Big Ten Tournament Favorites

The regular season for college basketball is winding down, and conference tournaments are coming up soon. And no conference this year has been as competitive as the Big Ten. With so many talented teams in the mix, this year’s Big Ten Tournament should be the best among conferences. With that being said, lets take a look at what teams have the best chances of winning in Indianapolis next month.

Throughout conference play thus far, Maryland has been the best team as they currently sit on top of the conference at 12-4 in league play, and are ranked #9 in the country. Despite losing on the road to #23 Ohio State last night, The Terrapins have looked like a well-oiled machine for most of the season. Senior guard Anthony Cowan Jr’s. decision to stay another year at Maryland has definitely paid off, as he has lead this team to an impressive resume for the season, as well as made himself a contender to win Big Ten player of the year. The Terps also have stud sophomore big man Jalen Smith, who has been a nightmare for opposing big men all season long. Coached by Mark Turgeon, the Terps have the best chance to win the Big Ten tournament, as they have good coach, a tremendous veteran star, and solid role players which have helped them win all season.

Penn State has also had a good season led by senior forward Lamar Stevens. Currently the Nittany Lions are ranked #16, since they lost back to back games against Illinois and Indiana. But still Penn State has had an impressive season as they sit in second place in the Big Ten at 10-6. With a higher seed in the tournament, Penn State will have a good chance to go far and pick up some momentum against the better teams. With that being said, it isn’t unrealistic to say Penn State can win the tournament, despite losing their last two games.

Sitting third in the conference also at 10-6 is Iowa, who are ranked #18 and have had a stellar season as well. Led by national player of the year candidate and favored to be the Big Ten player of the year, Luka Garza, who has been dominant in the paint and can also knock down shots from outside. With the impressive play of their junior center, averaging nearly 24 points and 10 rebounds a game, the Hawkeyes should also be in the conversation to win the tournament next month.

Even though it has been a disappointing season for them, as they started this season ranked #1 and are currently ranked #24, don’t count out Michigan State. The Spartans also have a conference record of 10-6 and have a lot of veteran players on their team, such as senior point guard Cassius Winston and junior forward/center Xavier Tillman. Michigan State also has some talented young players as well, freshman guard Rocket Watts, and sophomore forward Gabe Brown and Marcus Bingham. They are also coached by the best coach in the Big Ten, Tom Izzo, so the Spartans have everything they need to win in Indianapolis next month.

The Big Ten has an abundance of other teams that could walk out of Indianapolis victorious. Teams like #23 Ohio State and #19 Michigan who started off strong, then cooled off, but are now hot again. Teams like Illinois and Rutgers who also had strong mid-season outings who have struggled recently, but still have the ability to come out on top.

The Big Ten has been exciting to watch all season, and the tournament should not disappoint. With so many teams who are NCAA tournament bound, this should be the most competitive tournament in the country, and should give the winner a huge boost for when they enter the big dance.