Big Ten Tournament 2012: Jared Sullinger and Stars Who Will Steal the Show

No conference tournament is as deep and evenly matched as the Big Ten.

That tends to happen when three teams split the regular season title.

Unlike most conferences, the Big Ten is dominated by star players, guys you already know will be playing in the NBA. It makes for some incredibly compelling games and some unbelievable finishes.

Here are the three guys that have the skills (and talent around them) to will their team to the Big Ten championship and surely a two to three bump in seeding for the NCAAs.

Full bracket

Jared Sullinger, F, Ohio State

Sullinger came back for his sophomore year because he had some unfinished business to take care of.

While the Buckeyes' title hopes surely are still intact, Sullinger has the step up his game. He has only averaged 13.6 points a game in his last five, and is constantly getting into foul trouble.

Sully is Mr. Everything for Ohio State, and if they hope to land a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament by winning the conference tourney, he has to show up three nights in a row.

Considering he strapped the Buckeyes on his back and won the MVP in last year’s tournament, he is more than capable of doing a much in 2012.

Draymond Green, F, Michigan State

The senior leads the team in points (16.2) and in rebounds (10.3) while still managing 3.5 assists.

He will be a spectacular pro someday, but for now he’s in charge of ensuring the two-game losing streak to end the regular season was nothing more than a fluke.

Green has to stay aggressive on the boards against the smaller teams like Michigan while keeping the tempo fast and furious against some of the lesser teams that lack much depth.

Sparty has to use their depth to their advantage, especially against teams like Illinois, who is their likely opponent in Round 2.

Green is the best all-around player in this tournament and that is going to bode very well for their chances of taking home the trophy.

Cory Zeller, F, Indiana

When your team has the sixth-best shooting percentage in the nation, you better believe the best player has one of the best percentages in the nation.

Zeller has just that, hitting on a ridiculous 63 percent of his shots on the season. His 15.4 points and 6.4 rebounds, combined with his shooting efficiency, make him deadly.   

The freshman phenom and Co-Freshman of the Year has played extraordinarily well in the last few weeks.

The only reservation I have is his lack of experience. Can he handle four games in four days against opponents wearing him down both mentally and physically?

Sullinger and Green have been here before. Zeller hasn’t.

Does it matter? 

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