With a month to go in Big Ten basketball, the standings are as tight as ever-and nowhere is that congestion more intense than in the middle of the pack. That’s where Wisconsin currently sits, right in the thick of a battle that’s going to have major implications for seeding in the Big Ten Tournament. And in this league, where only the top four teams earn the coveted double-bye (which, let’s be honest, feels more like a triple-bye), those seed lines matter-a lot.
Here’s the deal: every team in the Big Ten gets a shot in the tournament, but not all paths are created equal. If you finish in the bottom three-spots 16 through 18-you’re staring down the barrel of six games in six days.
That’s a gauntlet few, if any, teams can realistically survive. On the flip side, a top-four finish means just three wins in three days.
That’s a manageable road, especially for a team with depth and momentum.
Right now, if the season ended today, here’s how the bracket would shake out:
Projected Seeds:
- Michigan Wolverines
- Illinois Fighting Illini
- Nebraska Cornhuskers
- Michigan State Spartans
- Purdue Boilermakers
- UCLA Bruins
- Wisconsin Badgers (wins tiebreaker over Iowa)
- Iowa Hawkeyes
- Indiana Hoosiers
- Ohio State Buckeyes (wins tiebreaker over USC)
- USC Trojans
- Minnesota Golden Gophers (wins tiebreaker over Washington)
- Washington Huskies
- Maryland Terrapins
- Rutgers Scarlet Knights (wins tiebreaker over Northwestern)
- Northwestern Wildcats
- Oregon Ducks (wins tiebreaker over Penn State)
- Penn State Nittany Lions
Tiebreakers are determined first by head-to-head results, then by the highest conference win. That makes Wisconsin’s earlier win over Michigan a potential game-changer-if the Wolverines stay near the top, that victory could end up being a golden ticket for the Badgers in any seeding dispute.
Here’s how the Big Ten Tournament bracket would look if the season ended today:
Tuesday, March 10 - First Round (Peacock)
Game 1: No.
17 Oregon vs. No.
18 Penn State
Game 2: No.
15 Rutgers vs. No.
16 Northwestern
Game 3: No.
9 Indiana vs. Winner of Game 1
Game 4: No. 12 Minnesota vs.
No. 13 Washington
Wednesday, March 11 - Second Round (Big Ten Network)
Game 5: No.
8 Iowa vs. Winner of Game 2
Game 6: No. 5 Purdue vs.
Winner of Game 3
Game 7: No.
7 Wisconsin vs. No.
10 Ohio State
Game 8: No.
6 UCLA vs. Winner of Game 4
Thursday, March 12 - Third Round (Big Ten Network)
Game 9: No.
1 Michigan vs. Winner of Game 5
Game 10: No. 4 Michigan State vs.
Winner of Game 6
Game 11: No.
2 Illinois vs. Winner of Game 7
Game 12: No. 3 Nebraska vs.
Winner of Game 8
Saturday, March 13 - Semifinals (CBS)
Game 13: Winner of Game 9 vs.
Winner of Game 10
Game 14: Winner of Game 11 vs.
Winner of Game 12
Sunday, March 14 - Championship (CBS)
Game 15: Winner of Game 13 vs. Winner of Game 14
Now, let’s talk about Wisconsin’s potential path, should the standings hold. The Badgers would open against Ohio State in the second round-a gritty matchup with two teams that know each other well.
Win that, and they’d draw Illinois in the third round. Get through the Illini, and Nebraska likely awaits in the semis.
And if they make it all the way to the title game? Michigan could be waiting.
That’s a brutal stretch-four games in four days, each against teams capable of making deep March runs. But that’s the Big Ten for you.
There are no easy outs, no cupcake matchups. Every possession matters, every seed line counts, and every win down the stretch could be the difference between a deep run and an early exit.
The next few weeks are going to be wild. Buckle up.