It’s time to fill out that dreaded bracket for March Madness. I’m sure many of you, whether you’re a diehard fan or a casual follower of college basketball, can relate to my predicament of having more wrong than right picks by the end of the tournament. Yet I find some comfort, particularly as a fan of the Michigan Wolverines, with the knowledge that there are seven Big Ten teams that punched their ticket to this year’s Big Dance.
This has been quite a remarkable year for Big Ten basketball, so much so that it is very possible that two or even three teams could make it to the Final Four. As the number one seed in the East division, despite a loss in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament to Wisconsin, the Indiana Hoosiers are poised to make quite the showing. With powerhouse players such as freshman center Cody Zeller, junior guard Victor Oladipo, and key wins against the likes of Michigan, Ohio State, and Georgetown, the 27-6 Hoosiers have more than what it takes to go all the way.
The Ohio State Buckeyes, the number two seed in the Midwest division and the Big Ten tournament champions, also have the potential to stack up wins. The defensive tenacity of Aaron Craft and offensive presence of Deshaun Thomas give the Buckeyes a crucial advantage. Not to mention that it is a team with experience, as it made it to the Final Four in last year’s tournament.
Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan State, and Michigan are all powerful teams that have the ability to go on promising runs. Though I’m a little partial to Michigan, as I said before, I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t make it through to the Sweet Sixteen. As is evident with past U of M teams, a solid regular season could lead to a short-lived postseason. In last year’s tournament, the number three Wolverines fell in a tragic 65-60 upset to the number 14 Ohio University Bobcats. That being said, sophomore guard Trey Burke has really come into his own and is projected to be a top pick in the NBA Draft this year. When watching Michigan play, my strategy is to always expect the worst. That way the losses don’t hurt as bad. But this four-seed Michigan team is unlike previous teams and I’m hoping I’m proven wrong. It wouldn’t be the first time.
