Big Ten Tournament 2016: Predicting Bracket Before Regular-Season Finales

Like any conference tournament, the Big Ten gives each of its 14 members a chance to earn a championship by making a successful run and earning a spot in the NCAA tournament.

However, it's not a tournament where every team has an equal chance to win. The four teams at the bottom of the conference standings have to win five games if they are going to win the championship, while the teams in the top four places get a double bye and need three wins to come away with the tournament championship.

With one day left on the Big Ten schedule, the Indiana Hoosiers (24-6, 14-3 Big Ten) have already clinched the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. The Michigan State Spartans (26-5, 13-5) clinched the No. 2 seed in the tournament when they defeated Ohio State 91-76 Saturday. Joe Rexrode of the Detroit Free Press commended the MSU seniors:

Maryland (24-6, 12-5) and Wisconsin (20-10, 12-5) are tied for third going into the final day of the season, and if both win, the Terrapins and the Badgers will hold on to their positions and get a double bye in the tournament.

However, the Terps are on the road against Indiana, while the Badgers have to go to Purdue. It is quite likely one or both of them will lose.

The Big Ten features eight strong teams that are capable of getting to the semifinals or perhaps the championship. In addition to Indiana, Michigan State, Maryland and Wisconsin, Purdue (23-7, 11-6), Iowa (21-9, 12-6), Ohio State (19-12, 11-7) and Michigan (20-11, 10-8) have the talent to make a long run and win the tournament.

Northwestern, Penn State, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota and Rutgers all had losing records and appear to be in over their heads with little chances of winning the tournament.

With the Spartans clinching the second seed in the tournament, a classic bracket is set up. If the seeds hold, Indiana and Michigan State will meet in the title game March 13, and that would be a classic.

The Spartans are on a roll, having won six games in a row and 10 of their last 11. Michigan State appears to be a likely No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Head coach Tom Izzo and the Spartans had a tremendous run a year ago and got to the Final Four, and it would not be surprising to see Player of the Year candidate Denzel Valentine lead his team back to that level once again in his senior season.

Valentine is leading the Big Ten in scoring with 19.6 points per game, but he is far from a one-man team. Bryn Forbes is the team's second-leading scorer with a mark of 15.1 points per night, and he is connecting on a Stephen Curry-type pace from beyond the arc. Forbes is making 50.5 percent of his three-pointers.

Senior forward Matt Costello is averaging 10.5 points and a team-leading 8.5 rebounds per game. He is capable of asserting himself with his strength and determination, and when he does that, the Spartans get a lift.

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Indiana has found its rhythm under head coach Tom Crean this season. Yogi Ferrell has answered every challenge he has faced this season, and he leads the Hoosiers with an average of 17.1 points per game for the outright conference champs:

Crean's team features three other players in double figures, including James Blackmon Jr. (15.8), Troy Williams (12.6) and Thomas Bryant (11.7).

The Hoosiers' outstanding balance gives them an excellent chance to assert themselves in the tournament just the way they have in the regular season.

Maryland may have the best chance of taking the Big Ten title besides the top two seeds. The Terps have played consistently in what is still new territory for them, because this is just their second season in the Big Ten.

Melo Trimble and Diamond Stone form an excellent one-two punch for Maryland. Trimble is the Terps' leading scorer with an average of 14.3 points per night, while Stone is contributing an average of 12.7 points per game. The sophomore Trimble received good news on Saturday, according to CSN Mid-Atlantic's Daniel Martin:

Robert Carter, a junior forward who transferred into the program, is the team's third-leading scorer with a mark of 12.5 points per night, and he is also contributing a team-leading 6.8 rebounds per game.

Prediction

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While the Big Ten is deep and competitive, Michigan State and Indiana are the two best teams in the conference, and they should be able to win their first-round matchups when they play on Friday.

Both should also handle their semifinal assignments, but the way in which each team wins could be crucial. If one gets extended to the final seconds or overtime while the other wins easily, that could play a big role in the championship matchup.

In the end, Indiana is a great team, but Izzo's Spartans are a solid squad with a legitimate chance of winning the national championship.

The Spartans should find a way to capture the Big Ten tournament crown.