BTN.com staff, March 4, 2015

We have a tripleheader of Big Ten hoops tonight: Ohio State at Penn State (6 ET), Purdue at Michigan State (8) and Nebraska at Illinois (10).

Much of the talk during the final week revolves around the expanded Big Ten tourney field, and, in particular, the coveted double-byes.

The top four teams receive double-byes into next Friday?s quarterfinals at the United Center. Big Ten champ Wisconsin and Maryland have clinched double-byes, but who can claim the remaining two?

Purdue can wrap up the third one with a win tonight at Michigan State.

BTN researcher Harold Shelton lays out the possible scenarios below.

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1. Wisconsin (14-2): at Minnesota; at Ohio State

  • Already clinched double-bye
  • Can clinch #1 seed with 1 win OR a Maryland loss at Nebraska
  • Can?t fall lower than #2 seed

2. Maryland (13-4): at Nebraska

  • Already clinched double-bye
  • Can clinch #1 seed with win at Nebraska AND two Wisconsin losses
  • Can?t fall lower than #2 seed

3. Purdue (11-5): at Michigan State; vs. Illinois

  • Clinches double-bye with win at Michigan State
  • Can clinch #3 seed with two more wins
  • Could fall as low as #6 seed with two losses + tiebreakers

4. Iowa (11-6): vs. Northwestern

  • Could clinch double-bye with win vs Northwestern but would need help (Could be seeded anywhere from 3-5)
  • Can?t fall below #6 seed
  • Can be as high as #3 seed with a win + tiebreakers but could fall as low as #6 seed with loss + tiebreakers

5. Michigan State (10-6): vs. Purdue; at Indiana

  • Clinches double-bye with two wins (Would be #3 seed if they win both games)
  • Clinches no worse than #6 seed with one more win
  • Can be as high as #3 seed with two wins + tiebreakers but could fall as low as #7 seed with two losses + tiebreakers

6. Ohio State (10-6): at Penn State; vs. Wisconsin

  • Could clinch double-bye with two wins but would need help (Could be seeded anywhere from 3-6)
  • Clinches no worse than #6 seed with one more win
  • Can be as high as #3 seed with two wins + tiebreakers but could fall as low as #7 seed with two losses + tiebreakers

7. Indiana (9-8): vs. Michigan State

  • Locked into single-bye. Will not finish in top 4 or bottom 4
  • Clinches no worse than #7 seed with win against Michigan State
  • Can be as high as #6 seed with win + tiebreakers but could fall as low as #8 seed with loss + tiebreakers

8. Illinois (8-8): vs. Nebraska; at Purdue

  • Locked into single-bye. Will not finish in top 4 or bottom 4
  • Clinches no worse than #8 seed with one more win
  • Can be as high as #7 seed with two wins + tiebreakers but could fall as low as #10 seed with two losses + tiebreakers

9. Michigan (7-10): vs. Rutgers

  • Clinches no worse than #9 seed with win vs. Rutgers
  • Can be as high as #8 seed with win + tiebreakers but could fall as low as #11 seed with loss + tiebreakers

10. Minnesota (6-10): vs. Wisconsin; vs. Penn State

  • Will clinch single-bye with two wins (Could be seeded anywhere from 8-10 if they win both games)
  • Will be seeded between #10 and #12 if they lose out or win only once, depending on tiebreakers

11. Northwestern (6-11): at Iowa

  • Could clinch single-bye with win at Iowa + tiebreakers (Could be seeded anywhere from 9-12)
  • Can?t fall below #12 seed at this point
  • Can be as high as #9 seed with a win + tiebreakers but could fall as low as #12 seed with loss + tiebreakers

12. Nebraska (5-11): at Illinois; vs. Maryland

  • Could clinch single-bye with two more wins (Could be seeded #10 or #11 if they win both games)
  • Clinches no worse than #12 seed with one more win
  • Can be as high as #10 seed with two wins + tiebreakers but could fall as low as #13 with two losses + tiebreakers

13. Penn State (3-13): vs. Ohio State; at Minnesota

  • Will play on the first day no matter what
  • Can be as high as #11 seed with two wins + tiebreakers but could fall as low as #14 seed with two losses + tiebreakers
  • Will finish #13 or #14 if they don?t win final two games

14. Rutgers (2-15): at Michigan

  • Will play on first day no matter what
  • Will finish last no matter what if they lose at Michigan
  • Could finish as #13 seed with a win and two Penn State losses