The big and bad Big Ten Conference has been a staple among college basketball for generations, as another edition of the Big Ten Conference Tournament will be on display this week in the Windy City of Chicago, Illinois! It is time to check out our college basketball odds series where our Big Ten Tournament prediction and pick will be made.
Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
Big Ten Tournament Odds: 2023 Winner Odds
Purdue: +150
Indiana: +400
Michigan State: +700
Maryland: +750
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Why Purdue Could Win The Big Ten
Not only did the Boilermakers of Purdue finish as the top Big Ten squad in regular season play, but they also happened to be one of the more prolific teams in all of America. Ranked number five in the nation, Purdue have spent 15 consecutive weeks ranked in the AP top five including an unthinkable seven weeks at the number-one spot. Obviously, Purdue has the best odds to take home the championship hardware in Chicago, but they will need to continue playing their extremely decisive brand of basketball to get the job done this week.
For starters, few can argue the dominant effect on a game that center Zach Edey has on a game, as the towering 7'4″ big-man from Toronto is as special as they come. Not only is Edey averaging an impressive 21.8 points per game which currently ranks as the eighth-most in the country, but he is also hauling in the third-most rebounds a game with 12.8 points per game. While the Boilermakers will run their offense through the skilled Edey, it will be the defense that will end up standing strong if they want to call themselves Big Ten champions.
Why Indiana Could Win The Big Ten
Claiming the three-seed after a thrilling 75-73 victory over Michigan, this Hoosiers squad is the real deal. Not only will they be a tough outcome NCAA Tournament time for whoever has to suit up against them, but they also have the talent to put the rest of the Big Ten Conference on watch. Simply put, there is no reason why Indiana shouldn't have a case to earn that conference title. Alas, they could end up winning this whole thing if they can use their high-octane offensive attack that few defenses know how to stop.
Averaging the second-highest points per game at 75.3 in the Big Ten, fellow bettors should keep their eyes peeled on the Hoosiers' ability to put the ball in the hoop and for star forward Trayce Jackson-Davis to put the team on his back. Acting as the team's leading scorer, Jackson-Davis has scored at least 25 points in his previous two outings and looks to be elevating his game at the most opportunistic of times.
Why Michigan State Could Win the Big Ten
If there's one thing that the Spartans of Michigan State have on the rest of their conference foes, it is the fact that they will be led by one of the great college basketball coaches of all time in the legendary Tom Izzo. Serving as Michigan State's head coach since the 1995 season, Izzo has put the Spartans on the college basketball map over the years with six conference tournament championships since he took over as head coach, and there is reason to believe that the Spartans possess the right pieces to capture the seventh-overall title.
At first glance, Michigan State is certainly battle-tested with one of the nation's toughest schedules, as there is no mountain too tall for the Spartans to climb. Because of this, don't be surprised if Michigan State makes a run at this thing. Playing the winner of Iowa-Ohio State, be on the lookout for the Spartans to continue their blazing 40% three-point percentage if they are going to string together some wins.
Why Maryland Could Win the Big Ten
Last and certainly not least, the Terrapins happen to have better odds to win this tournament than the two-seeded Northwestern Wildcats at +750, and for good reason. Fortunately enough, Maryland will have an extremely favorable matchup against the worst team in the conference in Minnesota, as the Gophers have won a minuscule two Big Ten games during the regular season. While it is projected that the Terrapins will have enough gas to get past the Gophers, they will need to find some middle-ground in neutral play to make a significant run at this thing. With a dominant 16-1 home record, Maryland struggled mightily away from their home arena with a 2-9 mark on the road, so which team will show up in Chicago?
Believe it or not, it will be up to their defensive prowess to take advantage of their conference foes who struggle in taking care of the basketball. Known for their knack to force turnovers, Maryland can afford to not be extremely efficient offensively thanks to their ability to create giveaways that ultimately result in points in transition.
Final Big Ten Tournament Prediction & Pick
Simply put, Purdue is just playing on a whole other planet at the moment, as it will be extremely difficult for other teams to combat the Boilermakers' sheer size and skill.
Final Big Ten Tournament Prediction & Pick: Purdue +150
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