Big Ten basketball takes to the nation’s capital starting on Wednesday night with the first round of the conference’s tournament slate. Here’s how our staff sees it all shaking out.

Zach Pereles

First round

Penn State over Nebraska

Ohio State over Rutgers

Second round

Michigan over Illinois

Michigan State over Penn State

Indiana over Iowa

Northwestern over Ohio State

Third round

Michigan over Purdue

Minnesota over Michigan State

Wisconsin over Indiana

Maryland over Northwestern

Semifinals

Michigan over Minnesota

Maryland over Wisconsin

Finals

Michigan over Maryland

Josh Rosenblat

First round

Nebraska over Penn State

Ohio State over Rutgers

Second round

Michigan over Illinois

Michigan State over Nebraska

Indiana over Iowa

Northwestern over Ohio State

Third round

Michigan over Purdue

Michigan State over Minnesota

Wisconsin over Iowa

Maryland over Northwestern

Semifinals

Michigan State over Michigan

Wisconsin over Maryland

Finals

Michigan State over Wisconsin

Martin Oppegaard

First round

Penn State over Nebraska

Ohio State over Rutgers

Second round

Michigan over Illinois

Michigan State over Penn State

Iowa over Indiana

Northwestern over Ohio State

Third round

Purdue over Michigan

Michigan State over Minnesota

Wisconsin over Iowa

Northwestern over Maryland

Semifinals

Michigan State over Purdue

Wisconsin over Northwestern

Finals

Wisconsin over Michigan State

Chris Grismer

First round

Nebraska over Penn State

Ohio State over Rutgers

Second round

Michigan over Illinois

Michigan State over Nebraska

Iowa over Indiana

Northwestern over Ohio State

Third round

Purdue over Michigan

Minnesota over Michigan State

Wisconsin over Iowa

Maryland over Northwestern

Semifinals

Purdue over Minnesota

Wisconsin over Maryland

Finals

Purdue over Wisconsin

Henrique DaMour

First round

Nebraska over Penn State

Ohio State over Rutgers

Second round

Michigan over Illinois

Michigan State over Nebraska

Indiana over Iowa

Northwestern over Ohio State

Third round

Purdue over Michigan

Minnesota over Michigan State

Wisconsin over Indiana

Maryland over Northwestern

Semifinals

Purdue over Minnesota

Maryland over Wisconsin

Finals

Purdue over Maryland

Caleb Friedman

First round

Nebraska over Penn State

Ohio State over Rutgers

Second round

Michigan over Illinois

Michigan State over Penn State

Iowa over Indiana

Northwestern over Ohio State

Third round

Purdue over Michigan

Michigan State over Minnesota

Wisconsin over Iowa

Maryland over Northwestern

Semifinals

Purdue over Michigan State

Wisconsin over Maryland

Finals

Wisconsin over Purdue

Will Ragatz

Penn State over Nebraska

Ohio State over Rutgers

Second round

Michigan over Illinois

Michigan State over Penn State

Iowa over Indiana

Northwestern over Ohio State

Third round

Purdue over Michigan

Michigan State over Minnesota

Iowa over Wisconsin

Maryland over Northwestern

Semifinals

Purdue over Michigan State

Maryland over Iowa

Finals

Purdue over Maryland

Isaac Bushnell

First Round

Nebraska over Penn State

Ohio State over Rutgers

Second Round

Illinois over Michigan

Michigan State over Nebraska

Indiana over Iowa

Northwestern over Ohio State

Third Round

Purdue over Illinois

Minnesota over Michigan State

Wisconsin over Indiana

Maryland over Northwestern

Semifinals

Minnesota over Purdue

Maryland over Wisconsin

Final

Maryland over Minnesota

Rob Schaefer

First Round

Penn State over Nebraska

Ohio State over Rutgers

Second Round

Michigan over Illinois

Michigan State over Penn State

Iowa over Indiana

Northwestern over Ohio State

Third Round

Purdue over Michigan

Michigan State over Minnesota

Iowa over Wisconsin

Maryland over Northwestern

Semifinals

Purdue over Michigan State

Maryland over Iowa

Finals

Purdue over Maryland

Ian McCafferty

First Round

Nebraska over Penn State

Ohio State over Rutgers

Second Round

Michigan over Illinois

Michigan State over Nebraska

Indiana over Iowa

Northwestern over Ohio State

Third Round

Michigan over Purdue

Minnesota over Michigan State

Wisconsin over Indiana

Northwestern over Maryland

Semifinals

Michigan over Minnesota

Wisconsin over Northwestern

Finals

Wisconsin over Michigan

Tristan Jung’s totally serious prediction

First Round

Penn State Island will crush Nebraska

Then, after the island wins one game, the biblical 10 plagues that struck Egypt will begin again in America, because Penn State Island will never, ever have anything good happen to it for very long.

Ohio State will panic when water turns to blood, which is A HARBINGER FOR THE SCARLET KNIGHTS! That’s what they’ve been waiting for. RELEASE THE PIKIELL! This is what we’ve been building up to the whole time...and thus:

Rutger(s) over Ohio State.

Second Round

Then frogs will start appearing everywhere, and noted frog Duncan Robinson will hit a buzzer-beating three for...

Michigan to beat Illinois

Mosquitoes, lice and other biting insects will then infest everything, but that’s nothing compared to the usual conditions of poverty and misery on Penn State Island. Penn State, far used to adversity, will win.

Penn State over Michigan State

The next plague involves wild animals and diseased livestock taking out all available farm animals. That is bad for the Hoosiers and Iowa, as both states have many farms. However, this website says Iowa has 30,000 more farms than Indiana, so the Hoosiers will win because of superior morale.

Indiana over Iowa

The next plague is boils. Boils are incredibly hard to remove, just like Northwestern’s NCAA Tournament curse. Gotta go with the Scarlet Knights here. The rivers are still scarlet, last time I checked. Also, it’s not like Rutgers didn’t have a shot to beat Northwestern last time around.

Rutger over Northwestern

Third Round

The next plague is a thunderstorm of hail. Minnesota, of course, is well-equipped for any ice/snow related issues, and should roll Penn State, who are just slightly less prepared. Michigan is also further north than Purdue, so the Wolverines will survive much longer in the hailstorm.

Michigan over Purdue

Minnesota over Penn State

The plague of locusts will arrive at approximately whenever these Big Ten Tournament games start. Wisconsin’s Zak Showalter plays like a locust—annoying, doesn’t show up too often, and flops around a lot. Therefore, Wisconsin will beat Indiana. And of course, locusts destroy plants, but not aquatic plants, so the Terrapins will be able to locate and secure a food source. Checkmate, Rutgers.

Wisconsin over Indiana

Maryland over Rutgers

Semifinals

The ninth plague will start and it will be dark for three days. Electric lights will not work, and both of these games will take place in complete darkness. Minnesota, which might be in permanent darkness during the winter anyway, will win over Michigan. Wisconsin is a very experienced team, and I’m sure they have the chemistry to play in the dark of necessary. Also, Badgers are nocturnal. That’s a huge advantage.

Minnesota over Michigan

Wisconsin over Maryland

Finals

The tenth plague is the one with all the firstborn sons, but I’m pretty sure that only applies to Egyptians for the time being, so Wisconsin should beat Minnesota because the Badgers are a better basketball team. It’s so simple.

Wisconsin over Minnesota