3/9 Big Ten Tournament Preview: Day 2

Big Ten Tournament Day 2 Storylines

With Wednesdays games in the books we can now move forward to an even more exciting Thursday in the Big Ten Tournament. Each game has the making to be a great one with all eight teams playing for something.

None of these games are expected to be blowouts, and Im anticipating at least one if not a few upsets to come out of Thursdays action.

Lets take a look at the four games that will take place on Thursday in Washington, D.C. in the Big Ten Tournament. All lines are courtesy of Vegas Insider.

-No. 7 Iowa Hawkeyes vs. No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers

• TV/Time: 6:30 PM ET on ESPN2
• Spread: Indiana (-1)

All of Thursdays games in the Big Ten Tournament are going to be great, but for me this is the best one on the slate for a number of different reasons.

This years 7-10 matchup features a pair of desperate teams that still both have an outside chance of reaching the big dance. Mix that with a great regular season matchup that needed overtime and we got a recipe for a barn burner.

Both teams enter the Big Ten Tournament on winning notes. Indiana picked up only its second win in its last eight games in the regular season finale at Ohio State, and Iowa cruises into the Big Ten Tournament on a four-game winning streak, which was started with that thrilling overtime win over Indiana on Feb. 21. Senior guard Peter Jok had 35 points that day 22 from the free throw line to lead the Hawkeyes back from an early 13-point deficit. However, it should be noted Iowa shot 28 more free throws then Indiana in that game.

Neither team has lived up to expectations for most of the year, but both still have a lot of talent and are dangerous teams in a single-elimination bracket. Indianas downward spiral to end the season has been well documented but this is still a team that beat Kansas and North Carolina. And Iowa has grown up a lot throughout the season, and is starting to really see this young team bloom down the stretch.

The key matchup to watch in this game is the battle between Jok and Hoosiers junior guard James Blackmon Jr. Jok got the best of Blackmon in the first matchup as Blackmon finished with 18 points, but more importantly fouled out. Whoever has a better game between these two is going to put their team in a good position to win this game. Also keep an eye on the battle in the post between Iowa freshman forward Tyler Cook and Indiana sophomore center Thomas Bryant.

I like Indiana to win this one. As I mentioned above both teams have a lot to play for and I would go as far as saying Iowa has more to play for with a better chance at reaching the tournament. But this time around Indiana wont send the Hawkeyes to the charity stripe 47 times and theyll have a better strategy for containing Jok. The Hoosiers pop the Hawkeyes bubble and remain alive for at least one more day in the nations capital.

• Pick Against The Spread: Indiana

-No. 8 Michigan Wolverines vs. No. 9 Illinois Fighting Illini

• TV/Time: 12:00 PM ET on BTN
• Spread: Michigan (-5)

This was a close second for my game of the day on Thursday with an exciting start to the day expected. Michigan and Illinois kickoff the action on Thursday and will feature a pair of NCAA Tournament bubble teams. The Wolverines enter the contest after throttling Nebraska in the season finale, while Illinois looks to bounce back from a disappointing loss at Rutgers in their season finale.

These two split their regular season battles with the home team picking up the victory. The Wolverines used the victory over Illinois on Jan. 21 to jumpstart a strong finish to their season, winning eight of their final 12 games. During that stretch senior guard Derrick Walton Jr. was incredible averaging 17.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game.

Opposite of Walton will be Illinois senior guard Malcolm Hill. Both of these guys can put the ball in the hoop and do a little bit of everything else for their teams. Expect both to have great games, but I think the game-changer in this one is Michigan junior forward D.J. Wilson. He put up 19 points in each of the two contests against Illinois earlier this year, and I think h**l have another big game on Thursday.

Behind the strong play of Walton and Wilson Michigan will pick up the win to solidify its spot in the NCAA Tournament and move on to face Purdue in the quarterfinals.

• Pick Against The Spread: Michigan

-No. 5 Michigan State Spartans vs. No. 13 Penn State Nittany Lions

• TV/Time: Approximately 2:30 PM ET on BTN
• KenPom Spread: Michigan State (-4)

Michigan State will get its chance at revenge on Thursday against Penn State as they look to avenge one of their worst losses of the season. The Nittany Lions got the Spartans back in January on a neutral court game in Philadelphia, but dont expect a similar result on Thursday.

Penn State needed overtime to get past Nebraska in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday, and will need to get right back up if they want to pull the upset on Thursday. The Nittany Lions dominated the boards in the earlier matchup between these two teams, but with a much improved freshman forward Nick Ward and tired legs on the Penn State bench I dont think thatll happen again.

Penn State has experienced some success in the Big Ten Tournament under Pat Chambers, and I do think this one will be close at half. But Michigan State has too much to lose in this one and I think well start to see Penn State show signs of fatigue in the second half. The Spartans will make just enough plays down the stretch to pull it out. The win should lock the Spartans into their 20th straight ncaa tournament and also sets up an exciting matchup with Minnesota on Friday in the quarterfinals.

• Pick Against The Spread: Michigan State

-No. 6 Northwestern Wildcats vs. No. 14 Rutgers Scarlet Knights

• TV/Time: Approximately 9:00 PM ET on ESPN2
• KenPom Spread: Northwestern (-7)

The final game of the day on Thursday could end up being another upset special that no one would have predicted.

Rutgers used a big performance from junior guard Nigel Johnson on Wednesday to knock off Ohio State in the opening round. Rutgers has picked up two straight wins for the first time since before Christmas and creates a scary matchup for Northwestern.

Rutgers played the Wildcats tough in both games during the regular season, and has enough talent in the backcourt to also make this one interesting. In the end Northwestern is simply the better team and in these kinds of tournaments the better team normally wins.

Like in the first two games, expect it to be close throughout, but in the end Northwestern pulls away with a few big shots from their star in the backcourt Bryant McIntosh. But Rutgers will cover the spread.

• Pick Against The Spread: Rutgers

Source: http://www.btpowerhouse.com/2017/3/9/14865794/3-9-2017-big-ten-tournament-basketball-preview-indiana-iowa-michigan-tv-time-schedule-bracket

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What time, which channel is the Ohio State vs. Michigan State Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal on?

Northwestern vs. Michigan - 2016 Big Ten Men"s Basketball Tournament Highlights

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Ohio State basketball team continues Big Ten Tournament play on Friday against Michigan State.

Who: No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes (20-12) vs. No. 2 Michigan State Spartans (26-5) in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament

When: Friday, 6:30 p.m.

Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)

TV: Big Ten Network

What"s next: The winner will advance to Saturday"s semifinals to play the winner of the game between No. 11 Nebraska and No. 3 Maryland. That game will tip at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Ohio State projected starters: G JaQuan Lyle (Fr., 6-5, 10.8 ppg); F Keita Bates-Diop (Soph., 6-7, 12 ppg); F Marc Loving (Soph., 6-7, 13.8 ppg); C Trevor Thompson (Soph., 6-11, 6.8 ppg)

Michigan State projected starters: G Denzel Valentine (Sr., 6-5, 19.6 ppg); G Bryn Forbes (Sr., 6-3, 15.1 ppg); G Eron Harris (Jr., 6-3, 9.3 ppg); F Deyonta Davis (Fr., 6-10, 7.3 ppg); F Matt Costello (Sr., 6-9, 10.5 ppg)

Breaking down the Buckeyes: Ohio State is coming off a 79-75 win over Penn State in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday. The Buckeyes have won six of their last eight games. Both losses have been to Michigan State ... This will be the third meeting between Ohio State and Michigan State in 18 days. The Spartans won the previous two meetings by an average of 17 points ... The Spartans eliminated the Buckeyes in the quarterfinals of the 2015 Big Ten Tournament. Ohio State is looking for its first trip to the conference semifinals since 2014 ... Junior forward Marc Loving scored 24 points in the win over Penn State. Loving is averaging 23.3 points per game in his last three games ... Freshman guard JaQuan Lyle had 22 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists against Penn State. That was only the fifth 20-10-5 game in Big Ten Tournament history ... Michigan State is the best 3-point shooting team in the Big Ten, and on Thursday the Buckeyes allowed an opponent to shoot 40 percent or better from deep for the third time in the last four games ... Ohio State is 10th in the Big Ten in scoring offense (70.9 ppg), and 7th in scoring defense (67.6 ppg) ... The Buckeyes are 9th in the Big Ten in field goal percentage (44.5 percent), and 4th in field goal percentage defense (40.2 percent) ... Ohio State is No. 65 in the KenPom ratings, and No. 76 in the RPI.

Buckeyes gearing up for Spartans ... again

Breaking down the Spartans: Michigan State is coming off a 91-76 win over Ohio State on March 5. The Spartans earned a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament after winning their final six games of the regular season ... Michigan State and Ohio State are tied for the most Big Ten Tournament titles with four ... The Spartans have reached at least the semifinals of the last four Big Ten Tournaments ... Michigan State has been the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament three times, losing in the quarterfinals twice. The Spartans also reached the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament in all three of those seasons ... Senior guard Denzel Valentine was named Big Ten Player of the Year this week. He is on pace to become the first player to average 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists since the NCAA started keeping assists as an official stats in 1983-84 ... Senior guard Bryn Forbes leads the country in 3-point shooting at 50.5 percent ... Valentine, Forbes and senior forward Matt Costello landed on at least one All-Big Ten team this week ... Michigan State is 90-35 (.720 winning percentage) in March since the 1998-99 season ... The Spartans are 2nd in the Big Ten in scoring offense (80.7 ppg), and 1st in scoring defense (63.8 ppg) ... Michigan State is 3rd in the Big Ten in field goal percentage (48.8 percent), and 1st in field goal percentage defense (37.7 percent) ... The Spartans are No. 3 in the KenPom ratings, and No. 14 in the RPI.

Bill"s prediction: Michigan State 80, Ohio State 69

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2016/03/what_time_which_channel_is_the_26.html

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Big Ten Tournament: Indiana Vs. Maryland Preview

(JACK CASSIDY/AP) Marylands stellar first season in the Big Ten afforded it a short rest before it opens play in the conference tournament.

Itll kick off for the eighth-ranked Terrapins on Friday night in the quarterfinals in Chicago against Indiana, which is desperate to improve its resume for the NCAA Tournament.

Maryland (26-5, 14-4) finished second in the conference behind No. 6 Wisconsin and enters the tournament on a seven-game winning streak.

The Terrapins capped that run with road victories over Rutgers on March 3 and Nebraska on Sunday, clinching the programs best season since they won 32 games and the national championship in 2001-02.

In his fourth season at Maryland, Mark Turgeon will be trying to secure a career-best 27th win. Turgeon, who earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors, also won 26 games in 2005-06 while leading Wichita State to the regional semifinals.

Coach Turgeon taught me how to lead and be patient, senior Dez Wells said. He stood by me. We stood by each other. I am really excited for him. He is an outstanding coach and very deserving of the award. Coach is such a hard worker who is committed to making Maryland basketball the very best.

Wells recorded two of his six career double-doubles in the last two games, recording 20 points and 10 rebounds against Rutgers before scoring 18 with 12 boards Sunday.

Freshman star Melo Trimble also enters the conference tournament with momentum after having 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists against Nebraska. He has scored at least 20 a team-high nine times.

The Terrapins are 2-0 in neutral-site games, beating Arizona State and No. 13 Iowa State in November to win the CBE Classic title.

They didnt manage a spotless record against the Hoosiers (20-12). Maryland lost 89-70 at then-No. 23 Indiana on Feb. 22 before winning the next matchup 68-66 on Feb. 11.

Indianas Yogi Ferrell hit seven of eight 3-pointers and scored 24 in the win before shooting 6 of 9 from beyond the arc with 23 points last month. Wells and Trimble scored 18 apiece in the last meeting.

Indiana has beaten four ranked opponents, but bad losses to Eastern Washington and Northwestern, as well as a three-game skid to end the regular season, has the Hoosiers bid to the NCAA Tournament anything but secure.

I really dont know, coach Tom Crean said of his teams at-large chances. No one knows, and thats the beauty of it all.

Indiana matched its second-highest total this season with 32 3-point attempts Thursday in a 71-56 win over Northwestern in the second round, and it leads the Big Ten with 23.1 attempted 3s per game.

Maryland allows opponents to shoot 31.4 percent from behind the arc, which ranks second in the conference, but the Hoosiers shot 68.2 percent (15 for 22) on Jan. 22. It was the Terrapins worst mark since allowing George Washington to shoot 71.4 percent Dec. 5, 2004.

Indiana could be without Hanner Mosquera-Perea after he suffered a right knee injury Thursday. He scored four points in 11 minutes against Maryland on Feb. 11 but missed the first meeting due to an injury to the same knee.

Hanner plays a big part in this group, but whoever needs to step up, I know they will, forward Emmitt Holt said. Were all in this together, so whatever happens happens.

Freshman James Blackmon Jr. had 25 points Thursday. He scored 22 in Januarys meeting before shooting 2 for 14 last month.

Listen to the game on 105.7 The Fan. Pregame starts at 6pm

Source: http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2015/03/13/big-ten-tournament-indiana-vs-maryland-preview/

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