Ten Player of the Year should be. His answer? "Cassius Winston."

POY 🗣
POY 🗣
POY 🗣#SpartanDawg pic.twitter.com/qJfnEZclsR

— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) March 10, 2019

ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg explained to Solari why Tillman is right:

"Right now, in my opinion, (Winston) is the player of the year in the conference and he's gotta be in the conversation for player of the year in the country right now. ... Especially with Josh (Langford) out, what he's being asked to do with the amount of minutes he's being asked to play, his efficiency, his productivity, his assists, his taking better care of the basketball. He's just doing anything and everything a coach could want from him."

Immediately after Saturday night's regular-season finale, Izzo was emotional while talking to McGrath. When asked why he was crying, he said: "Hey, hell of a year. Hell of a year. Proud of my guys! Happy for you guys! Happy for Cassius!"

Should Winston take home Big Ten Player of the Year, he will join an illustrious list of stars who have won it under Izzo such as Mateen Cleaves and Draymond Green.

Izzo collected his second consecutive Big Ten regular-season title and ninth overall Saturday night, but with Winston leading this team, he could end this season with his second national championship.

What we do around here 💍#CHAMPS pic.twitter.com/mr58xugViL

— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) March 10, 2019

                

Ignas Brazdeikis Will Dictate Michigan's Title Hopes

Michigan's loss was a case study in Ignas Brazdeikis' importance.

The freshman phenom started on fire with 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field. Midway through the first half, Brazdeikis had as many points as Michigan State. Michigan began to crumble once Brazdeikis notched his second personal foul 10 minutes before halftime, though. He was on the verge of, as Chris Vannini of The Athletic described it, a Nik Stauskas or Moe Wagner-type performance before his foul trouble.

IGGY! 💪@umichbball is off to a hot start in East Lansing with the title on the line: pic.twitter.com/cDnKsXvrEN

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 10, 2019

His aggressive, confident approach was forced to turn conservative, and Michigan State took advantage.

The biggest disparity between the teams was in rebounding. Michigan State owned Michigan on the boards: 35-16 defensively and 11-4 offensively. That, at least in part, has to be attributed to Brazdeikis' limited approach.

Moving into the Big Ten tournament and NCAA tournament, Michigan needs its versatile big man on the court more.

                

What's Next?

Both teams will participate in the Big Ten tournament, which begins March 13 at the United Center in Chicago. As the No. 1 seed, Michigan State has a double-bye and won't start play until March 15.

The final weekend of regular-season play in the Big Ten will affect the conference tournament seeding up and down the standings.

Entering Saturday, Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue are locked at 15-4 at the top of the Big Ten.

Michigan and Michigan State play each other Saturday, while the Boilermakers will try to finish strong on the road at Northwestern.

The middle of the Big Ten provides a wealth of intrigue as well, as a quartet of programs with sub-.500 records in conference play are jockeying for the best seed possible in Chicago.

                            

Bracket Predictions

1. Michigan 

2. Purdue

3. Michigan State

4. Wisconsin

5. Maryland

6. Iowa

7. Minnesota

8. Ohio State

9. Indiana

10. Rutgers

11. Illinois

12. Penn State

13. Nebraska

14. Northwestern 

                        

Saturday night's clash between Michigan and Michigan State at Breslin Center will decide the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten tournament.

The Spartans won the first meeting between the two sides at Crisler Center on February 24 by seven points. 

The prime-time showdown in East Lansing is expected to be a close affair, with the stars on both teams making big plays.

But we're leaning toward the Wolverines earning revenge on the road behind leading scorer Ignas Brazdeikis and Jon Teske, who enters Saturday with three straight double-doubles.

A Michigan win would drop Michigan State down to the No. 3 as long as Purdue takes care of business against Northwestern.

That means the Boilermakers would have to go through both Michigan and Michigan State to win the Big Ten tournament if form holds in Chicago.

The seeding possibilities get messier for Sunday's four-game slate in the Big Ten, which includes Wisconsin's trip to Ohio State and Indiana hosting Rutgers.

The Badgers, who have won four of their past five games, should be able to finish off the regular season with a victory and earn the No. 4 seed for their trip to Chicago.

Wisconsin might feel a bit of pressure since Maryland ended its regular season with a victory and Ohio State is fighting for its NCAA men's basketball tournament fate, but we have trust in the Badgers to get the job done.

The Buckeyes still have a chance to hold on to the No. 8 seed if they lose because of tiebreakers, and they are in line for a first-round matchup with Indiana as long as the Hoosiers beat Rutgers at home.

A first-round clash between Ohio State and Indiana could become an elimination game to get into the Big Dance, and the winner of that game has a chance to earn another quality win against the No. 1 seed in the quarterfinals.

The Buckeyes are one of the last four teams with byes into the round of 64, and Indiana is in the First Four Out category, according to ESPN.com's Joe Lunardi.

However, if Rutgers goes into Assembly Hall and wins, chaos will break loose in the race for Big Ten tournament seeding, as Illinois and Penn State also go head-to-head.

As much as we embrace the mayhem at this time of year, Indiana will simplify the process with a win over Rutgers and take the No. 9 seed on a head-to-head tiebreaker over Illinois.

That would leave Rutgers, Illinois, Penn State, Nebraska and Northwestern to fill out the bottom part of the standings since four of those teams are projected to lose Saturday and Sunday.

                                    

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.

The Big Ten tournament should be one of the most competitive conference tournaments during Championship Week. 

Even the league's top programs have plenty to play for at the United Center in Chicago, as they're all trying to improve their seeding for the 2019 NCAA men's basketball tournament. 

The Big Ten is also in possession of a few bubble teams in need of victories to improve their respective resumes ahead of Selection Sunday. 

Michigan is the two-time defending champion of the Big Ten tournament, which is being played in the fourth different location in four years. 

                                 

Preview

Going into Chicago, the Big Ten can be broken down into a few distinct tiers. 

The top tier with Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue features three of the best programs in the nation, all of whom are 15-4 in the Big Ten entering the weekend. 

The Boilermakers, Spartans and Wolverines will be the top three seeds in Chicago, but that order is yet to be determined, and Purdue's loss to Minnesota threw a wrench in the plans for Matt Painter's team to be the No. 1 seed. 

Michigan could be seen as the favorite by many since its won the last two Big Ten tournament finals and reached the Final Four a year ago.

Purdue hasn't won the Big Ten tournament since 2009, but it's made the final in two of the last three years, while Michigan State's last conference-tournament title came in 2016. 

The second tier is comprised of Wisconsin and Maryland, two solid teams who can't be counted out in the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments. 

Both the Badgers and Terrapins possess terrific big men in Ethan Happ and Bruno Fernando, respectively, who are expected to do battle in the quarterfinal round in the No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchup. 

Then there's the four teams hoping to solidify their NCAA tournament resumes, starting with Iowa, who has lost four of its last five games to put its March Madness hopes on thin ice. 

Minnesota helped itself out with a win over Purdue, and a victory over Maryland to close the regular season would be a perfect result.

Ohio State is free falling at a pace similar to Iowa, while Indiana's late-season surge has made it one of the most interesting bubble teams. 

All four of those teams need to win one or two games in Chicago, depending on their bubble status, to feel comfortable with their overall body of work. 

The bottom tier of teams is just looking to spring an upset in Chicago, and Rutgers, Penn State, Illinois, Nebraska and Northwestern are more than capable of doing so. 

                            

Players to Watch

Ignas Brazdeikis, Michigan 

Michigan's leading scorer has had one of the best freshman seasons of anyone in college basketball. 

Ignas Brazdeikis is averaging 14.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, and he is coming off back-to-back 20-point games against Nebraska and Maryland. 

In four of Michigan's five games against ranked foes in Big Ten play, Brazdeikis has reached double digits. 

Brazdeikis is the perfect complement to the pieces that were already on the Wolverines roster, as he is able to drive to the hole and shoot from beyond the arc on occasion. 

The freshman, who was born in Lithuania and went to high school in Canada, will attract plenty of attention from opposing defenses, but they can't double team him much with the bevy of scorers on the floor for the Wolverines. 

While Brazdeikis receives most of the attention, Michigan has five other players capable of stepping up and scoring key baskets. 

The scoring depth is one of the reasons why the Wolverines should be able to make another deep run into March. 

                         

Ethan Happ, Wisconsin

Ethan Happ is one of the best frontcourt players in the nation, and he'll have to take over games in Chicago for Wisconsin to win the Big Ten tournament. 

Happ does a bit of everything for the Badgers, as he averages 17.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals per game. 

Happ has 20 double-doubles to his name this season, with 10 of them coming in Big Ten play for the Badgers. 

In order to advance the Badgers deep into the Big Ten tournament, Happ is going to have to win plenty of tough individual battles, including the expected clash with Fernando and Maryland in the quarterfinals. 

It won't get easier for Happ if form holds, as Michigan's Jon Teske and Purdue's Matt Haarms could await in the semifinals and final. 

Although his numbers are strong in most categories, Happ needs to improve on his 46.9 free-throw percentage. 

If he isn't able to convert from the charity stripe in the postseason, opponents will try to take advantage of his weakness and send him there as much as possible. 

                            

Prediction

Michigan over Purdue 

It's hard to pick against John Beilein's Wolverines given the team's postseason success over the last two years.

Michigan has one of the most well-rounded teams in the country, even with Charles Matthews out injured, and it knows how to win in March. 

Purdue will pose a tough test in the Big Ten tournament final, but Michigan's scoring depth will be tough for the Boilermakers to handle. 

                          

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

The University of Michigan basketball team was involved in a plane crash on its way to the Big Ten tournament back in 2017, but if not for the captain's last-second decision to abort the takeoff, the outcome could have been tragically different.

"These two pilots did everything right after things started to go very wrong," National Transportation Safety Board chairman Robert Sumwalt said Thursday, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN).

The team plane crashed through a chain-link fence at Willow Run Airport on March 8, 2017, as the Wolverines were on their way to Washington, D.C., for the conference tournament. While the plane was damaged in the accident, none of the 110 passengers or six crew members suffered any serious injuries. One passenger did suffer minor injuries, though.

Per the AP, the pilots initially came under fire for choosing to remain grounded even after reaching a critical speed that would cause the vehicle to overshoot the runway. However, the NTSB's recent report backed the pilot's decision.

Captain Mark Radloff told investigators that there was a heavy feeling to the plane as he prepared for takeoff. As it turns out, the investigation discovered a mechanical problem with the plane:

"The NTSB said the plane was properly maintained, but components in an elevator—a part that pilots adjust to change the pitch or nose direction—jammed because the plane was parked outside a hangar for two days during windy weather."

"With a different pilot on this airplane, there might have been people hurt or even killed," Ameristar Vice president Stacy Muth, per the AP. "All we lost was the airplane."

John Beilein and Co. were able to take a different plane to the nation's capital, where the eighth-seeded Wolverines would win four games in four days to capture the Big Ten tournament crown.