Big Ten Tourney Bracket/Release

Submitted by Ace on

Via U-M Media Relations—check below the release for the full bracket. Michigan will play the winner of Northwestern/Minnesota on Friday at 6:30 EST, televised on BTN:

BIG TEN RELEASES 2012 MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT BRACKET
Michigan State earns fourth No. 1 seed; Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin round out top four
 
The Big Ten announced on Sunday the bracket for the 2012 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament, which will be played Thursday through Sunday, March 8-11, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Michigan State is the No. 1 seed for the fourth time in tournament history and the first time since 2009, finishing the conference slate with a 13-5 record. No. 2 Michigan (13-5), No. 3 Ohio State (13-5) and No. 4 Wisconsin (12-6) also earned first-round byes.
 
The tournament will tip off at 11:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, March 8, as No. 8 Iowa (8-10) takes on No. 9 Illinois (6-12) on BTN. The second game of the day features No. 5 Indiana (11-7) and No. 12 Penn State (4-14), also on BTN.
 
Thursday’s second session tips off at 5:30 p.m. as No. 7 Northwestern (8-10) takes on No. 10 Minnesota (6-12) on ESPN2. The first day of games wraps up as No. 6 Purdue (10-8) takes on No. 11 Nebraska (4-14) also on ESPN2.
 
The second day of the tournament tips off with Michigan State squaring off against the winner of Thursday’s Iowa/Illinois game at Noon on ESPN. The second contest of the day will have Wisconsin playing the winner of the Indiana versus Penn State matchup at approximately 2:30 p.m., also on ESPN. Michigan will face either Northwestern or Minnesota at 6:30 p.m., while Ohio State will take on the winner of Thursday’s Purdue-Nebraska game at approximately 9 p.m. The last two games of the day will be broadcast by BTN.
 
Big Ten Tournament semifinal games will be played on Saturday, beginning at 1:40 p.m. on CBS Sports. The championship game tips off at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday and will also be broadcast by CBS Sports.
 
This year’s tournament marks the fourth time Michigan State has earned the No. 1 seed and the first time since 2009. Michigan earns its highest seed ever at No. 2, claiming a first-round bye for the second consecutive season. Ohio State will have a bye in the first round for the seventh straight season. The Buckeyes have won the last two Big Ten Tournament titles and three all-time, marking the most of any team. Wisconsin earns the No. 4 seed for the fifth time and for the third time in the last four seasons. With the No. 4 seed, the Badgers also earn a first-round bye for the 12th consecutive season.
 
Since the first Big Ten Tournament in 1998, six teams have captured the event’s title with Ohio State claiming three titles, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State and Wisconsin each owning two tournament trophies, and Purdue winning one tournament title. Tournament championship games have featured teams seeded as high as first, second and third and as low as eighth, ninth, 10th and 11th. Nine different schools have advanced to the tournament’s championship game.
 
All-session and single-session tickets to the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament can be purchased through the Bankers Life Fieldhouse box office, Ticketmaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

TOURNEY BRACKET (click to enlarge)

2012_MBB_Tournament_Bracket

Harballer

March 4th, 2012 at 9:26 PM ^

Does anyone know how easy it is to find tickets down there?  I mean I figure the IU and Purdue tickets will be much tougher to find, but just looking for a B1G tourney veteran who knows if there are a lot of excess tickets being sold by scalpers/regular people

Wolverine Devotee

March 4th, 2012 at 9:30 PM ^

Whoever makes these brackets for the B1G needs to be slapped. You can't even pencil in the winning teams.

Space Coyote

March 4th, 2012 at 9:41 PM ^

Northwester could be a tough match up in the second round.  They have matched up well with Michigan and their 1-3-1 gave Burke and company some difficulties.  They will also probably be playing for their tournament lives.  Will be a tough game.  Glad Michigan is playing them rather than Indiana or Purdue though.  Michigan to the semi-finals I think gets them a 3-seed.

Wolverine Devotee

March 4th, 2012 at 9:48 PM ^

Fucking a I just realized that Michigan will be playing in the CCHA Playoffs at Yost on Friday against notre dame.

It won't be televised, so looks like I'll have Michigan Basketball on mute while listening to Michigan Hockey for the second time in three weeks.

BrownJuggernaut

March 4th, 2012 at 9:51 PM ^

I'm not crazy about potentially playing Northwestern again, but we've beaten them twice, there's no reason we can't beat them a third time. I do like the way we've played, particularly THJ and Smot. I like the momentum we have. 

AmaizeingBlue

March 4th, 2012 at 10:29 PM ^

Although a NW win against us would lock up a bid.  They can still make it if they take care of business against Minnesota assuming no random teams win conference tournaments and bubble teams don't make runs in their conference tournaments.

aiglick

March 4th, 2012 at 10:37 PM ^

I think they are going to have to consider Northwestern since they are clearly looking at Connecticut which has an identical record (in a weaker conference) and Texas. Granted Connecticut has higher SOS and RPI but they have been trending downward while Northwestern has played good and great teams close.

NU is going to be sweating come Selection Sunday if they only beat Minnesota.

Of course would rather we take care of business and make it the Semifinals.

Wolverine Devotee

March 4th, 2012 at 10:31 PM ^

I just found out a way to edit the bracket, so I made a printable version where you can you pencil in the winning teams.

Link

FrankMurphy

March 4th, 2012 at 10:48 PM ^

Don't like that we might have to play Northwestern for our first game. They took us to overtime twice. We probably should have lost the first game. I'll be rooting for Minny to upset them in the first round.

Sons of Louis Elbel

March 4th, 2012 at 10:55 PM ^

I think we gotta root for Minny. Playing a team for the 3rd time after needing OT both of the other times, when they'd likely be playing for a chance for their first ever NCAA bid, etc.

(But it would be great to make Wilbon seethe just a little more.)

john22

March 4th, 2012 at 11:47 PM ^

only thing that sucks is we are on big ten network. IF we win the first game i will have to watch the 2nd game on the cpu,i live in North Carolina,acc games overlap CBS,BULLSHIT.GO BLUE!!!

Wolvercane

March 5th, 2012 at 1:51 AM ^

Wisconsin knocks OSU to third, but the reason we are second and MSU is first is because of Purdue. We split Purdue for a .500 winning percentage against them, while MSU won both for a 1.000 winning percentage. Wisconsin is not the tiebreaker for us and MSU because while they won 2 and we only beat them once, it is still a 1.000 winning percentage against them. 

mfan_in_ohio

March 5th, 2012 at 1:23 AM ^

How did Penn State end up as #12 and Nebraska as #11?  They had the same conference record and split their head-to-head games.  Nebraska was 0-5 against Michigan, MSU and Ohio, while Penn State was only 0-4 (only played MSU and Ohio once each).  That should be enough to give Penn State the #11 seed, right?  I know it's not a huge deal, but it's bothering me.  Can someone explain this to me?

Mr. Yost

March 5th, 2012 at 8:35 AM ^

Would anyone else rather be the #3 seed over the #2 seed (in terms of matchups?)

Personally, I'd rather play Purdue or Nebraska vs. Northwestern or Minnesota.

I know Purdue beat us, but Nebraska is terrible and Northwestern could've beat us twice. They're playing for their tourney lives and it's hard to beat a team 3 times (especially when the first two went to OT). Minnesota is a better team that they're given credit for.

I think we beat all 4 teams, and it doesn't really matter...but I'd rather have the #3 Seed matchups over the #2 seed matchups...

Tauro

March 5th, 2012 at 8:56 AM ^

Damn, we start driving for Florida on Friday.  Anyone know a radio station in Pennsylvania and West Virginia that will broadcast the game??

Sambojangles

March 5th, 2012 at 10:16 AM ^

I love how the release says "since the first tournament in 1998," which has been 14 years, but then lists only 12 winners. The wins of Michigan in 1998 and Ohio in 2002 are quietly ignored.