This has been the most competitive Big-Ten basketball season I have ever witnessed. With the exception of the bottom two teams, every team has been capable of beating one another.
Wednesday night begins the first set of games of the Big-Ten tournament, which will be taking place in Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Here is how I think the match-ups will turn out.
Wednesday
12 Minnesota defeats 13 Northwestern
These two squads have met twice this season. Minnesota won by double-digits in both battles. Marcus Carr and Daniel Oturu guide the Gophers to an easy win to start off the tournament.
11 Indiana defeats 14 Nebraska
This will be another lop-sided game as the Hoosiers will have no problem against the Huskers. Big-Ten Freshman of the Year runner-up Trayce Jackson-Davis will have a big night in the same arena his father, Dale Davis, played in during some of his NBA career.
Thursday
8 Rutgers defeats 9 Michigan
Two teams who have struggled with injuries to key players throughout the season will face off in what should be a competitive match-up. Geo Baker and Ron Harper of Rutgers will have big days as the Scarlet Knights hold off Michigan in a close one.
5 Iowa defeats 12 Minnesota
This game has upset potential as it will be the ultimate battle of the big men. Two of the nation's top big men, Luka Garza of Iowa and Daniel Oturu of Minnesota will be matched-up in the paint. Garza and the Hawkeyes will have the upper-hand with their sharp-shooting offense.
7 Ohio State defeats 10 Purdue
Ohio State has been hot lately. Junior big man Kaleb Wesson has been playing very good basketball this season. Teams have to account for him, not only in the paint, but beyond the arc as well. Ohio State stays hot as Wesson leads the Buckeyes to a second-round win
6 Penn State defeats 11 Indiana
Penn State has been struggling lately, dropping five of their last six games. This includes a loss to 13-seed Northwestern. However, the Nittany Lions pull out of their slump, thanks to a big day from Senior guard Lamar Stevens, and hold on to beat the Hoosiers.
Friday
1 Wisconsin defeats 8 Rutgers
The Big-Ten Coach of the Year-led Badgers closed out the regular season on an eight-game winning streak. During that winning streak, they held off Rutgers at home in a 79-71 victory. The same outcome will occur Friday as Wisconsin big man Nate Reuvers helps the Badgers avoid the first upset of the tournament.
4 Illinois defeats 5 Iowa
These teams do not like each other. "We just don't like each other, simple as that," are the words Illinois star guard Ayo Dosunmu had to say after the Illini's Sunday night victory over the Hawkeyes. These teams have faced off twice this season. Iowa winning round one and Illinois winning round two. It will be hard for the Illini to hold off Luka Garza for a second-consecutive game, but they will get it done by the play of the guards. Dosunmu and company win a close, hard-fought battle.
2 Michigan State defeats 7 Ohio State
Michigan State will have no problem defeating a hot Ohio State team. Spartans' Defensive Player of the Year Xavier Tillman gives Kaleb Wesson all the trouble in the world. Rocket Watts has had the hot hand and Cassius Winston was just named All-Big-Ten first team.
3 Maryland defeats 6 Penn State
Anthony Cowan and Jalen Smith will prove overwhelming for the struggling Nittany Lions with a double-digit victory to cap off Friday's slate of games.
Saturday (Semi-Finals)
4 Illinois defeats 1 Wisconsin
The Fighting Illini and the Badgers have faced off once this season. The result was an Illini comeback victory in Madison. The Badgers, however, are a completely different team. This will be the first game of the tournament to go into overtime and Ayo Dosunmu will do what he has done all year for the Illini: make clutch shots down the stretch. The Illini upset the Badgers in an OT thriller.
2 Michigan State defeats 3 Maryland
This will be a game with a couple of exciting match-ups. Spartans guard Cassius WInston vs Terps guard Anthony Cowan Jr. will, perhaps, be the most exciting match-up of the entire tournament. The two were named to the All-Big-Ten first team. Another exciting battle will be Spartans' Defensive Player of the Year Xavier TIllman vs Maryland's All Big-Ten first team player Jalen Smith. Winston and Tillman come out victorious as Sparty wins another game that is decided within the final seconds.
Sunday (Big-Ten Championship)
2 Michigan State defeats 4 Illinois
It is March. Tom Izzo is the coach. Xavier TIllman was left off of the All Big-Ten First Team. Cassius Winston is playing in his final Big-Ten match-up. A Big Ten Title is on the line. The Spartans will simply be the better, more motivated squad. Illinois puts up a fight, but the Spartans cap off the Big-Ten tournament with a double-digit victory.