Okay, I did this last year and laid out the entire tournament before the first game. I went 3-0 day 1, 1-3 day 2 and did not have a team in the final game last year.
This is completely unbiased and up for fun discussions!!
Thursday, March 8
11:30 a.m.: No. 8 Iowa Hawkeyes (16-15, 8-10) vs. No. 9 Illinois Fighting Illini (17-13, 6-12). Big Ten Network.
Great way to kick off the tournament! Iowa, after beating WI & MN on the road, lost 6 straight road games before beating NE. Illinois losers of 11 of 13 SU & ATS! Iowa is a solid home team and has struggled of late on the road and Illinois is Illinois.
IOWA by 2
2 p.m.: No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers (24-7, 11-7) vs. No. 12 Penn State Nittany Lions (12-19, 4-14). Big Ten Network.
Pointless to handicap. All Penn State B1G wins were at home, all road losses were by double digits. It's in Indy and the IU fans will let them know it!
INDIANA by 15+
5:30 p.m.: No. 7 Northwestern (18-12, 8-10) vs. No. 10 Minnesota (18-13, 6-12). ESPN2.
Someone please tell me why NW is on the bubble? Is it because someone at the mother ship feels bad that they have never made the tournament? Who have they beat other than Michigan St at home? Penn State 2x, IA 2x, MN, IL, NE....wow, impressive! Seriously!!?? They had Baylor at home and were blown out as a 2 pt favorite! The resume in my opinion is garbage! Minnesota recently lost 6 in a row, it was murders row! WI 2x, IU, Ohio St & Michigan State.
The B1G has upsets and here's the first! MINNESOTA by 3
8 p.m.: No. 6 Purdue Boilermakers (20-11, 10-8) vs. No. 11 Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-17, 4-14). ESPN2.
Another game pointless to handicap. Purdue needs this game to solidify seeding. Nebraska 1-9 SU/ATS L10 B1G games.
PURDUE by 10+
Friday, March 9
Noon: No. 1 Michigan State Spartans (24-7, 13-5) vs. Iowa, ESPN.
I like Michigan State and the last 2 games were tough, at IU and Ohio State. Here's their breather as they are more talented and will shut down Gatens. BTW, Sparty drilled IA by 34 already TY.
Michigan State by 8+
2:30 p.m.: No. 4 Wisconsin Badgers (23-8, 12-6) vs. Indiana, ESPN.
Interesting game! WI solid defensively, struggles offensively, IU solid offensively and can't guard anyone on D.
WI beat IU at home this year 57-50, but IU was leading at the half. You know the old saying defense wins championships, well, not today!
IU by 3
6:30 p.m.: No. 2 Michigan Wolverines (23-8, 13-5) vs. Minnesota winner, Big Ten Network.
Michigan as a #2 seed, you think they flew under the radar? They take almost 40% of their shots as 3s. Michigan has won and covered 6 of the last 7. Can you really believe that they are the hottest college team in MI? Michigan already beat MN by 5 at home.
MI by 7
9 p.m.: No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes (25-6, 13-5) vs. Purdue, Big Ten Network.
Ohio State was played tough by Purdue the last time out. But Purdue went nuts going 11 for 19 from 3! Boilers shot 51% from field and 57% from 3. Purdue real does not match up well with the Buckeyes who are too strong and fast for their weak D.
Ohio State by 10+
Saturday, March 10
1:40 p.m.: Michigan State vs. Indiana CBS.
This is going to be a great game! They both beat each other at home by 15. Neutral court this time. Michigan State's defense will be too much for IU.
Sparty by 4
4:10 p.m.: Michigan vs. Ohio State CBS.
I like Ohio State, solid team who really needs to start gelling now if they want to go deep into the Big Dance. Ohio State beat Michigan by 15 at home and lost to them by 5 on the road while shooting poorly. Good battle here, but Ohio State won this last year and were the team to beat coming into this regular season.
Ohio State by 5
Sunday, March 11
3:30 p.m.: Michigan State vs. Ohio State, CBS.
The rematch I wanted to see!
Should be a fun and extremely competitive game! Just as long as Ohio State does not come out shooting poorly again, they will not have to dig themselves out of a deep hole. They have momentum and Sparty sometimes just stops scoring periodically.
OHIO STATE REPEATS! BUCKEYES by 3
This is completely unbiased and up for fun discussions!!
Thursday, March 8
11:30 a.m.: No. 8 Iowa Hawkeyes (16-15, 8-10) vs. No. 9 Illinois Fighting Illini (17-13, 6-12). Big Ten Network.
Great way to kick off the tournament! Iowa, after beating WI & MN on the road, lost 6 straight road games before beating NE. Illinois losers of 11 of 13 SU & ATS! Iowa is a solid home team and has struggled of late on the road and Illinois is Illinois.
IOWA by 2
2 p.m.: No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers (24-7, 11-7) vs. No. 12 Penn State Nittany Lions (12-19, 4-14). Big Ten Network.
Pointless to handicap. All Penn State B1G wins were at home, all road losses were by double digits. It's in Indy and the IU fans will let them know it!
INDIANA by 15+
5:30 p.m.: No. 7 Northwestern (18-12, 8-10) vs. No. 10 Minnesota (18-13, 6-12). ESPN2.
Someone please tell me why NW is on the bubble? Is it because someone at the mother ship feels bad that they have never made the tournament? Who have they beat other than Michigan St at home? Penn State 2x, IA 2x, MN, IL, NE....wow, impressive! Seriously!!?? They had Baylor at home and were blown out as a 2 pt favorite! The resume in my opinion is garbage! Minnesota recently lost 6 in a row, it was murders row! WI 2x, IU, Ohio St & Michigan State.
The B1G has upsets and here's the first! MINNESOTA by 3
8 p.m.: No. 6 Purdue Boilermakers (20-11, 10-8) vs. No. 11 Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-17, 4-14). ESPN2.
Another game pointless to handicap. Purdue needs this game to solidify seeding. Nebraska 1-9 SU/ATS L10 B1G games.
PURDUE by 10+
Friday, March 9
Noon: No. 1 Michigan State Spartans (24-7, 13-5) vs. Iowa, ESPN.
I like Michigan State and the last 2 games were tough, at IU and Ohio State. Here's their breather as they are more talented and will shut down Gatens. BTW, Sparty drilled IA by 34 already TY.
Michigan State by 8+
2:30 p.m.: No. 4 Wisconsin Badgers (23-8, 12-6) vs. Indiana, ESPN.
Interesting game! WI solid defensively, struggles offensively, IU solid offensively and can't guard anyone on D.
WI beat IU at home this year 57-50, but IU was leading at the half. You know the old saying defense wins championships, well, not today!
IU by 3
6:30 p.m.: No. 2 Michigan Wolverines (23-8, 13-5) vs. Minnesota winner, Big Ten Network.
Michigan as a #2 seed, you think they flew under the radar? They take almost 40% of their shots as 3s. Michigan has won and covered 6 of the last 7. Can you really believe that they are the hottest college team in MI? Michigan already beat MN by 5 at home.
MI by 7
9 p.m.: No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes (25-6, 13-5) vs. Purdue, Big Ten Network.
Ohio State was played tough by Purdue the last time out. But Purdue went nuts going 11 for 19 from 3! Boilers shot 51% from field and 57% from 3. Purdue real does not match up well with the Buckeyes who are too strong and fast for their weak D.
Ohio State by 10+
Saturday, March 10
1:40 p.m.: Michigan State vs. Indiana CBS.
This is going to be a great game! They both beat each other at home by 15. Neutral court this time. Michigan State's defense will be too much for IU.
Sparty by 4
4:10 p.m.: Michigan vs. Ohio State CBS.
I like Ohio State, solid team who really needs to start gelling now if they want to go deep into the Big Dance. Ohio State beat Michigan by 15 at home and lost to them by 5 on the road while shooting poorly. Good battle here, but Ohio State won this last year and were the team to beat coming into this regular season.
Ohio State by 5
Sunday, March 11
3:30 p.m.: Michigan State vs. Ohio State, CBS.
The rematch I wanted to see!
Should be a fun and extremely competitive game! Just as long as Ohio State does not come out shooting poorly again, they will not have to dig themselves out of a deep hole. They have momentum and Sparty sometimes just stops scoring periodically.
OHIO STATE REPEATS! BUCKEYES by 3
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