NCAA seeds for Big Ten champions since 1997

With Purdue wrapping up at least a share of the Big Ten crown, its first since 2010, Tuesday night, it's time to take a look at how the Big Ten champion has been seeded in recent NCAA tournaments.

The Boilermakers, who can make it an outright title with a win in their season finale or with a Wisconsin loss in either of its final two games, figure to be a No. 4 seed. Best-case scenario would seem to be a No. 3.

The Big Ten champ has been seeded No. 4 or lower 12 times in the last 20 NCAA tourneys dating to the 1997 Big Dance. It happened as recently as last year, when Indiana was a No. 5 seed. The lowest seed for a Big Ten champ since 1997? Wisconsin was No. 8 in 2002 after it shared the league title with three other teams in a four-way tie.

Here is a look at the where the Big Ten champs have been seeded in each of the last 20 NCAA tourneys.

2017: ?
2016: No. 5 Indiana: 15-3 (reached the Sweet 16)
2015: No. 1 Wisconsin: 16-2 (championship game)
2014: No. 2 Michigan: 15-3 (Final Four)
2013: No. 1 Indiana: 14-4 (Sweet 16)
2012: No. 1 Michigan State 13-5 (Sweet 16); No. 2 Ohio State: 13-5 (Final Four); No. 4 Michigan: 13-5 (first round)
2011: No. 1 Ohio State: 16-2 (Sweet 16)
2010: No. 2 Ohio State: 14-4 (Sweet 16); No. 4 Purdue: 14-4 (Sweet 16); No. 5 Michigan State: 14-4 (Final Four)
2009: No. 2 Michigan State: 15-3 (championship game)
2008: No. 3 Wisconsin: 16-2 (Sweet 16)
2007: No. 1 Ohio State: 15-1 (championship game)
2006: No. 2 Ohio State: 12-4 (second round)
2005: No. 1 Illinois: 15-1 (championship game)
2004: No. 5 Illinois: 13-3 (Sweet 16)
2003: No. 5 Wisconsin: 12-4 (Sweet 16)
2002: No. 4 Ohio State: 11-5 (second round); No. 4 Illinois: 11-5 (Sweet 16); No. 5 Indiana: 11-5 (championship game); No. 8 Wisconsin: 11-5 (second round)
2001: No. 1 Michigan State: 13-3 (Final Four); No. 1 Illinois: 13-3 (Elite Eight)
2000: No. 1 Michigan State: 13-3 (won national championship)
1999: No. 1 Michigan State: 15-1 (Final Four)
1998: No. 4 Michigan State: 13-3 (Sweet 16); No. 5 Illinois: 13-3 (second round)
1997: No. 1 Minnesota: 16-2 (Final Four)