BTN.com staff, March 8, 2016

Need another example that time flies?

[ MORE: Tourney central | Big Ten tourney bracket | Jon Crispin's preview | Big Ten tourney, A-Z | 19 Big Ten tourney facts | Standings | Stats | Scores ]

The Big Ten tournament will host its 19th event this week, starting at 4:30 p.m. ET Wednesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The event has come a long way since debuting in 1998. For one, it started as a four-day, 11-team event, transitioned to 12 teams in 2012, and now features a five-day, 14-team format.

Before No. 13 Minnesota and No. 12 Illinois tip things off Wednesday afternoon, here are 19 Big Ten tourney facts, in no particular order.

1. The next two editions of the event will be played in Washington D.C. (2017) and New York City (2018).

2. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds have won 14 of the 18 events, with the top seed claiming six of the last nine titles.

3. Ohio State has been the No. 1 seed more than any other team (5), one more time than Michigan State and Wisconsin.

4. Michigan State and Ohio State have combined to win five of the last six events, with the lone exception being last season, when Wisconsin edged the Spartans.

5. Ohio State has advanced to the final in nine of the 18 events.

6. Just five of the 18 champions have made the Final Four; the last two to do so lost in the national final (2007 Ohio State; 2015 Wisconsin).

7. The Big Ten has put a team that didn't win the event into the Final Four in four consecutive seasons and six of last seven.

8. Indiana is just 11-18 in the event's history, with only one final appearance.

9. Ten of the 11 schools that have competed in the event since its inception have reached the final at least once, the lone exception being Northwestern.

10. Seven teams have advanced to the final without the benefit of a first-round bye, the latest being 2011 Penn State, and six of them lost the title game by at least 13 points.

11. 2001 Iowa remains the only team to win four games in four days, and it is the highest seed (6) to win the event.

12. Michigan State's Tom Izzo has the most wins (24) in event history, two more than Ohio State's Thad Matta

13. Tom Izzo and Thad Matta are tied for most Big Ten tourney titles (4).

14. The No. 6 seed has the third-highest winning percentage (.622; 28-17) in event history, behind No. 1 (.767) and No. 2 (.692). Wisconsin is the No. 6 seed this year.

15. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds both have advanced to the semifinals in 14 of the 18 events; the No. 1 seed hasn't lost in the quarterfinals since 2003 (No. 8 Ohio State beat No. 1 Wisconsin).

16. Michigan has won at least one game in the last nine events, the longest active streak.

17. Iowa and Nebraska are tied for the longest active losing streak (3) in the event.

18. Since the No. 12 seed was added with Nebraska's addition, it is 0-4 in the tournament.

19. By virtue of its double-bye, Michigan State is the only team to make the quarterfinals in all 19 events, including this season. Wisconsin can join the Spartans with a win vs. the No. 11 Nebraska-No. 14 Rutgers winner.