Purdue Basketball: Five storylines to follow for the 2017 Big Ten Tournament

“We’re just going to have to bring that into the Big Ten Tournament”.

Wednesday marks the start of the Big Ten Tournament in Washington D.C. After a season where nearly every Big Ten team beat up on each other, any sort of outcome seems reasonably possible.

No real surprises here unless you were expecting the IN fan to pick the Hoosiers to win a game; but you failed to recognize that I am knowledgeable, charming, and watch foreign films without subtitles, so I know that IN can not win a Big Ten Tournament game. Ohio State (27-5) knocked off Maryland in the regular season and was the top seed in the conference tournament. Those games hurt. At the same time, we can’t change the past. This is our last chance of the seasonto see our favorite teams that likely won’t make the Big Dance akaNCAATournament, and it’s the last time that literally any team can go on a run and play their way into the Tournament. That title was later vacated due to NCAA sanctions.

Way back in November, it seemed like in would be a top-three seed come Selection Sunday.

Yeah, the Badgers did just pulverize the Gophers to end the regular season but I like Pitino the Younger to take the rematch and deliver Minnesota’s first Big Ten Tournament title.

The nine-time tournament champions entered with the top-ranked scoring defense in the conference, allowing opponents to score 58.4 points per game. Power names like Indiana, Michigan State and Ohio State linger below the middle of the conference. That’s especially true of Iowa and IL, both of whom put together four-game winning streaks late in the regular season but still are only 18-13 and on the proverbial bubble.

In fact, only one team seeded outside the top four has won the tournament, a feat No. 6 Iowa achieved when it beat No. 4 IN in 2001.

“I’ve quit trying to figure this team out mentally, as you can imagine”, Buckeyes coach Thad Matta said Tuesday – possibly half-jokingly, possibly not. That means this week could have the potential to give a few teams a shot at renewing their seasons.

This is especially important in the Big Ten, which is wide open this year.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Michigan has won nine of its last 14 games, and senior guard Derrick Walton Jr.is a big reason. Second-seeded Wisconsin comes in at 9-4, followed by Minnesota (13-2), Maryland (10-1), Michigan (10-1) and Michigan State (10-1). They also became the first team since 2011 to win three straight conference tournament crowns.

And Michigan, which has been playing with a back-against-the-wall approach down the stretch, is the latter.

“At that time, I don’t think we had picked up on how good their big men could shoot the ball”, Beilein said this week. I think our players hopefully would say we do the same. It’s the best feeling. You need to catch lightning in a bottle to do that, or have a star play out of his mind, like Kemba Walker with UConn in 2011.

Top 4 seed getting the most disrespect?

The Wolverines are playing their best basketball of the season and there’s no better time to do it.

Penn State beat Minnesota during the Gophers’ five-game losing streak, but Minnesota handled them easily at the Barn on February 25, 81-71.

IL is slotted as the No. 9 seed and they will be taking on the No. 8 seed Michigan Wolverines.

“That tells you we’re capable of beating anyone in this league when we put everything together like we’re supposed to”, junior forward Jae’Sean Tate said. “He’s kind of the guy that can get us going, besides Biggie, for his versatility, being able to shoot the ball and drive, and maybe be able to create some contact or create something for us”.

“We just have to pray and have faith that we get in”, senior forward Deontae Hawkins said. I want to see more Illini players staying around the hoop and not running back to the other side before the play is over as well. That’s part of it. Every time MI pulls down a rebound that is another chance for them to score, especially considering 10 of the 30 rebounds were offensive.

No. 8 MI vs. Check out some storylines to follow for the top-seeded Boilermakers this week in Washington D.C. Just win five games in a row, that’s all.