The Boilermakers will open the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday, playing the Wednesday winner between Penn State and Illinois, at 9 p.m. in Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Click HERE for the full bracket.
Following is a thumbnail look at the 14 Big Ten teams.
1. Maryland
Record: 27-3 overall, 16-2 Big Ten
Remember this: The Terrapins are the league’s deepest team, perhaps easing their run of three games in three days, with 10 players who average at least 11 minutes.
Outlook: Despite having lost only three games – twice to Ohio State and by only 10 to UConn – the Terps are likely on the outside looking in at a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. An RPI of 11 – one spot behind seven-loss UCLA, per NCAA.com, is a reason why. But maybe a tourney title, plus an early Big 12 loss by Baylor, helps Maryland move up to the top line.
2. Ohio State
Record: 23-6, 15-3
Remember this: Although the Buckeyes finished second in the league, they twice beat Maryland this season, 80-71 on the road and 94-86 at home.
Outlook: The Buckeyes would have won a share of the title, and gotten the Big Ten Tournament’s top seed, had it not been for a Saturday triple overtime loss at Michigan State or an overtime loss at Minnesota a few days before. They enter the week on a two-game losing streak, although tough to argue that they’re playing poorly.
3. Michigan State
Record: 22-7, 13-5
Remember this: The Spartans jumped up to third in the Big Ten, thanks to their triple overtime win over OSU on Saturday. They were 1-2 combined vs. Maryland and Ohio State this season, splitting vs. the Buckeyes.
Outlook: The Spartans have been the third team in a top-heavy Big Ten this season, but one that is able to pull an upset over one of the two heavyweights. If MSU is to host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament, then it will need a Friday win followed by a Saturday victory in a likely rematch vs. OSU.
4. Indiana
Record: 20-10, 12-6
Remember this: Credit to Indiana for its 12 conference wins, but keep the schedule in mind too; of the top six finishers in the Big Ten, the Hoosiers played only Minnesota (fifth) twice. They faced Maryland, Ohio State, Purdue and Michigan State only once each, going 1-3 (MSU). They were 1-1 vs. the Gophers.
Outlook: Indiana is likely solidly in the NCAA Tournament, thanks to a 20-win season, 12 in the Big Ten, and an RPI of 40. But the schedule has been beneficial, as well.
5. Minnesota
Record: 19-10, 11-7
Remember this: Rachel Banham is awesome. What she did this season won’t frequently be matched, averaging 30.5 points in conference play to set a new record for points (529). And she set a season-record with 75 three-pointers. She will soon pass 3,000 career points, needing only 18 more to get there.
Outlook: The Gophers can score, averaging more than 87 points per game (in conference), thanks in large part to Banham and fellow guard Carlie Wagner; the duo combines for 47 points per game, the nation’s best. But they don’t play defense, allowing a Big Ten-worst 86.1. The win over OSU helps the NCAA cause, but an RPI of only 76 hurts. Minnesota might need to get to the championship game to get in.
6. Purdue
Record: 19-10, 10-8
Remember this: Purdue has won three straight games, following a five-game losing streak, largely by defense. In the three games, the Boilermakers allowed an average of only 55 points.
Outlook: Purdue is in the NCAA Tournament right now – probably – but the margin isn’t much. Charlie Creme has the Boilermakers as the third-to-last team in, meaning a slip-up vs. a lower-seeded team on Thursday would be harmful, to say the least. A win Thursday, however, likely safely gets them in. The early-season victory over Louisville is helpful.
7. Nebraska
Record: 18-11, 9-9
Remember this: Rachel Theriot is out, having undergone season-ending surgery on her left ankle – injured before the start of the Purdue game on Feb. 21 – severely limiting Nebraska’s tournament chances.
Outlook: Barring an tournament championship, the Cornhuskers won’t make the NCAA Tournament – their RPI is 90 – and doing that seems unlikely without Theriot.
8. Michigan
Record: 17-12, 9-9
Remember this: The Wolverines are the league’s fifth-best scoring team in Big Ten play, averaging 75.8 points, but they allow 77.5 (13th).
Outlook: The Wolverines really could have helped themselves with a win over Rutgers on Sunday, but the loss puts them well back for an NCAA Tournament spot. Didn’t help themselves by being 3-6 in the first half of the Big Ten.
9. Iowa
Record: 18-12, 8-10
Remember this: The Hawkeyes have won three of their last four following a four-game losing streak.
Outlook: Iowa is a WNIT team, barring a tourney title.
10. Rutgers
Record: 17-13, 8-10
Remember this: Rutgers might be the most athletic team in the Big Ten, certainly one of the top, but it can’t shoot. In conference games, the Knights hit only a league-worst 65 three-pointers (16 less than Purdue, which was second-to-last), at only a 30.5-percent rate.
Outlook: C. Vivian Stringer was irked following Rutgers’ loss at Purdue last week, probably knowing that it prevented the Scarlet Knights from getting in the NCAA Tournament. An RPI of 54 keeps them in the conversation, but they need to help themselves this weekend, significantly.
11. Penn State
Record: 11-18, 6-12
Remember this: The Nittany Lions are 3-3 in the last six games, including a win at Michigan State.
Outlook: PSU might be the most dangerous team of Wednesday’s four, but it’d have to win four games in four days to keep its season alive.
12. Northwestern
Record: 15-15, 4-14
Remember this: The Wildcats were ranked 16th when Purdue beat them in Evanston on Jan. 7. They’ve been the Big Ten’s most disappointing team, by far.
Outlook: NU can an at-large into the WNIT if it wins its Wednesday opener. But the Wildcats might still be a WNIT bubble team, a poor place to be for a team that had NCAA hopes at the start of the Big Ten.
13. Wisconsin
Record: 7-21, 3-15
Remember this: The Badgers have six seniors. This was supposed to be their year to do something.
Outlook: Wisconsin enters postseason having lost six straight following the upset win over Purdue Feb. 8. That’s also the Badgers only win in the last 14 chances.
14. Illinois
Record: 9-20, 2-16
Remember this: Illinois’s margin of defeat is 11 points per game, the worst in the Big Ten.
Outlook: The Illini where 0-16 vs. non-Wisconsin teams in the Big Ten this season. Matt Bollant’s days might be numbered; the fourth-year coach is only 19-49 in Big Ten play, only 10-42 the last three seasons.
Click HERE for the full bracket.
Following is a thumbnail look at the 14 Big Ten teams.
1. Maryland
Record: 27-3 overall, 16-2 Big Ten
Remember this: The Terrapins are the league’s deepest team, perhaps easing their run of three games in three days, with 10 players who average at least 11 minutes.
Outlook: Despite having lost only three games – twice to Ohio State and by only 10 to UConn – the Terps are likely on the outside looking in at a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. An RPI of 11 – one spot behind seven-loss UCLA, per NCAA.com, is a reason why. But maybe a tourney title, plus an early Big 12 loss by Baylor, helps Maryland move up to the top line.
2. Ohio State
Record: 23-6, 15-3
Remember this: Although the Buckeyes finished second in the league, they twice beat Maryland this season, 80-71 on the road and 94-86 at home.
Outlook: The Buckeyes would have won a share of the title, and gotten the Big Ten Tournament’s top seed, had it not been for a Saturday triple overtime loss at Michigan State or an overtime loss at Minnesota a few days before. They enter the week on a two-game losing streak, although tough to argue that they’re playing poorly.
3. Michigan State
Record: 22-7, 13-5
Remember this: The Spartans jumped up to third in the Big Ten, thanks to their triple overtime win over OSU on Saturday. They were 1-2 combined vs. Maryland and Ohio State this season, splitting vs. the Buckeyes.
Outlook: The Spartans have been the third team in a top-heavy Big Ten this season, but one that is able to pull an upset over one of the two heavyweights. If MSU is to host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament, then it will need a Friday win followed by a Saturday victory in a likely rematch vs. OSU.
4. Indiana
Record: 20-10, 12-6
Remember this: Credit to Indiana for its 12 conference wins, but keep the schedule in mind too; of the top six finishers in the Big Ten, the Hoosiers played only Minnesota (fifth) twice. They faced Maryland, Ohio State, Purdue and Michigan State only once each, going 1-3 (MSU). They were 1-1 vs. the Gophers.
Outlook: Indiana is likely solidly in the NCAA Tournament, thanks to a 20-win season, 12 in the Big Ten, and an RPI of 40. But the schedule has been beneficial, as well.
5. Minnesota
Record: 19-10, 11-7
Remember this: Rachel Banham is awesome. What she did this season won’t frequently be matched, averaging 30.5 points in conference play to set a new record for points (529). And she set a season-record with 75 three-pointers. She will soon pass 3,000 career points, needing only 18 more to get there.
Outlook: The Gophers can score, averaging more than 87 points per game (in conference), thanks in large part to Banham and fellow guard Carlie Wagner; the duo combines for 47 points per game, the nation’s best. But they don’t play defense, allowing a Big Ten-worst 86.1. The win over OSU helps the NCAA cause, but an RPI of only 76 hurts. Minnesota might need to get to the championship game to get in.
6. Purdue
Record: 19-10, 10-8
Remember this: Purdue has won three straight games, following a five-game losing streak, largely by defense. In the three games, the Boilermakers allowed an average of only 55 points.
Outlook: Purdue is in the NCAA Tournament right now – probably – but the margin isn’t much. Charlie Creme has the Boilermakers as the third-to-last team in, meaning a slip-up vs. a lower-seeded team on Thursday would be harmful, to say the least. A win Thursday, however, likely safely gets them in. The early-season victory over Louisville is helpful.
7. Nebraska
Record: 18-11, 9-9
Remember this: Rachel Theriot is out, having undergone season-ending surgery on her left ankle – injured before the start of the Purdue game on Feb. 21 – severely limiting Nebraska’s tournament chances.
Outlook: Barring an tournament championship, the Cornhuskers won’t make the NCAA Tournament – their RPI is 90 – and doing that seems unlikely without Theriot.
8. Michigan
Record: 17-12, 9-9
Remember this: The Wolverines are the league’s fifth-best scoring team in Big Ten play, averaging 75.8 points, but they allow 77.5 (13th).
Outlook: The Wolverines really could have helped themselves with a win over Rutgers on Sunday, but the loss puts them well back for an NCAA Tournament spot. Didn’t help themselves by being 3-6 in the first half of the Big Ten.
9. Iowa
Record: 18-12, 8-10
Remember this: The Hawkeyes have won three of their last four following a four-game losing streak.
Outlook: Iowa is a WNIT team, barring a tourney title.
10. Rutgers
Record: 17-13, 8-10
Remember this: Rutgers might be the most athletic team in the Big Ten, certainly one of the top, but it can’t shoot. In conference games, the Knights hit only a league-worst 65 three-pointers (16 less than Purdue, which was second-to-last), at only a 30.5-percent rate.
Outlook: C. Vivian Stringer was irked following Rutgers’ loss at Purdue last week, probably knowing that it prevented the Scarlet Knights from getting in the NCAA Tournament. An RPI of 54 keeps them in the conversation, but they need to help themselves this weekend, significantly.
11. Penn State
Record: 11-18, 6-12
Remember this: The Nittany Lions are 3-3 in the last six games, including a win at Michigan State.
Outlook: PSU might be the most dangerous team of Wednesday’s four, but it’d have to win four games in four days to keep its season alive.
12. Northwestern
Record: 15-15, 4-14
Remember this: The Wildcats were ranked 16th when Purdue beat them in Evanston on Jan. 7. They’ve been the Big Ten’s most disappointing team, by far.
Outlook: NU can an at-large into the WNIT if it wins its Wednesday opener. But the Wildcats might still be a WNIT bubble team, a poor place to be for a team that had NCAA hopes at the start of the Big Ten.
13. Wisconsin
Record: 7-21, 3-15
Remember this: The Badgers have six seniors. This was supposed to be their year to do something.
Outlook: Wisconsin enters postseason having lost six straight following the upset win over Purdue Feb. 8. That’s also the Badgers only win in the last 14 chances.
14. Illinois
Record: 9-20, 2-16
Remember this: Illinois’s margin of defeat is 11 points per game, the worst in the Big Ten.
Outlook: The Illini where 0-16 vs. non-Wisconsin teams in the Big Ten this season. Matt Bollant’s days might be numbered; the fourth-year coach is only 19-49 in Big Ten play, only 10-42 the last three seasons.
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