Big Odds For the Big 10 Conference Tournament Winner

The Big 10 is rumored to potentially have 10 bids for the NCAA tournament. With that being the case, are there ten teams in the conference tournament that can actually win it? Probably not. I think there are three squads with a real shot to win it. Let's talk a bit about the teams and the value on the different lines that are available.

Purdue has the best player in the nation but it hasn't completely translated to being unstoppable or anything. They've had a very good season at 26-5 and are 15-5 in the conference. Three of those losses also came against the number two and number three seed in the conference tournament. They've lost to Indiana twice, both at home and on the road. They lost to Northwestern as well and that was a road game. Now that the tournament is set, they are a bit lucky that they only will have to face one of those two teams. They did lose to Rutgers earlier in the year in a home loss that was arguably their worst loss of the season. They will have to face either Rutgers or Michigan in their first game. At +120, I do expect them to be in the Finals. So you might have a bit of hedging if you just bet them and then whoever they face in the final game.

Indiana has the next best odds at +450 (note, I don't have Northwestern odds on popular sites because you can't bet on Illinois college teams in Illinois). I've already mentioned their success against Purdue, and I don't feel like that was a fluke in either game. They might have to face Maryland in their first game and that could be an issue as Indiana did lose to them in their only matchup this season. It could be a different outcome on the neutral court, though. The concern I have with them is that they've been alternating wins and losses for a few weeks now. I don't know that I have all that much confidence in their form right now. I do think that of all teams Indiana might be my favorite just because of Trayce Jackson-Davis.

I can't bet on Northwestern, as I mentioned, but I don't think I would even if I could. They had a nice season, but they also lost three of their past four games. To give them a bit of credit though, in two of those losses, they were very close. In theory, they might have a home-court advantage being at the United Center, but that's hard to depend on. You want them to be at home if you play them and this isn't exactly home.

Michigan State is a team that is hard to count out simply because of its pedigree and head coach Tom Izzo. My concern with them is that they haven't really beaten any of the best teams in the conference with the exception of a recent win over Indiana at home. I'm not sure they even beat Iowa if that is the matchup that happens.

If we are looking for a long shot, maybe Maryland is a decent choice, but they are just +600. I could see them taking down Northwestern and Indiana. I could see Illinois advancing fairly far, but I wouldn't be overly confident in it.

My bet for this is Indiana at +450. I do think it is worth grabbing a bit of a ticket on Purdue. They could win the whole thing but there is also the potential to hedge the ticket in the final game if you want to.

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