With the Big Ten playing a more prominent role in college basketball betting this season than in other recent years, it feels like this football-crazy conference has turned over a new leaf. All eyes will be on No. 1 Ohio State. Can it avenge defeats to Wisconsin and Purdue? Let’s handicap the Big Ten Tournament.
OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (29-2)
Sportsbook odds: -150
The Buckeyes are the top-ranked team in all of college basketball, so it’s no surprise to see them listed as the betting favorite to win the Big Ten tourney. Some people will dispute the rank and call for Kansas to get the top spot. After all, two other contenders in this tourney, Purdue and Wisconsin, beat Ohio State. But the Buckeyes look like the real deal. They responded well after their second defeat, winning four straight times by 19 or more points. They’re also a national top-20 team in both scoring offense and defense.
PURDUE BOILERMAKERS (25-6)
Sportsbook odds: +300
Remember Robbie Hummel? Apparently Purdue doesn’t. It’s not often that a team overcomes a season-ending injury to one of its starters only to play mostly dominant basketball but Purdue has done just that this season. The Boilermakers enter the tourney having won seven of eight. JaJuan Johnson is having a dream season, averaging 20.6 points per game. Purdue is a legitimate threat to the Buckeyes, having beaten them by 13 points on February 20.
WISCONSIN BADGERS (23-7)
Sportsbook odds: +350
As “that other team that beat Ohio State,” Wisconsin falls right behind Purdue. The Badgers are an intriguing sleeper. Not only do they have a one-two punch as good as any Big Ten team’s in Jon Leuer and Jordan Taylor, they’re also one of the country’s most outstanding defensive teams. Keep a close eye on the Badgers.
MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (19-12)
Sportsbook odds: +800
Michigan is the quintessential mid-range contender in this tournament. The Wolverines are kinda, sorta good everywhere. They don’t score a ton but they play pretty good defense, they have some pretty good scorers in Darius Morris and Tim Hardaway Jr., they enter the tournament pretty hot with six wins in eight games…you get the picture. Michigan could reach, say, the semifinals but this is a low-upside pick.
MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS (17-13)
Sportsbook odds: +800
Picking Michigan State to win the Big Ten Tournament is like picking Tiger Woods to win a golf tournament: don’t let the name fool you. I know Tom Izzo is still the coach and I know Kalin Lucas is good but this team just doesn’t have what it was supposed to have this year. The Spartans haven’t reached the Big Ten title game since 2000.
ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI (19-2)
Sportsbook odds: +1000
Fun fact: Illinois has the best all-time record of any team in the Big Ten Tournament at 23-11. But don’t let that fool you into picking the Fighting Illini to win it this year. These guys are solid and a good shooting team at .469 for the season but their 9-9 record in conference play this season tells you all you need to know.
THE PICK
I’m so tempted to pick Wisconsin. Love the defense, love their scoring tandem, a win over Ohio State already…but I can’t veer off the path. Ohio State made a statement when it crushed Wisconsin 93-65 in the rematch a few days ago. The Buckeyes are ready to win their fourth Big Ten tourney.
Today’s free pick: Ohio State-150