Busting Brackets
Fansided

2017 Big Ten Tournament: Michigan vs. Wisconsin preview, prediction, TV schedule

By Michael Foy

Mar 1, 2017; Evanston, IL, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard Derrick Walton Jr. (10) is defended by Northwestern Wildcats guard Scottie Lindsey (20) during the first half at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 1, 2017; Evanston, IL, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard Derrick Walton Jr. (10) is defended by Northwestern Wildcats guard Scottie Lindsey (20) during the first half at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

On Sunday afternoon in the Big Ten basketball league, the Michigan Wolverines take on the Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten Tournament title game.

 TV Schedule: Sunday, Mar. 12, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS

Arena: Verizon Center, Washington, District of Columbia

If you were told to predict the Big Ten Tournament championship match-up before the season started, my guess is that you wouldn’t have chosen Michigan vs. Wisconsin. It may be selection Sunday, but we have more basketball to be played and a Big Ten Tournament champion to be crowned.

Wisconsin has not played their best basketball to end the year, plain and simple. The Badgers dropped off five of seven games to finish out the season. Many thought they were possibly done. They weren’t playing typical, defensive-minded, Wisconsin-branded basketball. They hobbled into the Big Ten Tournament, only to seemingly turn it around with a win over Indiana. They followed that up with a beat down, 76-48, win over America’s sweetheart, Northwestern. Wisconsin looks to be back to their old selves, now can they bring that same play to a championship match-up with Michigan?

What can you say about Michigan? This team has had a remarkable, and certainly memorable, end of the year. The Wolverines were sitting at 12-7 and 2-4 in league play with a trip the NIT looking more and more inevitable with each loss. Then, something clicked, and the Wolverines lost four games the rest of the season and are a lock for the NCAA Tournament.

Despite this, Michigan was slotted as an 8-seed and, still, no one thought they would make a tournament run. Then, the situation involving the team and their airplane took place. Michigan could have folded many times throughout the year, but didn’t. All this team has done all season is fight through obstacles and prove people wrong. This team has fought adversity on and off the court and has rallied together to rise to the Big Ten Championship game.

Next: 5 predictions for the Big Ten Tournament

Wisconsin looks great again, but it’s too difficult to not ride this Michigan wave to a conference title. Michigan wins in a close one and finishes the season as Big Ten tournament champions for the first time since 1998.

Prediction: Michigan 70, Wisconsin 66

Home/Big Ten