Big Ten Tournament 2018: Semifinals Schedule, Live Stream, Bracket Predictions

The Big Ten Tournament will ride a rollicking start into Saturday's semifinals.

Madison Square Garden has hosted enthralling action since Wednesday. Michigan avoided an upset on Thursday, and Rutgers extended its underdog saga by stunning Indiana.

During Friday's quarterfinal round, the top-seeded Michigan State barely escaped an early exit. Michigan then trounced Nebraska in the tournament's most lopsided game to set up a clash between the two most recent conference champions Saturday.

Later in the evening, Penn State knocked off Ohio State for the third time this year in a 69-68 thriller. While one underdog advanced, Rutgers' remarkable run ended with an 82-75 loss to Purdue.

Four teams will fight to be crowned the Big Ten champion Sunday. Although only Penn State needs the automatic NCAA tournament bid, the others could fortify a high seed and earn bragging rights before March Madness.

Semifinals Schedule

No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 5 Michigan: Saturday, March 3 at 2 p.m. ET on CBS

Prediction: Michigan 68, Michigan State 66

No. 3 Purdue vs. No. 7 Penn State: Saturday, March 3 at 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS

Prediction: Purdue 84, Penn State 75

Live Stream:  CBS All Access

Michigan vs. Michigan State Preview

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The Spartans scratched their way to a semifinals appearance and 13th straight win with a 63-60 triumph over Wisconsin. They received just 26 points, seven from the bench, beyond Miles Bridges' 20 and Cassius Winston's 17.

Per an Associated Press report, head coach Tom Izzo expressed some displeasure in his squad's performance (via ESPN.com).

"I was disappointed in my team, maybe in myself too," Izzo said. "I just didn't think we played well. But like some of my equipment men and guys like that said to me: 'When has it been any different with Wisconsin?'"

Michigan State survived a close game while playing its usual plodding pace. Don't expect a different style on Saturday.

According to KenPom.com, the Spartans entered Friday with 67.3 adjusted possessions per 40 minutes. They are practically the Houston Rockets compared to the Wolverines, whose 64.5 adjusted tempo ranks slower than all but 17 of 351 analyzed Division I squads.

A quicker game might aid the lower seed. On Jan. 13, Michigan handed Michigan State its most recent loss by forcing 18 turnovers.

The No. 15 Wolverines must again pressure the No. 2 Spartans into torpedoing their chances with self-inflicted wounds. Despite their methodical playing speed, the conference favorite entered the tournament averaging 13.4 turnovers per contest.

With the help of 28 free throws in a game featuring a combined 67 attempts, Michigan notched a 10-point win over its foe despite just six makes from behind the arc. Another upset may require a result closer to Friday's, when Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman and Duncan Robinson made a combined nine of the squad's 11 threes.

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While the Spartans entered the tournament boasting the nation's fourth-best three-point percentage (42.1), John Beilein's team is far more aggressive from long range. He will need his perimeter shooters to sustain their hot hands against a team ranked No. 9 in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency.  

Neither ranked school needs a Big Ten title to secure a March Madness invite. That shouldn't prevent a big-game atmosphere at the World's Most Famous Arena.

By conquering the Big Ten bracket, the Spartans can punctuate their bid for a No. 1 seed while gaining vengeance against a familiar foe. Before besting Wisconsin, Winston addressed the possibility of the marquee showdown to Matt Charboneau of the Detroit News.

"If we play Michigan, it's going to be a big rival game for the tournament to move on to the championship," Winston said. "But that's the type of game you live for."

Michigan sports a seven-game winning streak, so both teams enter the matchup with momentum. The Wolverines have pummeled the competition during their streak, with a 13.7-point average victory margin. Michigan State, meanwhile, has etched out seven of its 13 consecutive triumphs by a maximum of six points.  

A low-scoring game would allow Michigan to score a narrow victory by forcing more turnovers and draining a few more downtown buckets. That will lead to a battle of strengths against Purdue's torrid offense in Sunday's championship game.