Three Big Ten teams to watch out for in March
Republished from The 5 Banner Blog, March 9, 2023.
The Hoosiers are well on their way to March Madness for only the second time since the 2015-2016 season.
The reason they are the number one threat out of the Big Ten is because of their three major wins on the season and they firepower they have on their roster.
Players to watch:
Projected first-round-picks Jalen Hood-Schifino and Trayce Jackson-Davis.
Jackson-Davis is a first-team All-Big Ten selection and Hood-Schifino won Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
There aren’t many Big Ten teams that have two projected first round picks on their team and that is what separates the Hoosiers.
The resume:
Indiana’s best five wins are:
- @ No. 5 Purdue (projected one seed in March Madness)
- @ No. 15 Xavier (projected four seed in March Madness)
- vs. No. 5 Purdue (projected one seed in March Madness)
- @ Illinois (projected nine seed in March Madness)
- vs. Michigan State (projected seven seed in March Madness)
The Hoosiers have proved throughout the course of the regular season that they can win big games, but can they win deep in March?
Where I think they will lose:
The Sweet 16.
The Hoosiers next game is March 10th vs. Maryland/Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament.
After winning its 25th Big Ten regular season title, the Boilermakers are headed once again to March Madness under Head Coach Matt Painter.
They are second behind Indiana because of the two head-to-head losses they took to the Hoosiers. Purdue is definitely talented enough to make a deep run, I just think Indiana has a better shot at doing it.
Players to watch:
National Player of the Year favorite and Big Ten Player of the Year: Zach Edey
Purdue plays around one player and one player only and that is Edey. This makes Purdue very vulnerable in my eyes and one game in foul-trouble for the big man could be the difference between a short run versus a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
The resume:
Purdue’s best five wins are:
- vs. No. 6 Marquette (projected two seed in March Madness)
- vs. No. 9 Gonzaga (projected two seed in March Madness)
- vs. No. 21 Duke (projected six seed in March Madness)
- @ Michigan State (projected seven seed in March Madness)
- vs. Iowa (projected seven seed in March Madness)
The Boilermakers have some huge wins over top 25 teams, but the three they have all happened in November.
Can the Boilermakers get hot at the right time and make a deep run?
When I think they will lose:
The Round of 32.
The Boilermakers next game is March 10th vs. Rutgers/Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament.
3. The Michigan State Spartans
Hall of Fame Coach Tom Izzo has his Spartans headed to the NCAA Tournament for the 25th straight season.
The Spartans sit in the third spot because of the veteran presence on their roster. They are very experienced and have the ability to get hot at any time which makes them a potential major threat in the tournament.
Players to watch:
All-Big Ten second team player: Tyson Walker
All-Big Ten third team player: A.J. Hoggard
Tyson Walker is one of the best shooters in the entire country as he can get hot very fast. Walker is shooting a scorching hot 42.9% from beyond the arc on the season. That is a recipe for success in the NCAA Tournament.
Hoggard doesn’t shoot the three as much, but he gets his teammates the ball as he is averaging just a tad under six assists per game at 5.9. Hoggard also gets to the rim and finishes.
The Resume:
Michigan State’s best five wins are:
- vs. No. 19 Indiana (projected four seed in March Madness)
- vs. No. 23 Kentucky (projected six seed in March Madness)
- vs. Iowa (projected seven seed in March Madness)
- vs. Maryland (projected eight seed in March Madness)
- @ Penn State (projected eleven seed in March Madness)
Tom Izzo is no stranger when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. He knows how to get his team ready to play. The veteran presence plus the shot-making ability the Spartans contain can potentially send the Spartans far in March.
When I think they will lose:
The round of 32.
The Spartans next game is March 10th vs. Rutgers/Michigan vs. Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament.
Which Big Ten team do you think will go the farthest in the NCAA tournament?
