Big Ten Tournament 2015: Latest Championship Odds and Predictions on Day 1

There might not be a conference tourney with more drama than the 2015 Big Ten tournament.

Of the 14 teams in the conference, as many as eight have a chance to earn a place in the NCAA tournament. While some of these squads have to worry about seeding in the Big Dance, others are squarely on the bubble and need to come through with big wins this week just to get into the field.

Meanwhile, the teams at the bottom have shown throughout the season that they are more than capable of pulling off an upset or two and playing spoilers. These are the programs that will be in action on Day 1.

Here is a breakdown of what to expect in Chicago on Wednesday, along with championship odds for the entire tournament.

Seed	Team	Odds
1	Wisconsin	10-11
2	Maryland	7-1
3	Michigan State	7-1
4	Purdue	14-1
5	Iowa	9-1
6	Ohio State	9-2
7	Indiana	20-1
8	Illinois	16-1
9	Michigan	66-1
10	Northwestern	200-1
11	Minnesota	33-1
12	Nebraska	200-1
13	Penn State	200-1
14	Rutgers	500-1

No. 12 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Penn State

Nati Harnik/Associated Press

There will be 10 players on the court at all times in this game, but when Penn State plays Nebraska we'll see little more than a one-on-one battle.

D.J. Newbill finished the year as the Big Ten's leading scorer at 20.7 points per game and has also shown the ability to make big shots in big moments, as he did in the last game of the year:

Sportscaster Dan Dakich was one of many impressed by the play:

The Nittany Lions point guard also leads the team in assists and steals while doing just about anything the squad needs.

On the other end of the court will be Terran Petteway, who leads the Cornhuskers with 17.8 points per game. The problem is that he lacks the efficiency of Newbill, shooting just 39.5 percent from the field and 30.5 percent from three-point range.

Shavon Shields clearly has talent and can help him on the floor, but Nebraska is often hindered by Petteway's poor shooting. The higher-seeded Cornhuskers could have a rough day against Penn State's solid defense.

If Newbill can get some help from Brandon Taylor, Shep Garner or anyone else, the Nittany Lions should be able to escape with a win.

Prediction: Penn State 64, Nebraska 61

No. 11 Minnesota vs. No. 14 Rutgers

USA TODAY Sports

As you can see from the odds above, Minnesota doesn't exactly seem to belong in this group of teams. The squad has some of the best guards in the conference between Andre Hollins, Carlos Morris, DeAndre Mathieu and Nate Mason, who all work around Maurice Walker down low.

Of course, talent is one thing, and winning is another. The Gophers have struggled mightily of late with five losses in their past six games, with their most recent defeat coming courtesy of Newbill's buzzer-beater.

Head coach Richard Pitino discussed the necessity to bounce back from this latest loss, via Amelia Rayno of The Star Tribune:

"

What we've got to do is get these guys regrouped, believing in themselves to go pull off a very, very difficult feat. To lose in the fashion that we did, on senior day, we can't let all of these close losses take away from—I don't know if fun is the right word, but getting them playing with that competitive spirit like we need to continue to do.

"

If there is one team you want to face to get back on track, it's Rutgers. While fellow Big Ten newbie Maryland has fared well in its first year, the Scarlet Knights have only posted a 2-16 conference record while losing their last 14 games.

The shocking win over Wisconsin (without Frank Kaminsky) on Jan. 11 ended up being their last victory of the regular season.

Myles Mack and Kadeem Jack can score with the best in the conference, but this won't be enough. Minnesota will get back in the win column against Rutgers.

Prediction: Minnesota 75, Rutgers 62

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