Big Ten Tournament 2015: Wisconsin vs. MSU TV Schedule, Live Stream, Predictions

As expected, the Wisconsin Badgers took the Big Ten tournament by storm following their double-bye, defeating Michigan in the quarterfinals and trouncing Purdue in Saturday's semifinals. A dominating second half resulted in a 20-point winning margin and a berth in the final.

Although, the conference tournament's other semifinal contest saw Michigan State take down Maryland in a stunning upset. After trailing at the half, the Spartans rallied, defeating the Terrapins by four points and earning the right to face the Badgers for a shot at the Big Ten tournament title.

Wisconsin may be the team to beat here, but Michigan State is on a tremendous hot streak following tournament wins against Ohio State and Maryland. As we anxiously await the Big Ten's compelling conclusion, let's take a look at the impending final's essential viewing information and predict a winner.

Big Ten Tournament Final

Who: No. 1 Wisconsin vs. No. 3 Michigan State

When: Sunday, March 15

Where: United Center in Chicago

Time: 3:30 p.m. ET

Channel: CBS

Live Stream: CBSSports.com

Preview and Prediction

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Wisconsin's performance against Purdue was nothing short of impressive. Rarely have the Badgers been tested this season, but they were forced to rally after falling behind by five points at the half. Not only did Frank Kaminsky and Co. make up the margin quickly after the break, but they outscored a very good Boilermakers squad 41-16 in the second half.

The combination of Kaminsky and Sam Dekker was magnificent on both ends of the court once again. The duo took control of the game on the inside, displaying a strong blend of physicality and athleticism. Kaminsky came away with 12 points, five rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocks, while Dekker finished with 15 points and eight rebounds.

While those two big men were mixing it up on the interior, Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig made the most of their looks from the perimeter, combining to shoot 6-of-12 from downtown. Hayes came away with 15 points, and Koenig earned a team-high 19.

Purdue's offense couldn't find a way past a resilient Badgers defense, shooting 37.3 percent from the floor, as only forward A.J. Hammons reached double-digit points with 10. Dekker commented on how his team's stellar defense affected the game's momentum during a press conference with The Associated Press, via ESPN.com.

"When we're doing good on the defensive end, it makes the offense even more fun, because one thing leads to another," he said. "We have the guys who can get it done on both ends."

That defense will have to show up one more time if the Badgers are going to take down a suddenly red-hot Michigan State team that always seems to show up in a big way once March rolls around.

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Tom Izzo's squad is capable of winning games in a multitude of fashions. That was the case Saturday, as the team remained stout on the defensive end of the court, facilitated well on offense and mixed the solid perimeter shooting of Travis Trice with the physical inside presence of Branden Dawson.

Trice picked his spots from downtown and connected on 3-of-5 attempts from three-point land en route to scoring a team-high 20 on the game. Dawson was brilliant in the paint, collecting eight boards while putting up 17 points. While Denzel Valentine didn't have a good shooting day, he distributed the ball very well, accumulating seven of the team's 15 assists.

After the game, Izzo explained why his team finds so much success in the month of March during a press conference with The Associated Press, via ESPN.com.

"I think because we have so many great alums that really look at this month and they call from everywhere and they call our players, and our players, I think, somewhat feel a little obligated," Izzo said. "That's not a bad thing, you know, to live up to the standards of the people that built the program."

The final's determining factor is likely to be how well the Spartans shoot from downtown. They may find it difficult penetrating the Badgers defense and rely on perimeter shooting as a result. Wisconsin did allow Purdue to connect on 50.0 percent of its threes in the semifinals, so if Michigan State gets hot from behind the arc, it will do some damage.

Although, the last time these teams faced off, the Spartans shot 52.9 percent from downtown but still fell to the Badgers, as they simply couldn't find an answer for Kaminsky, who finished with 31 points. Based on how Wisconsin's frontcourt has been playing of late, we should expect a similar result Sunday.

Prediction: Wisconsin