Big Ten Tournament 2013: Venue and Offense Give Indiana the Edge

In a year where five Big 10 teams boast a top-25 slot in the latest AP poll, it doesn't seem likely that this will be the time that the top-ranked Indiana Hoosiers will get over the hump in the conference tournament.

However, the venue is United Center in Chicago—just four hours down the road from Bloomington. Since Tom Crean's squad has established themselves as the best in such a tight race down the stretch, the proximity to the tournament's home court is huge. It is a relatively short commute for the enthusiastic IU faithful—and the contingent travels very well.

The Hoosiers' most recent slip-ups have occurred farther from home, including a 77-73 loss to Minnesota. It marked the seventh time this season that a top-ranked squad has lost.

That was a week after a signature victory on the road at No. 4 Michigan State, which was preceded by three double-digit wins against Big 10 foes.

Despite the loss, Indiana maintained its No. 1 ranking for a fourth week in a row. This speaks not only to how hard it is this year to figure out who the best team is, but it's also a testament to how much the Hoosiers have stood out lately.

It's hard to believe that a program so rich with tradition has never won its conference tournament, which began during the 1998-99 season. In fact, IU has only reached one championship game in that span and sports a 9-14 all-time record in the tournament.

Yet this seems to be the time that everything is falling into place.

With a more explosive and diverse offense than anyone else in the conference, it will be difficult for teams to stop the Hoosiers in their home state.

Projected lottery pick Cody Zeller leads the way for the nation's second highest-scoring team with 16.3 points per game, but there are so many other angles in which Indiana can attack opponents.

Even with Zeller making just two of nine shots in the loss to the Golden Gophers and senior forward Christian Watford not factoring in much, the Hoosiers still had a strong chance to win on the road against the tough, Tubby Smith-coached Golden Gophers.

Along with Zeller pounding the ball on the inside, Victor Oladipo is a strong candidate for the Naismith Trophy, which is awarded to the nation's player of the year.

Indiana shoots a whopping 49.7 percent from the field and 42.6 percent from beyond the arc. The barrage from downtown is keyed by senior sharpshooter Jordan Hulls, who takes an average of over five per contest and drains it at a 50 percent clip.

That type of offensive efficiency is staggering, and the Hoosiers have enough weapons to overcome any defense on any given night.

As the best team in a tight race with a constantly improving defense as well, it's perfectly feasible that Indiana will have its maiden Big 10 tournament triumph by Selection Sunday.

Note: An earlier version of this article mistook the tournament venue. Changes have been made to reflect the proper information.