The 2021-22 Big Ten season was much like the one before it. The conference was deep and had several teams that fought down to the final day of the season before determining the regular-season champion. Wisconsin and Illinois shared the title, but Purdue was right on the heels of both teams, finishing one game behind in the standings.
But the top three won’t be the only teams that have something to say about who brings home the Big Ten title. Defending champion Illinois and last-place Nebraska enter the tournament on the longest winning streaks, each having won its past three games. There are eight teams in the field who have won 10 or more games in the conference, while five teams have 20 or more wins overall.
Let’s go over all of the available sport betting information to find some of the better NCAAB expert picks to take. This tournament should be a wild one.
Big Ten Conference Tournament Betting Analysis
Badgers a tough out
Wisconsin may have the best player in the tournament in Johnny Davis but did stub its toe coming into the tournament, falling to Nebraska in the final game of the season. Most worryingly, Davis was on the end of a flagrant foul that sent him limping off the court. Davis led the Badgers by averaging 20.0 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.
Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said he is optimistic that Davis will be able to return by the time the tournament starts. The Badgers, who are seeded second, have the betting odds of +800 to win the tournament.
Wisconsin is a middle-of-the-pack offensive team, averaging 71 points per game. Defensively, the Badgers are in the top 100 limiting their opponents to 66.5 points per game.
Purdue is a wild ride
When Purdue is clicking, the Boilermakers are one of the more entertaining teams to watch. Purdue ranks seventh nationally in scoring average, pouring in 80.7 points per game.
The Boilermakers are also ranked third nationally in field goal percentage and 3-point percentage, making 49.7 and 39.7 percent of their attempts. Jaden Ivey has been the engine to make Purdue go, leading the team by averaging 17.2 points per game.
Zach Edey, who averages 14.7 points per game, leads the team by making 66.7 percent of his shots and grabbing a team-high 7.6 rebounds per game. What makes Purdue a difficult team to back as a +175 favorite is its inconsistency. The Boilermakers were 16-1 at home and 4-0 on neutral floors.
Where Purdue struggled was away from home. The Boilermakers were 5-5 in true road games. Purdue lost two of its last three games, both of which were by three points apiece.
Illinois a formidable No. 1 seed
Defending champion Illinois has the second shortest NCAAB odds to protect its crown at +275. Cockburn has averaged 21 points and 10.6 rebounds per game for the Illini to develop into a player of the year candidate. With his presence inside, plus deadly outside shooting, Illinois is difficult to pin down.
The Illini make 9.3 3-pointers per game and knock down 36.7 percent of their attempts. Alfonso Plummer is Illinois’ top 3-point shooter, making 44.1 percent of his attempts. Plummer scores 15.1 points per game. Illinois closed the season with three straight wins and have been solid away from home this season, compiling a 9-5 mark in the neutral site and true road games combined.
The Illini average 76.2 points per game and beat their opponents by an average of 8.5 points per game. Illinois has a strong non-conference victory over Notre Dame and played close games with Arizona and Marquette.
The rest of the field
Michigan and Michigan State are both desperate for victories to try and get to the postseason. The Spartans, who are +1600 to win, struggled down the stretch, losing five of their final seven games. The Wolverines are 17-13 this season and will welcome back Juan Howard back to the bench in the postseason.
Howard was suspended for slapping a Wisconsin assistant coach last month. Rutgers is an intriguing team at +1400. The Scarlet Knights can have a hard time scoring but have the guards to make a few higher seeds sweat out their matchups together.
Big Ten Conference Tournament Prediction
Illinois has a strong inside-outside game and can play any style of game its opponents would like to play. With Purdue being inconsistent and Wisconsin’s more deliberate approach, the Illini are able to hang with what its opponents in any style. Illinois should be able to navigate through the tournament and grab its second straight tournament crown, making it one of the better NCAAB betting picks to make for this tournament.
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