It is my favorite time of year. Champ week, the Big Ten Tournament, in the best host city, Indianapolis. What I call a “convention of Big Ten fans” is about to commence in a short number of hours.
The regular season has come to a close, we have a champion, we have All-Conference teams to talk about, dissect, and I'll get to add my opinion and make some predictions when we get down the line in this entry. Let's do it!
Quick reactions to the end of the regular season
Michigan State reaches the peak and stands alone
What a team the Spartans have been all season, conquering feats that nobody expected. Was this the most talented Tom Izzo team? No. Was this the most experienced Izzo team? No. But it was a vintage Izzo team, and even amidst all the chaos in college sports today, he did it with just two transfers and zero players on the first and second All-Big Ten teams.
This team played to its strengths all year and has even gained more strength in the original weak point of 3-point shooting. Great offensive tempo, mid-range dominance and suffocating defense puts MSU above the rest of the conference.
If the SEC Tournament has some upsets in it and Sparty wins the Big Ten Tournament, it could find itself with a one seed on Selection Sunday.
Indiana will play in the NCAA Tournament
Amidst all the chaos in Bloomington this season, Indiana will go to the NCAA Tournament. It's just a matter if it goes to Dayton for the First Four or not.
Despite some transfers just not clicking off the bat, to the whole coaching saga with Mike Woodson announcing his intention to step down at the end of the season, IU has put some really good performances together for their coach, who loves this team, his players and mostly his university.
The Hoosiers had a great comeback on Senior Day against Ohio State on Sunday fueled by Trey Galloway who was celebrated after his final game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
Indiana will face Oregon on Thursday at noon in the 8-9 game.
Nebraska, once an at large contender for the NCAA Tournament, fails to make the Big Ten Tournament
As someone who will be at the Big Ten Tournament to take part in watching every team participating, it hurts to say that Nebraska will not be in Indy. Brice Williams, a First Team All-Big Ten selection, will miss the tournament as one of the most exciting players in the conference.
Big Ten season awards and reactions
Alright, this has been something I have been waiting to do for a long time, it is time for me to give my thoughts on the season awards.
First Team All-Big Ten
Braden Smith, Purdue
John Tonje, Wisconsin
Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue
Brice Williams, Nebraska
Derik Queen, Maryland - coaches
Vlad Goldin, Michigan - media
Reaction: I agree with this list, however, maybe Nick Martinelli, who led the conference in scoring should’ve gotten the nod over Queen. Queen is a tremendous player, but I would’ve favored Martinelli. Queen definitely deserved his selection, though.
Second Team All-Big Ten
Derik Queen - media
Vlad Goldin, Michigan - coaches
Danny Wolf, Michigan
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota
Nick Martinelli, Northwestern
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
Reaction: Another good list, I have no complaints here. I want to take a second to shout out Dawson Garcia, who really jump started Minnesota’s rise out of the bottom three in the conference with the shot he hit against Michigan. That really set the tone for the second half of the Gophers’ season.
Third Team All-Big Ten
Kasparas Jakucionas, Illinois - coaches
Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Maryland - coaches
Jaden Aikens, Michigan State - coaches
Jase Richardson, Michigan State - coaches
Nate Bittle, Oregon - coaches
Jackson Shelstad, Oregon - coaches
Tyler Bilodeau, UCLA - coaches
Ace Bailey, Rutgers - media
Dylan Harper, Rutgers - media
Reaction: There are so many different selections that the voters hand out so there are so many great players that will be left off this list. However, I would’ve liked to see John Blackwell get some more recognition and be bumped up into this list.
Player of the Year: Braden Smith, Purdue
Reaction: John Tonje kept getting closer and closer as the season went on and Purdue started to throttle down, however it was always in Smith’s sole possession. He proved a lot of people, myself included, wrong this season. People wondered if he could play without Zach Edey, and the answer was yes. Averaging 16, eight and four and being one of the all-around offensive threats in the country, Smith totally deserved this award.
Coach of the Year: Tom Izzo, Michigan State
Reaction: I’ve talked about it a lot, but here is why I like Izzo over others. Izzo didn’t have as much talent at his disposal this season, but he transformed so many players into championship-caliber competitors. It starts with the development of Jase Richardson, Jeremy Fears’ season after his terrible injury last year and Jaxon Kohler’s phenomenal play down the stretch. That’s all thanks to Izzo sticking with his guns, not switching his style up and sticking to what made past teams of his good.
My second vote would’ve gone to Dusty May. Even though Michigan is playing terribly right now, the Wolverines won eight games last year and are comfortably in the NCAA Tournament and have a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament.
In any regular year, the Big Ten Coach of the Year would be Greg Gard who had Wisconsin overcome some now seemingly insane predictions to start the season to finish fifth in the conference and produce a dynamic offense and one of the nation’s best players, John Tonje.
Freshman of the Year: Derik Queen, Maryland
Reaction: In this series, I have been a very big Jase Richardson supporter and he was fantastic and then some. He was named Freshman of the week multiple more times than Queen, because Michigan State didn’t expect Richardson to be as good as he was from day one. Queen was, and he lived up to the hype. He was the best player on a team that was a Tre Holloman buzzer beater and one additional game from a Big Ten Championship.
My Predictions for the 2025 Big Ten Tournament
Game 1: Minnesota over Northwestern
Game 2: Ohio State over Iowa
Game 3: Rutgers over USC
Game 4: Indiana over Oregon
Game 5: Wisconsin over Minnesota
Game 6: Illinois over Ohio State
Game 7: Purdue over Rutgers
Game 8: Michigan State over Indiana
Game 9: Wisconsin over UCLA
Game 10: Maryland over Illinois
Game 11: Purdue over Michigan
Game 12: Semifinal 1: Michigan State over Wisconsin
Game 13: Semifinal 2: Maryland over Purdue
Game 14: Championship, Michigan State over Maryland
