Big Ten Tournament Preview

So we’re at the 10th Big Ten tournament. An event that was met with heavy suspicion when it started is now one of the highlights of the year for Big Ten fans.

Remember back in the day, when you could reasonably expect Illinois to have a chance to win the whole thing, just like you could reasonably expect the tournament to be in Chicago most of the time? Well, neither of those things is on the horizon. After this weekend the tourney moves to Indianapolis for the next five years, and this Illinois team doesn’t have the horses to give their fans a championship as a going-away present.

But the Illini still have the most wins, the most games played, the highest winning percentage, the most semifinal appearances and the most final appearances in the tournament’s history. Illinois is also tied for the most titles (Michigan State and Iowa also have two each), and entered this tourney with the most No. 1 seeds (3), although Ohio State has now tied that mark.

At least none of those marks should be in jeopardy. Here’s how I see it all shaking out …

FIRST ROUND

-- No. 8 Michigan vs. No. 9 Minnesota: Michigan has been up and down in this tournament over the years, but Minnesota is Minnesota. Michigan.

-- No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 10 Northwestern: Something tells me Tom Izzo doesn’t like having to play on Thursday. He takes out his wrath on some ‘Cats, and there’s a lesson in there for us all. Michigan State.

-- No. 6 Illinois vs. No. 11 Penn State: The Lions might make the first half interesting if they come to play, but the Illini have looked like they’ve figured each other out in the last half of the conference season. Illinois.

QUARTERFINALS

-- No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 8 Michigan: Michigan will have something to prove after blowing a lead late in the season against the Buckeyes. And they still think they have a shot at the NCAA tournament. If that program would finally give up on its nice-guy coach, this is exactly the kind of game they could win. Ohio State.

-- No. 4 Iowa vs. No. 5 Purdue: Iowa is one of several teams that is 2-0 all time in this tournament vs. Purdue, which has one only one game since making the finals of the very first tournament. But the real story is, this one isn’t in West Lafayette. Iowa.

-- No. 2 Wisconsin vs. No. 7 Michigan State: Bo Ryan will have his boys ready to play, but the seesaw of this series will tip back to the Spartans on a neutral site. Michigan State.

-- No. 3 Indiana vs. No. 6 Illinois: Few things are more satisfying to an Illinois fan than the way Illinois has owned the Hoosiers in this tournament. We beat them when we’re the better team; we beat them when they’re the better team; we beat them when the teams are even. Illinois is 4-1 against Indiana, and those four wins are the most by one team against another in this event. The domination continues here. Illinois.

SEMIFINALS

-- No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Iowa: Steve Alford is a great Big Ten tournament coach. Greg Oden is a better Gigantor. Ohio State.

-- No. 6 Illinois vs. No. 7 Michigan State: Y’know, there was a time when this was a Finals matchup two straight years. Of course, MSU won both of them, so maybe that wasn’t so great. Illinois (0-3) finally breaks through and beats Sparty for the first time in this tournament. Illinois.

FINALS

-- No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 6 Illinois: I really, really, really want to pick Illinois in the upset. I want to believe they can sleigh the giant (figuratively, not literally ... well, except for the giant part -- he’s literally a giant ... but ... oh, forget it; you know what I mean). Anyhoo … the point here is, despite what I said in a recent Evite to my euchere friends, I can’t for the life of me figure out how they would actually do it. Ohio State.

Check in throughout the week and see how I’m doing! And don’t forget to leave your nasty comments about the ones I got wrong.