Big Ten Basketball: 2021 conference tournament preview and predictions
Semi-Finals
(9) Michigan State versus (4) Purdue
This is a lesson in filling out brackets, if this were a March Madness bracket the selection is Purdue every time because Michigan State should not even be here. Michigan is better than Michigan State and the Wolverines would beat the Spartans at least seven out of ten times. It was not skill, but the circumstance that sees Michigan State squaring off versus Purdue.
The outcome is clear and simple, for it happened twice in the regular season, with the Boilermakers getting a ten-point and a one-point victory. The deciding factor was Trevion Williams scoring 26 and 28 points respectively.
While Coach Izzo will attempt to put Williams in the same defensive situations as Dickenson, as long as Williams is on the court he will score at will versus the Spartans’ frontcourt. That being said, if Michigan does get by Michigan State, the Wolverines would defeat Purdue.
Prediction: Purdue 73 – Michigan State 59
(6) Wisconsin versus (2) Illinois
Much like Michigan State, the Badgers will not get two consecutive upsets over two consecutive days. The Badgers will do a lot for their seeding with the victory over Iowa and come back to earth as they lose to Illinois for the third time this season.
The Fighting Illini dictated the pace in both games to the extent of getting the Badgers to average over seven possessions than their season average. In addition, Illinois will dominate the backboards as the height of Potters and Reuvers was beneficial versus the non-physical bigs of Penn State and the short-handed Iowa squad, Kofi Cockburn will lead the Fighting Illini to dominate on the boards similar to the 44 -19 and 39-27 advantages they had.
Once you factor in that Dosunmu did not participate in Illinois’ five-point victory, it becomes difficult to ignore the obvious.
Prediction: Illinois 77 – Wisconsin 63
Final (4) Purdue versus (2) Illinois
Whether it is Michigan State, Purdue, or even Michigan representing the opposing side of the bracket, Illinois is winning the Big Ten Tournament and in the process secure a No.1 seed in the NCAA Division I Tournament. Despite Dosunmu being prone to turnovers down the stretch as he attempts to do everything, and freshmen Adam Miller and Andre Curbelo not showing up for every game forcing Dosunmu to do everything offensively, Illinois is winning the Big Ten Tournament.
In their sole match up on Jan. 2, 2021, the Fighting Illini was victorious by a 66-58 score as Cockburn and Williams scored 14 each for their respective teams. Cockburn will not require a double down to contain Williams, so Purdue’s shooters will have less open space.
Such was what happened as Purdue attempted five fewer threes in their previous encounter, although they did connect on their season average of seven. Stopping Dosunmu is going to be difficult as well if Coach Painter is going to ask freshmen Jaden Ivey or Brandon Newman to do so.
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This is not the Big Ten Final everybody wants, especially Michigan fans as they want revenge for the 76-53 blowout, that however, may have to weight for the NCAA Tournament.