Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals preview for Friday, March 11

The 2022 Big Ten conference tournament moves into the quarterfinal round with plenty on the line for both the double-bye teams and the challengers. The Indiana Hoosiers, who are on the bubble, will look to secure another big when when they meet the No. 1 seed Illinois Fighting Illini. Illinois, along with Wisconsin and Purdue, will be looking to move up a few seed lines during this bracket. Here’s how the quarterfinal round is shaping up.

No. 9 Indiana vs. No. 1 Illinois: 11:30 p.m. ET, BTN

Point Spread: Illinois -5
Point Total: 135

The Hoosiers are coming off a thrilling win over their rivals Michigan, so there will be some early momentum with Indiana. Illinois simply has too much talent though, and Kofi Cockburn is a bad matchup for the Hoosiers here. Look for the Illini to withstand some early pressure and eventually take control of this game, ending Indiana’s hopes of a deep tournament run.

The pick: Illinois -5

No. 5 Iowa vs. No. 4 Rutgers: 2:00 p.m. ET, BTN

Point Spread: Iowa -7.5
Point Total: 143

The Hawkeyes scored 64 points in the first half of a beatdown against Northwestern, showcasing how dynamic they can be when everything is clicking. Rutgers will offer significantly more resistance, but this Iowa team should be able to pull off one more win to solidify its NCAA Tournament position. However Ron Harper Jr. alone might carry Rutgers to a cover.

The pick: Rutgers +7.5

No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 2 Wisconsin: 6:30 p.m. ET, BTN

Point Spread: Wisconsin -3
Point Total: 138

The Spartans looked like they would be a contender for the Big Ten title at one point in the season, but a loss to an Illinois team without its best players was a step in the wrong direction. Michigan State is 5-7 since that loss and likely is on the bubble now. Wisconsin on the other hand, is a co-conference champion with contributors across the board. Take the Badgers in this one, as they’ve still got a couple seed lines to play for.

The pick: Wisconsin -3

No. 11 Penn State vs. No. 3 Purdue: 9:00 p.m. ET, BTN

Point Spread: Purdue -8.5
Point Total: 135.5

The Boilermakers are still in contention for a No. 1 seed if they can convincingly run through this tournament. Purdue’s free throw shooting and poor defense have hurt this team in close games late, which is something to keep in mind when looking at this team in the main bracket. Penn State has been pesky at times, but this group should pose no issues for Purdue. Take the higher seed to advance here.

The pick: Purdue -8.5

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