The return of Michigan coach Juwan Howard and the injury of Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis are key plot points in the Big Ten tournament beginning Wednesday in Indianapolis.
Howard is returning from a five-game suspension as the Wolverines attempt to break out of the bubble and play in the 68-team NCAA Tournament arena. Michigan announced Monday that it had reinstated Howard, who served a five-game suspension after hitting Wisconsin assistant coach Joe Krabenhoft on the side of the head while they were in the postgame handshake line.
"He's going to come in, he's going to bring that juice and we're going to match that intensity," Michigan guard DeVante' Jones said Sunday after the Wolverines' 75-69 win over Ohio State.
Wisconsin fans hope that the tournament also represents Davis' return to action.
Davis, the Big Ten Player of the Year, was hit in the face by Nebraska's Trey McGowens on his way to the basket and landed awkwardly for the Cornhuskers in the second half of the 12th-ranked Badgers' 74–73 loss. He missed the rest of the game.
"I'm optimistic he's going to be fine," Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said after the Nebraska game. Davis told Big Ten Network on Tuesday that he is "feeling fine" and "should be ready to go."
The tournament begins Wednesday with No. 12 seed Northwestern (14-15, 7-13) facing No. 13 seed Nebraska (10-21, 4-16) and No. 11 seed Penn State (12-16, 7-13). ) Will be from. Meeting No. 14 Seeds Minnesota (13-16, 4-16).
Defending tournament champion Illinois (22-8, 15-5) is the top seed after winning part of the conference title for the first time since 2005, when the Illini went on to reach the NCAA Tournament championship game. The 16th-ranked Illini tied Wisconsin (24-6, 15-5) for first place, but her victory over the Badgers earned her the No. 1 seed.
Even though his team has already essentially turned a bid off based on the way it has performed over the past few months, Illinois guard Trent Frazier wants to make sure the Illini approach this week with that mindset. Which they would need to start after playing the NCAA tournament. ,
"Our mindset is that we can't lose any more games," Frazier said.
Illinois, Wisconsin, No. 9 Purdue (25-6, 14-6) and Rutgers (18-12, 12-8) got byes in Friday's quarterfinals. In Thursday's action, Michigan (17-13, 11-9) face Indiana (18-12, 9-11), No. 24 Iowa (22-9, 12-8) and Nebraska-Northwest winners, Michigan State ( 20-). 11, 11-9) Maryland (15-16, 7-13) and Ohio State (19-10, 12-8) will face the winner Minnesota-Penn State.
"You look at Thursday's game, my gosh, there's a lot of big games, big matchups on Thursday," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "I think it's going to be one hell of a basketball weekend. We'll see who survives."
Bubble clock
Moving on to Tuesday's action, the mock draft consensus according to Bracket Matrix included Michigan as the No. 11 seed, Rutgers as the No. 12 seed, and Indiana among the top teams to field an NCAA Tournament Was.
This makes Thursday's Michigan-Indiana matchup particularly compelling. Indiana probably needs to win that game and may have to do even more damage this week to make a bid.
"I think everyone in the locker room knows how much we need this game," said all-conference forward Trace Jackson-Davis. "We know where we stand and we know we have to get to it."
There could be cause for concern for both Michigan and Rutgers if they go off on each other this week.
Star-studded affair
The tournament featured several All-American candidates in Davis, Illinois center Kofi Cockburn, Iowa's Keegan Murray and Purdue's Jaden Ivey. Davis and Ivy are considered potential top-five picks in the upcoming NBA draft if the two sophomores choose to become supporters. Murray and Ohio State's E.J. Liddell is a potential first-round choice.
Competition for sowing
Although it is unlikely that any Big Ten team will earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, Purdue, Illinois and Wisconsin may be considered for No. 2 seed. The bracket matrix currently projects Purdue and Wisconsin as the No. 3 seed, Illinois as the No. 4 seed, Iowa and Ohio state as the No. 6 seed, and Michigan State as the No. 8.
Potential sleeper
Nebraska struggled so much that athletic director Trev Alberts put out a statement declaring that Fred Hoiberg would return next season only if the troubled coach agreed to a pay cut.
Huskers has fared much better since that announcement. Nebraska is on a three-game winning streak and closed the regular season by beating Ohio State and Wisconsin on the road. The win over Wisconsin prevented the Badgers from winning the regular season title straight away.
Nebraska was missing lead scorer Bryce McGowens for the Wisconsin game due to a wrist injury. Hoiberg said McGowens was not a full participant in Tuesday's practice, but expressed hope that the freshman's guard would play on Wednesday.