Big Ten Tournament 2015: Latest Championship Odds and Predictions on Day 2
If you're looking for games that will impact the NCAA tournament, look no further than the second round of the Big Ten tournament.
Each of the four games features at least one team either looking to get onto the right side of the bubble or hoping to improve its seed for the Big Dance. This will create a sense of urgency not often seen in such an early round of the tournament.
After a relatively quiet first day in Chicago, here is a look at predictions for Day 2 at the Big Ten tournament.
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| Wisconsin | 10-11 |
| Ohio State | 9-2 |
| Maryland | 7-1 |
| Michigan State | 7-1 |
| Iowa | 9-1 |
| Purdue | 14-1 |
| Illinois | 16-1 |
| Indiana | 20-1 |
| Minnesota | 33-1 |
| Michigan | 66-1 |
| Northwestern | 200-1 |
| Penn State | 200-1 |
No. 8 Illinois vs. No. 9 Michigan (12 p.m. ET)
Illinois enters the week squarely on the bubble. One win might be enough to get an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, while two wins should probably get them in. On the other hand, a loss to Michigan would likely end any hope.
However, head coach John Groce is refusing to look that far ahead. According to Marcus Jackson of The News-Gazette, Groce explained earlier in the week:
"When you get in the tournament setting, your whole mindset is you’re trying to play better than the other team and find a way to get to the next line on the bracket, that’s the bottom line. Some guys call it survive and advance; some guys use different analogies. But, for us, Michigan is trying to play better than us on Thursday; we’re trying to play better than them. Whoever plays the best basketball has a chance to advance to Friday’s game.
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The ability to focus on the current opponent will be vital for the Illini against Michigan. The teams split their two meetings during the regular season, with both games going into overtime.
On the plus side, Illinois has played much better than the past results have indicated. The return of Rayvonte Rice has made a positive impact on the group, but a brutal schedule has led to a few losses.
Considering Michigan's late-season struggles as the injuries continued to pile up, Illinois should be able to earn that necessary win in a close game.
Prediction: Illinois 65, Michigan 63
No. 5 Iowa vs. No. 13 Penn State (2:30 p.m. ET)
Despite the struggles throughout the season, Penn State is a team you never want to play. The reason for that is D.J. Newbill, who can beat teams almost by himself.
The Big Ten's leading scorer had 26 points in the Round 1 win over Nebraska while showcasing his defense with three steals and four blocks. When someone else can step up, like Shep Garner did Wednesday, the Nittany Lions are a scary team to face.
That said, Iowa has been as solid as anyone in the conference as of late thanks to its own superstar in Aaron White. Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports has high hopes for the squad going forward:
White is averaging 22.8 points and 9.4 rebounds over the past five games, and no one on Penn State has the ability to slow him down. With a disciplined defense around him, the Hawkeyes will advance to the quarterfinals without much trouble.
Prediction: Iowa 67, Penn State 54
No. 7 Indiana vs. No. 10 Northwestern (6:30 p.m. ET)
A few weeks ago, it seemed crazy to question whether Indiana would make the NCAA tournament, as the team appeared safely in the field. Unfortunately, three losses in a row have capped a miserable end to the season for the Hoosiers.
Jeff Eisenberg of Yahoo Sports argues on behalf of the squad heading into the postseason:
On the other hand, the squad hasn't won back-to-back games since Jan. 22. If the Hoosiers can't at least defeat Northwestern in this game, they will likely be NIT bound.
The problem is that this matchup isn't exactly a good one for Indiana. The Hoosiers' lack of size has led to struggles with talented post players, which Northwestern's Alex Olah has become down the stretch. The junior had 17 points and 11 rebounds in a win over the Hoosiers last month and could have similar success this time around.
Yogi Ferrell is going to do whatever he can to give Indiana a chance to win, but poor defensive play means Ferrell will not be enough for Indiana as the Wildcats pull off the upset.
Prediction: Northwestern 75, Indiana 72
No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 11 Minnesota (9 p.m. ET)
The reason Ohio State has such short odds to win this tournament despite being a No. 6 seed is the same reason that no one wants to play the Buckeyes in the NCAA tournament: D'Angelo Russell.
Despite being just a freshman, the guard has been one of the best players in the nation this season, filling up the box score with 19.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. When he is playing well, he can keep the Buckeyes in contention by himself.
This is also bad news for Minnesota, despite an impressive 80-68 victory over Rutgers in the first round. The Gophers are at their best when they can use their defensive pressure to force opponents into mistakes. With Russell and Shannon Scott in the Ohio State backcourt, however, that won't be easy.
Maurice Walker and Joey King could create mismatches in the frontcourt for Minnesota, but Ohio State will be tough to stop offensively and should be able to win a high-scoring game.
Prediction: Ohio State 77, Minnesota 70
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