As a whole, Big Ten basketball had a down year. Purdue was one of the top three teams in the nation, and Illinois could be a trendy Final Four pick depending on the draw, but it was pretty bleak after that. Michigan State went from preseason No. 4 in the AP Poll to being on the bubble, Wisconsin has lost eight of its last 13 games, and Indiana and Michigan had historically bad seasons. In other words, this could end up being a very interesting Big Ten Tournament bracket, if Purdue doesn’t win it all.
Below are the standings from this past Big Ten season, along with information and a preview for the upcoming Big Ten Tournament.
Big Ten Regular Season Standings
| Schools | Conf | Ovr |
|---|---|---|
| Purdue | 17-3 | 28-3 |
| Illinois | 14-6 | 23-8 |
| Nebraska | 12-8 | 22-9 |
| Northwestern | 12-8 | 21-10 |
| Wisconsin | 11-9 | 19-12 |
| Indiana | 10-10 | 18-13 |
| Iowa | 10-10 | 18-13 |
| Michigan State | 10-10 | 18-13 |
| Minnesota | 9-11 | 18-13 |
| Ohio State | 9-11 | 19-12 |
| Penn State | 9-11 | 15-16 |
| Maryland | 7-13 | 15-16 |
| Rutgers | 7-13 | 15-16 |
| Michigan | 3-17 | 8-23 |
Big Ten Tournament Schedule
2024 Big Ten Tournament
Dates: March 13-17
TV Schedule: Peacock (First round), Big Ten Network (Rounds 2-3), CBS (Semifinals/Championship)
Venue: Target Center – Minneapolis, MN
Byes: Seeds 5-10 (single bye), Seed 1-4 (double bye)
Defending Champion: Purdue Boilermakers
Big Ten Tournament Bracket
You can get a printable Big Ten Tournament bracket here!
First Round – March 13
- (12) Maryland vs (13) Rutgers, 6:30 ET
- (11) Penn State vs (14) Michigan, approx. 8:55 ET
Second Round – March 14
- (8) Michigan State vs (9) Minnesota, Noon ET
- (5) Wisconsin vs RUT/MD, approx. 2:25 ET
- (7) Iowa vs (10) Ohio State, 6:30 ET
- (6) Indiana vs PSU/MICH, approx. 8:55 ET
Quarterfinals – March 15
- (1) Purdue vs MIN/MSU, Noon ET
- (4) Northwestern vs TBD, approx. 2:25 ET
- (2) Illinois vs OSU/IOWA, 6:30 ET
- (3) Nebraska vs TBD, approx. 8:55 ET
Semifinals – March 16
- TBD vs TBD, 1 ET
- TBD vs TBD, approx. 3:25 ET
Championship – March 17
- TBD vs TBD, 3:30 ET
Team Stats | 2024 Big Ten Basketball
(1) Purdue Boilermakers
Net Ranking: 2
KenPom Ranking: 3 (1 offense, 21 defense)
Points Per Game: 84.2
Points Allowed Per Game: 70.2
(2) Illinois Fighting Illini
Net Ranking: 15
KenPom Ranking: 10 (4 offense, 73 defense)
Points Per Game: 83.9
Points Allowed Per Game: 72.9
(3) Nebraska Cornhuskers
Net Ranking: 37
KenPom Ranking: 32 (42 offense, 26 defense)
Points Per Game: 76.8
Points Allowed Per Game: 69.3
(4) Northwestern Wildcats
Net Ranking: 50
KenPom Ranking: 42 (29 offense, 75 defense)
Points Per Game: 74.1
Points Allowed Per Game: 69
(5) Wisconsin Badgers
Net Ranking: 22
KenPom Ranking: 21 (18 offense, 62 defense)
Points Per Game: 74.4
Points Allowed Per Game: 69.8
(6) Indiana Hoosiers
Net Ranking: 93
KenPom Ranking: 86 (96 offense, 85 defense)
Points Per Game: 72.9
Points Allowed Per Game: 74.2
(7) Iowa Hawkeyes
Net Ranking: 60
KenPom Ranking: 52 (15 offense, 148 defense)
Points Per Game: 83.1
Points Allowed Per Game: 78.6
(8) Michigan State Spartans
Net Ranking: 25
KenPom Ranking: 19 (58 offense, 9 defense)
Points Per Game: 73.4
Points Allowed Per Game: 65.9
(9) Minnesota Golden Gophers
Net Ranking: 86
KenPom Ranking: 75 (56 offense, 118 defense)
Points Per Game: 75.7
Points Allowed Per Game: 71.6
(10) Ohio State Buckeyes
Net Ranking: 54
KenPom Ranking: 49 (39 offense, 69 defense)
Points Per Game: 74.5
Points Allowed Per Game: 69
(11) Penn State Nittany Lions
Net Ranking: 89
KenPom Ranking: 77 (71 offense, 100 defense)
Points Per Game: 75.9
Points Allowed Per Game: 74.3
(12) Maryland Terrapins
Net Ranking: 77
KenPom Ranking: 58 (151 offense, 11 defense)
Points Per Game: 69.6
Points Allowed Per Game: 65.7
(13) Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Net Ranking: 102
KenPom Ranking: 98 (295 offense, 4 defense)
Points Per Game: 65.8
Points Allowed Per Game: 66.6
(14) Michigan Wolverines
Net Ranking: 132
KenPom Ranking: 127 (90 offense, 192 defense)
Points Per Game: 73.5
Points Allowed Per Game: 79.4
Big Ten Tournament Preview
The top storyline this weekend in Minneapolis is whether or not anyone can stop Purdue’s reign or terror across the Big Ten. Last year, the Boilermakers won the regular season title outright as well as the Big Ten Tournament, and are looking to repeat as both again this year. Zach Edey is going to repeat as National Player of the Year following a 24 and 12 campaign, and his supporting cast has a year of experience and is more dynamic this season. Purdue is the team to beat in Big Ten basketball until proven otherwise.
Outside of Purdue, Illinois was the only team in this league that maintained a consistently high level of play this season. The Illini boasted one of the nation’s most efficient offenses due to their athleticism, size, and ability to hunt mismatches. Surprisingly, despite having athletic advantages over just about every opponent, this team has really struggled to defend. Holding Iowa to 61 points in the regular season finale was a positive sign heading into postseason play, as they will need to be more efficient on that end in order to make a run. Illinois is easily the top team on their side of the bracket and will be playing on Sunday if they just take care of business in the first two games.
Besides the actual tournament champion, the most significant storyline to watch in this Big Ten basketball tournament is Michigan State’s quest to secure a spot in March Madness. In the last 25 NCAA Tournaments, Tom Izzo’s Spartans have had their name called on Selection Sunday every time. This year, they are at slight risk of being left out of the Field of 68, particularly if they lose their first game to Minnesota. The Spartans enter the Big Ten Tournament at just 18-13 and need to win on Thursday to feel safe.
