The Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament will start this week with opening-round games on Wednesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Michigan sportsbooks have the Purdue Boilermakers as the favorite to win the title. Michigan (17-13, 11-9 Big Ten) and Michigan State (20-11, 11-9) will play their tournament openers on Thursday. The Spartans are the No. 7 seed, while the Wolverines are the No, seed.
Michigan head coach Juwan Howard will be on the sidelines after serving a five-game suspension following a shoving incident in a post-game handshake line last month. His team has been inconsistent in his absence, and depending on its performance in the conference tournament, will likely find themselves a mid-range seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament. Last year, Howard and the Wolverines were a No. 1 seed in March Madness.
Heavy betting action: Michigan March Madness betting expected to $530,000 in taxes for Michigan
Big 10 Tournament Betting Odds
| Sportsbook | Michigan Wolverines | MSU Spartans | Favorite |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM | +1000 | +1400 | Purdue +250 |
| Caesars | +1200 | +2500 | Purdue +200 |
| DraftKings | +1200 | +2500 | Purdue +185 |
| BetRivers | +1400 | +1600 | Purdue +175 |
| FanDuel | +2100 | +1900 | Purdue +200 |
Notes
- FanDuel Michigan is the only sportsbook that has the Spartans with a better chance than Michigan to win the Big Ten Tournament. MSU coach Tom Izzo last won it in 2019 when he defeated the Wolverines. That was the sixth Big 10 tourney title for Izzo as head coach.
- The Wolverines ended their regular season with a 3-3 record in their last six games but had an impressive victory in the finale against Ohio State.
- In 2017, the Wolverines won the Big Ten Tournament as a No. 8 seed — the lowest seed to ever accomplish that.
- MSU and Michigan split their two meetings this season, with each team winning on their home court.
- The Spartans were 2-0 against opening opponent Maryland in conference play.
- In the only meeting this season between Michigan and opening first opponent Indiana in January, the Wolverines defeated the Hoosiers by 18 points.
- Since 2012, either Michigan or MSU has won six of the nine contested Big Ten conference tournaments.
They score, you score: BetMGM Michigan Bonus Code SHARP gets new customers $200 on $10 NBA bet
Michigan Schools’ Opponents In Tourney Openers
Both the Wolverines and Spartans will open the conference tournament play on Thursday. Both games will be available live on the Big Ten Network.
No. 8 Michigan vs. No. 9 Indiana, 11:30 a.m. ET
The Hoosiers are playing not only for respect in their conference but also to earn a spot in the NCAA tournament. With 18 overall wins to their credit and a losing record in the Big 10, Indiana is sitting on the bad side of the bubble.
No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 10 Maryland, Thursday at 6:30 p.m. ET
Since being blown out by Rutgers on Feb. 5, the Spartans are 3-7, including four losses by 10 or more points. Izzo has had difficulty getting this group of players to bring the defensive intensity that has been characteristic of Spartan teams from the past.
About the Author
