The Big Ten is heading into the Sweet 16 with six teams left fighting for a chance to cut down the nets. Two of the six teams remaining will face off against each other this week, giving the Big Ten even better odds to reach the Final Four. The Big Ten had a great first weekend and will try to follow that up on the second one.
Here is my breakdown and analysis of each of the Big Ten teams remaining, heading into the Sweet 16 matchups:
No. 1 Michigan
Michigan has had its way with its opponents early in the tournament, winning its first two games by a convincing margin. The Wolverines will have to keep up their dominant play, and defenders like Aday Mara will have to show up as they welcome the #1 scoring offense in the country in Alabama. Yaxel Lendeborg will also have to be every bit of the star he was in the last game, or they could see a similar game as the Big Ten tournament title match.
No. 2 Purdue
Purdue has shown their title win over Michigan was no fluke; this team, in fact, is one of the best teams left. Their offense is not showing any sign of slowing down, and each game, there is a different player who answers the bell as the lead guy. All while Braden Smith continues to be the best facilitator left in the tournament. Purdue is no longer surprising teams, and with them being 7.5 favorites vs Texas, the expectation is this team will move on to the Elite Eight.
No. 3 Michigan State
Tom Izzo is displaying his greatness yet again as Michigan State continues to take care of business throughout this tournament. Coen Carr has been displaying that he is a star and more than just his highlight reel plays. Jeremy Fears Jr. and Coen Carr both will have to match the abundance of talent UConn has to have any hope of having a different outcome than what UCLA faced last weekend. Still cannot count out this version of the Spartans.
No. 3 Illinois
The Fighting Illini have been at their best to start the tournament and have not even had to deal with close games. They have dominated their opponents on the glass, and the shots have been falling beyond the arc. When facing Houston, it will take much more than that. The Fighting Illini will get their chance to put their close game woes behind them and really show just how good they are.
No. 4 Nebraska
Nebraska had a great record and is experiencing a dream season. They gave great reason to doubt they could win big games, but so far in the tournament, they have righted those wrongs. Nebraska finally looks like the team that is reflective of their record. Now they will be faced with the challenge of knocking off a familiar foe that they split with in the regular season.
No. 9 Iowa
Iowa proved itself to the furthest extent last week in its buzzer-beater upset win over #1 Florida. It was a win that truly proved what this Hawkeyes team could accomplish even without Bennett Stirtz having a good game, which previously seemed like the only recipe for success. Iowa now heads into a match-up with a team that they have already beaten this season. The Hawkeyes should feel confident heading into this matchup.
Overview
Two of the most surprising teams left will face off in Nebraska and Iowa for the right to remain in the tournament and a chance to reach the Elite Eight. That game will further go to show just how good the Big Ten has been this season if the first two rounds did not already prove that. Some contending teams have a favorable matchup and a great chance to move on to the next round, while others will face the toughest team they have faced all season, with their tournament lives on the line. Nonetheless, the Elite Eight will feature a handful of Big Ten teams, a feat few conferences can claim.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: The Big Ten has great odds to put multiple teams in the Final Four
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