Big Ten Tournament 2015: Dates, Top Players to Watch in Upcoming Event

The Big Ten may not have as many highly ranked teams as the ACC, but there will certainly be plenty of star power on display in Chicago during the conference tournament.

Between Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky, Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell, Indiana’s Yogi Ferrell, Penn State’s D.J. Newbill and Maryland’s backcourt of Melo Trimble and Dez Wells, among others, some of the most exciting players in all of college basketball will take the floor in one location. Throw in the pressure of March, and the Big Ten tournament is appointment viewing. 

With that in mind, here is a look at the dates and players to watch during the annual event. A full bracket and schedule can be found here, courtesy of the Big Ten Network.

2015 Big Ten Tournament

Dates: Wednesday, March 11 – Sunday, March 15

Location: United Center, Chicago, Illinois 

TV: ESPN, ESPN 2, Big Ten Network and CBS Sports

Top Players to Watch

Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin

Kaminsky is the exact type of player every college coach wants when March rolls around—experienced and talented.

Kaminsky led Wisconsin to the Final Four a season ago and has the Badgers among the top teams in the country once again this year. He is a walking double-double who is averaging career highs in points per game (17.7), rebounds per game (8.3), field-goal percentage (54.4), three-point percentage (39.7), assists per game (2.4) and steals per game (0.8).

He is more than just a statistical force, though.

Kaminsky is nearly impossible to match up against because he can drill shots from beyond the three-point line, which draws the opposing center outside of the paint, or post smaller defenders up on the blocks. There are only a handful of players in the entire country who could guard him on paper, and those are the rare big men who also have enough athleticism to extend their games well beyond the paint. 

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

Kaminsky has done enough to land on CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein’s All-American team:

While the individual accolades are certainly nice, Kaminsky would probably rather lead the Badgers to a Big Ten tournament title, especially since they will be the favorite and fell short last season.

D’Angelo Russell, Ohio State

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

There is a reason commentators can’t stop using descriptors like “silky” and “smooth” when they watch Russell play. 

He is a phenom with the ball in his hands and can beat opposing defenses with an explosive first step off the dribble, endless three-point range (42.8 percent on the season) or jaw-dropping passes like the one below, via RealGM. Russell may be a freshman, but you would be hard-pressed to find a more exciting player across the country.

Ohio State has experienced an up-and-down season and only has a couple of marquee wins on the resume, but the history of March is littered with special individuals elevating their games and carrying their teams to new heights. Between Carmelo Anthony, Shabazz Napier and Kemba Walker, to name a few, the blueprint is there for Russell to make the Buckeyes dangerous.

Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

That’s not to suggest Ohio State is suddenly going to make a run at the Final Four or anything, but Russell is the type of player that no team wants to face in the one-and-done nature of the conference and NCAA tournaments. 

There are a number of ways he can beat the opponent, and you can bet he will find at least one in Chicago during the Big Ten tournament.

Yogi Ferrell, Indiana

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

If Russell is the smooth operator among Big Ten guards, Ferrell is the roller coaster who blurs past opposing defenses and takes the crowd on a ride with his incredible speed in the open floor.

He has used that athleticism and quickness to average 16.2 points and five assists per game (going into Wednesday’s showdown with Northwestern) and is absolutely lethal in transition. It is not just his ability to get to the rim and either score himself or dish out to open teammates that stands out.

He is lethal from three-point range (42.1 percent) and has demonstrated a fearlessness when it comes to taking the big shot and making plays in crunch time.

Rich Schultz/Getty Images

He is also the vocal leader of this Indiana squad and is not afraid to let his team know what it needs to do, as he demonstrated in comments after the loss to archrival Purdue, via Zach Osterman of The Indianapolis Star. 

"We've just got to stop being so soft," he said. "We think it's gonna be easier than it is, especially guys who haven't been here and played in the Big Ten. They think it's easier than it is. Now we're just learning the hard way."

If the Hoosiers follow Ferrell’s lead in the Big Ten tournament, they can advance deep into the bracket. Outside of Wisconsin and possibly Maryland, there are no real dominant teams, which means an individual playmaker can carry his team to the late rounds. 

Indiana has one of those in Ferrell running the show at point guard.

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