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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