Michigan Is The Best Program In The Big Ten

Photo Credit: Thomas Beindit

Check out the postgame comments:

Michigan-Minnesota Postgame

Postgame Thoughts: Minnesota - Zak Irvin Comes Up Big

Photo Credit: Thomas Beindit

Huge win for Michigan.  Read at the link below:

Postgame Thoughts: Minnesota - Zak Irvin Comes Up Big

Preview: Michigan vs. Minnesota - Can The Wolverines Stop Andre Hollins?

Photo Credit: Thomas Beindit

Check out the preview for tonight's game linked below:

http://michigan.247sports.com/Board/59424/Preview-Michigan-vs-Minnesota-24532457/1

Week 3 Big Ten Update

I'm going to be starting a new recurring post on the blog updating the Big Ten on a regular basis.  Most fans are able to keep up with Michigan and maybe a couple of the other top teams like Indiana, Ohio State, and MSU, but a lot can get lost in between.  As a result, I'm going to post on a weekly basis (hopefully) to keep everyone updated on what's going on around the Big Ten.  Mainly, I'm going to address some of the main events, where the teams stand, and analyze what that means for the conference and Michigan.

I will start with the obvious, the rankings.  Not a lot changed in the most recent set of rankings.  The Big Ten currently has three teams in the Top 5, four in the Top 25, and two teams that are currently receiving votes (#26 & #27).  That is extremely impressive for one conference, especially at the top end.  So far, none of the ranked Big Ten teams has lost since the new set of rankings and only one of the teams receiving votes lost (Minnesota to Duke).  This basically means that the ranking position of the Big Ten teams will largely remain the same.  MSU and Wisconsin might be able to move up with some help, but most of the things will be the same, for now.

Recapping: Minnesota

In Devin Gardner we trust.

I'll admit I was a little scared when the last minute news broke that Denard Robinson would not be a go against Minnesota. But we have to give credit to the coaching staff for preparing Gardner as though he would at least see some action.

Devin did the rest himself.

Gardner completed his first pass of the season, and that had to have given him a world of confidence moving forward in that game. However, on Michigan's second possession,  Gardner attempted his second pass and was picked off, rolling out to his right. But it was near flawless from that point on.

Compiled 2012-2013 Big Ten Predictions

Every season comes with a flurry of predictions and rankings and this year is no different.  Right now, the best conference in college basketball is the Big Ten and they have received their fair share of preseason rankings and hype.  Well, everybody wants to know the team that will reign victorious at the end of the season.  It's a difficult challenge, but I'm going to be attempting to predict the Big Ten.  I will undoubtedly be wrong by the end of the season, but here's my best guess:

 Nebraska Cornhuskers--(12th in B1G) This team is going to be horrible.  I'm sorry I have to say it, but it's going to be true.  Will they be horrible by national standards?  No, but they are going to be pummeled by the Big Ten.  The Cornhuskers finished in last place at the end of last year and they've taken significant steps backward from that team.  They not only lost their best players, but they also fired their head coach.  I wouldn't call this a trainwreck because Nebraska is still adjusting to the major challenge of Big Ten basketball, but this is not going to be a pretty year for Nebraska.

 Penn State Nittany Lions--(11th in B1G) This is a team that I think has a chance to develop into a semi decent squad in the coming years.  They are a long way from vying for a Big Ten title, but they have a few pieces to help them get back to respectability.  Point guard Tim Frazier will lead the way again and he should have another big year.  They have a few decent pieces and recruits that should help him out and I definitely like the coaching that has occurred with the Nittany Lions.  They are a team that keeps fighting until the finish and I think they might have a chance at being the Iowa of last season.  Still a doormat to most of the big teams, but they might get an upset here or there.

Minnesota Players To Watch

With 4 games to go, there is nothing to be taken for granted. Nothing. Michigan will be traveling to face Minnesota this week, where they have an all-time record of 67-22-3 in the series,  carrying a 5-3 (3-1) record. Minnesota is also 5-3 but (1-3) in the Legends Division, and Michigan has lost to Minnesota only 3 times since 1968.

When you look at how Michigan has done so far, it's not encouraging for the simple fact that except for Purdue, Michigan has loss every road contest, and won every home stand. That makes Saturday's game against the Golden Gophers that much trickier. Both teams do pretty well on the pass defense part of the game--Michigan is 1st, Minnesota is 7th. It's the other facets of the game that both teams seem to struggle with. Denard Robinson was hurt last week against Nebraska, and although he is supposed to be "fine" this week...it still begs the question of how "fine" will he be after being knocked out of the game for over half of it?  And what will happen with Michigan's running attack, or lack thereof? Will Michigan retain the Little Brown Jug that's been passed around since 1903?  Well here is some players to keep on eye on for Minnesota:

Michigan Ranked #5 In Preseason USA Today Poll

The first rankings of the 2012-2013 season have been released and they have been very positive for Michigan.  The Wolverines have been ranked #5 in the preseason poll, which is their highest preseason ranking since 1993.  This means that this is the highest preseason ranking for Michigan basketball since the Fab Five era.  When you're talking about an almost two decade span since this type of ranking, it's a pretty significant achievement for the team and program.

Of course, nothing is guaranteed, even with this type of ranking, but as I discussed in my 2012-2013 Expectations post, there is a lot of hope when a team is ranked in the Top 5.  For instance, four of the teams ranked in the Top 5 last season made it to the Elite Eight.  Really, only one of the teams had a letdown year, but they still had a pretty good record and made it to the NCAA Tournament.  If that's the floor for success, that's a pretty good sign for a program like Michigan that's still somewhat in the building stages.

Week 5 AP/Big Ten Rankings

Week 5 AP rankings are out, and it shows that yesterday was a big one in college football. Geno Smith and West Virginia survived a shootout against Baylor, racking up over 1,500 yards between the two teams. Smith passed for almost 700 yards and 8 TDs, practically vaulting himself into the front spot of the Heisman trophy race. Louisville survived in a torrential downpour against Southern Mississippi. LSU looked to be quite mortal against the Towson Tigers in a game that the score was a lot closer than just 38-22.

Ohio State shut down Michigan State's vaunted running game, and following the loss against Ohio State, State's defensive coordinator, Pat Narduzzi, made complaints concerning "doctored" game tape from Meyer. Northwestern improved to 5-0, while Minnesota came in undefeated and were exposed against Iowa. Purdue gave up a lot of points against Marshall while Illinois was blown out again versus Penn State, probably giving them the title of worst in the Big Ten next to Indiana. Nebraska had their biggest comeback ever against Wisconsin, setting Wisconsin back to 3-2 on the season. Here's the poll:

Week 5 Notes And Predictions

This Saturday marks the bye week for Michigan. Michigan will be the only Big Ten school on a bye this week as the rest open up the conference game schedule. College Gameday is making their stop this Saturday in East Lansing, where the Buckeyes are going to take on the Spartans at home. Obviously, that makes it the premiere Big Ten matchup of the week. That being said, don't overlook the Wisconsin-Nebraska game, which should be a close game between two teams, one on the way up in Nebraska, and the other one on the way down in Wisconsin. Both teams are currently 3-1 and looking for a signature win in conference play. Here's a taste of each game:

Week 4 Rankings--The Fall of the B1G Ten?

College football is an amazing sport. Where else can you find all these men playing a violent game on scholarships? Or even those players without free rides trying to make the team? They don't get paid for the millions of dollars of revenue they produce for their schools. They don't get paid money for merchandise that carries their name on it. Sure, the usual argument is that the scholarship alone is worth enough money for that player and the players say they can't hold jobs or have time for a job, much less order a pizza.

Yesterday showed us that even among scholarship players, blue chippers and huge programs alike....that even the mightiest can fall. It was widely joked about yesterday as to the state of the Big Ten, and rightfully so. Ohio State was sluggish against UAB and nearly completely overlooked them. It wasn't until the end of the 2nd half that the Buckeyes put some touchdowns on the board, and even then didn't score in the 3rd. The scary part is that while the Buckeyes are still undefeated, UAB came into the contest winless, and never backed down. Michigan State struggled mightily against Eastern until the 4th quarter where it appeared as though the Eagles threw in the towel on some assignments (also bad 3rd down playcalling sunk the offense) and Bell ended up having a career day with 253 rushing yards. Iowa lost to Central Michigan 32-31 with 3 seconds to go...on the leg of a non-scholarship walk-on 3rd string kicker. Kinnick Stadium won't be the same for a while. Louisiana Tech completely blew out Illinois on a turnover filled night.

Week 4 Game Notes With Reactions To Rich Rod's Michigan Comments

1. To state that Michigan needs this win over Notre Dame is an understatement, and for multiple reasons. First, Michigan needs to win to put themselves back into the top 15. Currently, there are no Big Ten teams ranked in the top 15 for the first time in 11 years, and OSU along with MSU were the last teams holding onto the distinction. Secondly, and most importantly, it would put Michigan in good position for a BCS bowl. They are obviously out of the national title picture, but the Rose Bowl/Big Ten Championship or another BCS bowl is still within their grasp. By beating Notre Dame, that'll strengthen their quality of opponent factor and push them back into the top 15, and maybe even the 11 or 12 spot. Can they move back into the top 10? Probably not after this week, but give it time and win out from here.

2. We all know by now about Shane Morris and his case of mononucleosis. One thing that wasn't touched on was the fact that if he is out for the whole season, then more than likely he will lose that coveted 5* ranking. When that happens, and it's happened before, then Michigan's recruiting rankings will go down in points as well. Even with the possibility of getting Laquon Treadwell  in Ann Arbor, I don't think Michigan will overtake USC now in terms of the number 1 spot in overall points. In the end, it's all semantics anyway.

Breaking Down Michigan's 2012 Big Ten Schedule

Every season has its twists and turns.  Whether its new players, coaches, or stadiums, there are always some interesting changes.  One thing that typically stays the same, however, is conference play.  Yes, there are always some variations, such as location and timing, but for the most part, the teams on the slate are pretty similar, if not identical on a yearly basis.  With the Big Ten's new format, things have become even more interesting.  Not just because there are now more teams competing for the conference championship, but also because of the new division layout and more complex scheduling.

The reason the division layout and scheduling have become so important is because of the way the Big Ten has divided the teams.  This may seem obvious, but it's important to note how this process has occurred and the impact of the change.  Since the Big Ten has attempted to divide the conference based on long-term winning percentage, it has effectively separated the good and the bad teams.  On average, there should be two really good teams, two average teams, and two bad teams in each division.  In the long run, this will probably be true, but that's not always how it works out, especially when we're analyzing just one year.

Previewing Big Ten Football: Minnesota

 So far, I've written about Illinois and Indiana football, and today I'm going to touch upon the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Minnesotoans haven't had a whole lot to cheer about in recent seasons, but don't disregard their rich history. Many people are unaware that Fritz Crisler coached at Minnesota for two seasons in the early 30s, compiling a 10-7-1 record. Bronco Nagurski--the NFL Hall of Fame halfback? Yep, played at Minnesota. Possible Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy? He played there as well.


Jerry Kill is now the head coach at Minnesota. Last season was his first in which he compiled a 3-9 record. Before assuming this position with the Golden Gophers in December 2010,[2] Kill served as the head coach at Saginaw Valley State University (1994–1998), Emporia State University (1999–2000), Southern Illinois University Carbondale (2001–2007), and Northern Illinois University (2008–2010). The sad part is what most fans will remember about Kill, and about Minnesota, is that he suffered a series of seizures on the sidelines last season. It wasn't the first time he's had to deal with that; being diagnosed with kidney cancer back in 2005. Let's all pray he has better health fortunes this upcoming season. Also keep in mind that in his head coaching career, he's amassed a record of 130-82, so he is a worthy coach of a Big Ten program.

2012 Early Big Ten Predictions

Read any sports mag, or sports site online and they always have mock rankings, drafts, etc...Well people--here is my first attempt at doing the same. Below you will find a 2012 version of how I believe our B1G Ten teams will finish, both conference wise and overall. Keep in mind I reserve all rights to my opinion, and the views expressed are mine and nobody else's. I will be doing a more in-depth analysis into each team every week from now till the beginning of the season. So let me give you a brief synopsis into the season.

Legends Division

Iowa Hawkeyes--(4-4 Big Ten, 8-4 overall) Kirk Ferentz always has his team ready to play every season. James Vandenburg has the potential to be a good QB, but the Legends Division seems to be pretty strong this year. Wins--NIU, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, CMU, Minn, MSU, PSU, Indiana.  Losses--Northwestern, Purdue, Michigan, Nebraska

Previewing Big Ten Basketball: Minnesota

As our analysis of the Big Ten continues, we arrive at our first team that will likely be ranked in the preseason polls.  Right now, ESPN's Andy Katz has Minnesota at #25 and on the edge of the rankings and there's no reason to think that won't be accurate when the season begins.  Obviously, the preseason rankings mean very little in the grand scheme of things, as referenced in my Illinois post, but it does show that this team has some big expectations for next season.  They certainly aren't expected to be in the Big Ten title race or as one of the top teams in the nation, but if the preseason predictions are accurate, they should be able to go to the NCAA Tournament.

Minnesota started off the season with a lot of potential.  They began their season 6-0 and started off with a record of 12-1 before entering Big Ten play.  They actually received votes in the first three AP polls of last season.  However, Trebor Mbakwe, who is considered by most to be Minnesota's best player, was injured in their only non-conference loss against Dayton and did not return for the remainder of the season.  This was a huge hit to the Golden Gophers as he was named 2nd team All-Big Ten in the 2010-2011 and actually led the Big Ten in rebounding during his junior year.

Michigan Basketball Roster: Part I - Returners

There's been a lot of early speculation following the recent announcements of many of the Big Ten's best players, such as Trey Burke and Jared Sullinger.  Most have pointed to Indiana as the Big Ten's best team for next season, but much of that has just been early season hype.  Indiana will be returning a ton of talent, especially in Cody Zeller, but there certainly is no set formula for determining the good and bad teams.

With this in mind, I wanted to take a look at how Michigan stacked up in returners against the rest of the Big Ten.  Michigan has received a lot of hype as well, not as much as teams like Indiana, but most of the experts at least think they're going to be one of the elite teams in both the Big Ten and the country next season.  I agree, primarily because of the immense amount of talent that is going to be in Ann Arbor in both returners and recruits.  Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway, Jr., and Jordan Morgan will all be back next season.  These three players constitute the majority of Michigan's scoring and assists and also the team's leading rebounder.

Returning three starters, even if they were probably the team's best players, doesn't guarantee that Michigan will be as good or better than last season, but it should be interpreted as at least a positive.  Let's compare these returns to the rest of the Big Ten.  As of now, only four teams in the Big Ten will be returning their top two scorers, leader in assists, and leader in rebounds for next season (Michigan, Indiana, Minnesota, Illinois).  However, let's dig a little deeper.  I wanted to quickly compare what each of these teams were actually bringing back.  For instance, Illinois.  They return five starters, but they finished 10th in the Big Ten.  What they're bringing back probably isn't as good as what teams like Michigan or Indiana are returning (1st and 5th in the Big Ten).  

	Michigan	Indiana	Minnesota	Illinois
Big Ten Record	13-5	11-7	6-12	6-12
Big Ten Finish	1st	5th	10th	10th
Postseason Ranking	#22	#13	NR	NR
Returning Starters	3	5	5	5
Returning All-Big Ten Players	2	1	0	1

* - All-Big Ten Players are counted as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd teams


Obviously, this chart has a lot of information, but the important thing is to separate the measures of team success and the returning aspects.  A quick glance at Big Ten record, finish, and final rankings clearly show that Michigan and Indiana had much better seasons than Minnesota and Illinois.  To most fans, this will be no surprise, but it's important to state before looking at returning rosters.  Returning successful teams and good players is much more valuable than returning players on bad teams.  This may seem obvious, but like I said, it's important to note.

So, that leaves us with Michigan and Indiana.  I would go through Minnesota and Illinois' returning rosters, but let's be honest.  They are returning pretty weak squads.  The one note that should be made is that Minnesota had some early seasons troubles including an injury to Trevor Mbakwe, which probably skewed their results somewhat.  Regardless, I think it's safe to assume that even with Mbakwe, Michigan and Indiana probably would have finished a good chunk ahead of Minnesota.

Indiana had a better NCAA Tournament finish than Michigan, but I think one can make a strong argument that Michigan actually had the better season.  Not only winning the conference championship, but also being more consistent than Indiana over the season.  I will give the edge in success to Michigan, even though Indiana's season had some very exciting moments.

However, Indiana returns all of its starters, which is pretty impressive.  Michigan returns most of its starters, but Indiana will be returning more from this standpoint.  To most, this is the reason why Indiana will likely be ranked #1 to start next season.  This is certainly a logical argument, but I think it skips over the connection that I described above.  Not only do I believe that Michigan had a better team last season, evidenced by their conference championship and better record, but I think if you take a look at the returning players, one can make a strong case for Michigan over Indiana.

For instance, look at the two teams' returning All-Big Ten players.  Michigan actually has more than Indiana with Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway, Jr.  Indiana will have just Cody Zeller back.  Along with this, one can make a case that Burke will be the best returning Big Ten player next year.  However, just looking at these awards, you can at least strongly point to Zeller and Burke as about even.  Indiana's only other player that received love from the media and coaches' awards was Christian Watford, but I don't think many would argue that he is better than Hardaway.

Indiana may have two more returning starters, but I think Michigan's returners are better than Indiana's returners.  This is certainly something that is debatable, but I don't think you can argue that Indiana will have three returners that are better than the three Michigan is returning.  Some might ask why this matters when comparing returners.  It comes down to the basic argument; quality vs. quantity.  Indiana's returners are certainly talented, but I truly believe that Michigan's are better.  However, as noted, Indiana will have more coming back.  Maybe less talented on average than Michigan's starters, but they will have more.

There's obviously no way to prove who has the best returners, but I think using the arguments I've made above, one can certainly make a strong case that Michigan will have the best returning roster in the Big Ten. This does not mean Michigan will have the best roster for next season, but it is exciting to see that Michigan should at least be in the top of the league in returners, recruits, and overall roster for next season.  It is sure to be an exciting season for Michigan basketball.


Photo Credit: UMHoops

Big Ten Tournament Round 3: Ohio vs. Michigan

WOW.  That's about all I can say after last night's Michigan vs. Minnesota game.  It was close throughout, went to overtime, and had an epic comeback by Michigan to win it.  Regardless of what some people might say, it doesn't really matter if Michigan had blown out Minnesota or not, they still won.  As Coach Bacari tweeted earlier today, "In order to get to Sunday, we have to be very aggressive in everything we do.  We are not interested in moral victories."

Winning by 30 over the "bad" opponents would be nice and all, but it doesn't really change anything.  Sure it probably makes the team and fans feel great, but let's compare MSU and Michigan's games in Round 2 of the Big Ten Tournament quickly  MSU cruised to an easy win over Iowa.  Michigan won in OT against Minnesota.  They're both in the semi-finals.  Sure, MSU gets to play Wisconsin instead of OSU, which is probably a lot easier, but that is because of tournament seeding and nothing to do with that game's result.  So, as I pointed out, a win is a win and Michigan fans should be happy that the Wolverines are moving on after that scare.

With that, let's get to the real topic today.  Ohio.  They are one of the three teams that split the Big Ten Championship and are certainly going to be vying for some revenge after their last game with Michigan, where the Wolverines won in the closing seconds.  Also, as I discussed earlier this week, Thad Matta and Ohio have been great in the Big Ten Tournament the last few seasons, which makes them even more dangerous.  If Michigan starts slow like they did against Minnesota, the Wolverines will have no chance against the Buckeyes.  The important thing is to come out playing with fire and not give up any early deficits.

As I previewed here and here, you can see that the major key, as always, when a team plays the Buckeyes is addressing Jared Sullinger.  In the Big Ten Awards Show, he was selected as 1st Team All-Big Ten and is simply an amazing player.  But that's enough praise for him.  Michigan did a pretty nice job stopping him both times this year and I think they can continue today.  Stopping him is always priority #1, but the Buckeyes certainly have some great players elsewhere.

Buford and Thomas will be the main offensive threats the Wolverines have to address if they look to come out with the win today.  However, along with this, Craft is one of the best defensive players in the Big Ten and was actually awarded this by the Big Ten.  He'll be covering Burke all night and this could be just as important as Sullinger, Buford, and Thomas's contributions.  Regardless, Michigan's going to have to play tough defense if they want to be able to overcome the size advantage Ohio offers and be in position to win.

I think Michigan has a great chance, especially since they've beaten the Buckeyes already this year, but I think Ohio will win this one today.  Not necessarily because they're the better team, but primarily because they are dynamite in the Big Ten Tournament.  It should be a tight game that can go either way, but I'm going to have to lean towards the 'dark side' today.

My Magic Pick Is...

Ohio 68-63


Photo Credit: Thomas Beindit

Big Ten Tournament Round 2: Minnesota vs. Michigan

Well, in surprising fashion, Minnesota upset Northwestern yesterday to screw up many of the nation's Big Ten Tournament predictions.  For the vast majority of Michigan fans (myself included), this was great news.  Minnesota is not only less talented than Northwestern, but they underachieve on a consistent basis as well.  They blew numerous leads this season against not only good teams, but against weaker teams as well.  They shouldn't be overlooked, but Michigan should be heavily favored when the two teams tip-off.

Michigan will primarily have to work to slow down Rodney Williams.  He is averaging 10.9 points per game this season, which leads the Golden Gophers (excludes Mbakwe who only played 7 games).  Stopping Williams is even more important because one of Minnesota's better players, Ralph Sampson III, was injured earlier this week.  He offered a challenge to Michigan's limited size, even though he was not a major factor when Minnesota and Michigan faced off earlier this season, and will need to be addressed by the Wolverines.


Michigan has been pretty good in Big Ten Tournaments over the last few years and they should continue that legacy now.  Minnesota will be over-matched and likely tired after their overtime win against Northwestern.  If this game is close for long segments, I expect Michigan to gain an advantage near the end simply because the Golden Gophers should "wear out".  Michigan rested earlier this week and had the opportunity to sit back and watch the Minnesota vs. Northwestern game because of their solid seeding.  There's no doubt this is an advantage for Michigan in this type of tournament.

The challenge for Michigan in this situation is to stay focused on Minnesota and to make sure they play up to their potential.  A likely rematch with the Buckeyes looms on Saturday, but beating Minnesota needs to remain the Wolverines' top priority.  I think we all can remember times this season when Michigan seemed over-matched against opponents they should have beaten.  Prime examples can be seen in Michigan's games against Iowa and Purdue.  Michigan is better than both those teams, but lost because they came out as an unfocused group.


The bottom-line is for the Wolverines to come out playing with fire and passion.  If they are able to get a solid lead, I really don't see anyway the Golden Gophers will be able to come back.  Not only because they will be tired after beating Northwestern in overtime yesterday, but also because they have a lot of significant injuries.  I really like Michigan in this game and I believe they will have a rematch with Ohio State.  If both teams win that game should be very interesting, but I think both of those teams win today.


My Magic Pick Is...


Michigan 67-60




Photo Credit: AnnArbor.com

Big Ten Tournament Predictions

There is always a lot of controversy, commentary, and excitement that surrounds the Big Ten Tournament, and this year will be no different.  Not only does the Big Ten currently have 5 ranked teams that will be in this weekend's tournament, but 3 of the teams also split the Big Ten Championship.  Not only will the battle to "reclaim" the Big Ten Championship be an interesting storyline, but there are some teams fighting for a berth in the NCAA Tournament as well.

Teams like MSU, OSU, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana have been secured in the NCAA Tournament, but teams like Northwestern will be on "the bubble" this weekend.  This is what makes the Big Ten Tournament so exciting.  One weekend of basketball that will determine which teams go to the NCAA Tournament, have respectable seasons, and which teams decide to call themselves champions.  Of course, Michigan, MSU, and OSU will all get their rings and banners, but MSU has already made it an objective to "reclaim" their title this weekend.

I think it's kind of funny that MSU somehow has to "reclaim" a championship that they've already been award, but whatever makes them happy is ok I guess.  There are a lot of intriguing match-ups  this weekend, but Michigan has been dealt a pretty tough route to a Big Ten Tournament Championship.  Not only will they face the winner of the Minnesota vs. Northwestern game (NW is crucially fighting for a big win to secure its first ever tournament trip), but the following game would likely be against Ohio State or Purdue.  Michigan has a combined 2-2 record against OSU and Purdue, so winning against those teams is no guarantee.

Of course, anything can happen in the Big Ten Tournament, but we all know OSU and Thad Matta's recent success in this tournament.  Not only has Matta compiled a 14-4 record in the tournament, but OSU has also won the last two Big Ten Tournament Championships.  As a result of this, I'm predicting OSU will beat Purdue to advance to the semi-finals.  Along with this, I'm predicting MSU will defeat Iowa to go to the semi-finals and Indiana will upset Wisconsin to make the semi-finals.

I'm strongly inclined to believe that Northwestern will beat Minnesota and face-off against Michigan on Friday.  Not only because they must beat the Golden Gophers to make the NCAA Tournament, but also because they're a lot better team.  I really don't want to play the Wildcats again, especially after having to go to OT in both regular season match-ups, but Michigan should have a great shot at beating them.  The big concern I have is that the Wildcats will come out red-hot against the Wolverines and be able to steal a win simply because they need it to make the NCAA Tournament.

However, I'm still leaning towards Michigan beating Northwestern to have another match-up with Ohio State.  If this happens, it will mark the 3rd straight season that Michigan and OSU will face-off in the Big Ten Tournament (would make 9 total meetings in just 3 seasons).  I'm not going to make a game prediction because I'd like to see how each teams play on Friday first, but I'd have to lean towards the Buckeyes because they seem to be playing a little better than when they had their rough stretch and have been dynamite in the Big Ten Tournament.  Along with this, I'm going to predict MSU runs through Indiana in an effort to "reclaim" the title they already hold.

This would make the final match-up an MSU vs. OSU rematch of the Big Ten regular season finale. I'd like to pick Michigan to go further, but they really don't have a lot to play for in this tournament and have a tough draw, even though they are the #2 seed.  However, I think they'll play well and lose a nail-bitter to the Buckeyes, although I'm not making my specific prediction for that game yet, just a general feeling for the tournament right now.

My Magic Pick Is...

OSU to win the Big Ten Tournament for a 3rd consecutive season with a solid win over the Spartans, Wolverines, and Boilermakers.  However, I think they're going to fall early in the NCAA Tournament (saying that makes me feel better about this prediction).



Photo Credit: Big Ten