Big Ten Tournament 2012 Bracket: Bold Predictions for Big Upsets

The Big Ten Tournament is not going to go as planned. This is going to be a bracket of upsets. 

That will make for some great basketball, and an unforgettable conference tournament. There is no better way to set the stage for March Madness. 

Here are the upsets. You can also view the full bracket here to see if there are any I'm missing. 

Northwestern over Michigan

The Wildcats will be taking on Minnesota while Michigan awaits the winner. Northwestern should have little problem with the Golden Gophers. 

Sure, these two split on the season, but Minnesota is doing the opposite of peaking at the right time. They have lost six of their last seven games. 

A victory against the disintegrating Golden Gophers will send them to a date with the Wolverines. While this will be the second game in two nights for Northwestern, that will actually play to their advantage. 

This is a team that has eight competent players, averaging at least 18 minutes a game. This team won't be worn out from a back-to-back. Meanwhile, Michigan will have to shake off the rust from a layoff. 

This will help Northwestern get off to a fast start. And in this matchup, that will be enough advantage to give them a victory. Michigan was 2-0 against the Wildcats this year, but both games went to OT. 

Northwestern will have their revenge. 

Indiana over Everyone 

The fifth seeded Hoosiers have an easy matchup in the first against Penn State. After that, they will get the upset train rolling. 

This is a streaky Indiana team. They won their first 12 games. A streak that included a victory over then No. 1 Kentucky. 

This is the same team that lost five of seven in the middle of the season, only to bounce back to win seven of their last eight. 

The Hoosiers can beat anyone when their collective shot is on, and that happens often. They ended the regular season sixth in the nation in field goal percentage. 

That will help them crack Wisconsin's tough defense in their second-round matchup. A victory there will send them to a likely third-round matchup with Michigan State. 

The same Spartans team the Hoosiers beat by 15 on February 28. 

Indiana's ball movement offense was able to crack the stiff Spartan's defense. And they will do it again.