The Big Ten isn’t short on talent. That’s what makes this conference tournament so intriguing. All the top teams can beat each other on any given night. With that in mind, the Big Ten tournament will offer plenty of entertainment when it tips off today all the way to the championship game on Sunday, March 15.
When it comes to crowded conferences, one also has to look at the ACC. Duke, Louisville, Virginia and North Carolina are all contenders for the national championship. Check out the entire ACC Tournament landscape with our complete preview of that tournament.
[sc:MarchMadness ]2015 Big Ten Tournament Preview, Picks, Odds and Predictions
Favorites – Wisconsin Badgers and Maryland Terrapins
The Wisconsin Badgers own the Big Ten with a stellar 16-2 conference record. The Badgers’ dominance transcends the confines of their own conference as they are +700 favorites, right behind Kentucky, to win the national championship.
Wisconsin is the team to beat in the Big Ten, especially with one of the best big men in the nation, Frank Kaminsky. He ranks in the top five in the conference in terms of points (18.4 per game), field goal percentage (.559), and rebounds (8.1 per game).
[sc:NBA240banner ]But if there’s a team that can top Wisconsin in the Big Ten, it’s the Maryland Terrapins. The Terps already upset then fifth-ranked Wisconsin, 59-53, in the final stretch of the season. Maryland has the perfect combination of youth and experience with leading scorers Melo Trimble and Dez Wells.
Trimble has been one of the more impressive freshmen in the nation, leading the Terps with 16.1 points per game. Wells gives Maryland a proven leader, as the senior guard-forward hybrid is averaging 15.3 points per game this season.
Sleeper – Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State has one of the best offenses in the conference that could cause their opponents plenty of trouble. The Buckeyes rank second in the Big Ten with 76 points per game, while also owning the best field goal percentage (49 percent).
The Buckeyes aren’t short on talent in their backcourt. They have a talented freshman in D’Angelo Russell ranking second in the conference with 19.2 points per game. He also ranks third, dishing out 5.2 assists per game. The Buckeyes have another excellent passer in senior Shannon Scott, who leads the Big Ten with 5.8 assists per game and ranks second with 1.8 steals per game.
Long Shot – Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines have it in tough as the No. 9 seed in the Big Ten Tournament.
Getting out of the second round of the tournament isn’t out of the question as the Wolverines split their regular season series with No. 8 seed Illinois. Should they get past that challenge, they’ll then have to face No. 1 seed Wisconsin in the quarterfinals.
Michigan may not seem to mind potentially facing Wisconsin that early in the tournament. They brought the No. 1 seed to overtime in a tight 69-65 loss on January 24. Michigan still packs a punch with the backcourt tandem of Zak Irving and Spike Albrecht despite some key absences due to injury. Irving has averaged 17.2 points over his last five, while Albrecht has put up 13.2 points per game.
Writer’s Prediction
The Badgers seize control of the Big Ten to strengthen their bid for a No. 1 seed in the national tournament.
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