Big Ten Tournament 2020: Preview, Predictions and Players to Watch

For most of the past decade, the Big Ten Tournament has been dominated by schools from Michigan.

Since 2012, Michigan State has won the tournament championship four times (2012, 2014, 2016 and 2019), while Michigan won it in back-to-back years in 2017 and 2018. The only other school to win the title in the last six years was Wisconsin in 2015.

Both Michigan State and Michigan are having solid seasons again this year and could continue the state's dominance at the Big Ten Tournament. However, there is a lot of competition for this year's tournament title, as the Big Ten is stacked with strong teams this season.

Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, eight Big Ten teams are ranked in the AP Top 25 poll. Plus, the regular-season conference title is still up for grabs with Maryland, Michigan State and Wisconsin all owning 13-6 records in Big Ten play.

With the Big Ten Tournament coming up next week, here are three players to keep an eye on during the tourney, followed by predictions for how it will unfold this year.

Players to Watch

Jalen Smith, Maryland

John Minchillo/Associated Press

One of only two players averaging a double-double in the Big Ten this season, Smith has emerged as one of the Big Ten's best in his sophomore season for the Terrapins. He's averaging 15.4 points and a team-high 10.5 rebounds per game as he's been a double-double machine, posting 20 in 30 games.

Smith was a solid player in his freshman campaign, as he started 33 games for Maryland and averaged 11.7 points per game. But he's taken the next step this year while being more of a presence on the glass.

The Terps have yet to win the Big Ten Tournament since joining the conference in 2014. In fact, they haven't won a conference tournament championship since winning the ACC Tournament in 2004, which is their only tourney title since 1984.

If Maryland is going to end its drought, Smith will likely need to continue to play the way he has throughout the regular season. He should be fun to watch in the tournament, as he's been an imposing force in the Big Ten all year.

Cassius Winston, Michigan State

This won't be the first time that Winston will be a player to watch in the Big Ten Tournament. Now in his senior season, the 6"1' guard has been a key part of Michigan State's team for four years.

Winston is having a season similar to his junior year, as many of his stats are comparable from a year ago. He's averaging 18.3 points per game, which ranks third in the Big Ten, along with 5.9 assists. He ranks second in the conference in free-throw percentage at 85.5 percent.

Last year, Winston had a strong showing in the Big Ten Tournament, posting 14 points and 11 assists in the Spartans' championship game victory over Michigan. He went on to lead Michigan State to the Final Four, scoring at least 16 points in four of its five NCAA Tournament contests.

One of the best shooters in the Big Ten, Winston will look to end his college career by leading the Spartans to more postseason success. He's likely to start that off by having some strong showings next week.

Luka Garza, Iowa

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

After being a solid player for the Hawkeyes his first two seasons, Garza has developed into one of the top college basketball players in the nation this year. He's averaging a Big Ten-high 23.7 points per game to go along with 9.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.

Garza had a breakout performance on Dec. 6 when he scored 44 points in a loss to Michigan. In the second half of the regular season, he's been a consistent force for Iowa, as he's scored at least 20 points in 15 straight games, which included a 38-point showing at Indiana on Feb. 13.

The Hawkeyes have only won the Big Ten Tournament twice, with their most recent championship coming in 2006. But they've had a strong season and could contend for the title this year.

If they do, it will likely because of Garza, who should continue his impressive season with more big performances against Iowa's conference rivals.

Predictions

Michigan State over Maryland

Although there are a lot of strong teams in the Big Ten this season, the conference tournament will come down to two that should be among the top three seeds.

Maryland has one of the top duos in the conference, as Smith and Anthony Cowan Jr. should guide the Terps to the championship game. They may have lost three of their last four games, but if they beat Michigan at home on Sunday, then they could have the momentum they'll need for the Big Ten tourney.

Michigan State could be peaking at the right time, as it's won four straight games, a stretch that includes strong victories over Iowa, Maryland and Penn State. If the Spartans beat Ohio State in Sunday's regular-season finale, then they could be considered the favorites heading into the Big Ten Tournament.

The main reason why Michigan State will end up on top? Experience. Longtime head coach Tom Izzo knows how to get the most out of his teams in March, and this year's squad has players such as Winston who have experienced past success.

Therefore, don't expect the Spartans' run of recent success to come to an end this year, as they'll win the conference tournament for the second straight season.