This year, we don’t have to wait until March.
Though the Big East and ACC don’t kick off their conference tournaments until next week, major college basketball has come to New York City earlier than usual, with the Big Ten Tournament’s debut at Madison Square Garden beginning Wednesday night.
For the right to play here, the Big Ten agreed to move up its tournament by a week, forcing its teams to now wait a week to learn their postseason fates, instead of the day of the title game.
Only four teams are NCAA Tournament locks (Michigan State, Purdue, Ohio State, Michigan), leaving a pair of bubble teams (Nebraska, Penn State) in need of strong performances, and a slew of other teams in need of a miracle, a la eighth-seeded Michigan’s run last season, in which it became the fourth different winner in the past five years.
Here’s a look at the 14-team field:
No. 1 Michigan State
Record: 28-3, 16-2
Coach: Tom Izzo (23rd season, 572-223)
Star: Miles Bridges (16.8 ppg, 6.9 rpg) — The high-flying sophomore is a soon-to-be lottery pick, and his recent clearance by the NCAA keeps the Spartans a national-title favorite.
X-factor: Jaren Jackson Jr. (11.4 ppg, 3.3 bpg) — A possible top-three pick, the 6-foot-11 freshman ranks fourth in the nation in blocks, and also shoots over 41 percent on 3-pointers.
Strength: Practically everything. With the best regular-season record of Izzo’s career, the Spartans have five double-digit scorers, the top-ranked field-goal percentage defense (36.1 percent), incredible outside shooting (42.1 percent) and the nation’s fifth-best rebounding unit.
Weakness: Letting inferior teams hang around. Sometimes it takes the Spartans too long to turn it on, resulting in a slew of nail-biting wins, which included an overtime win over last-place Rutgers, and a three-point win over 12th-place Iowa.
Can win title if: The spotlight doesn’t scare them. Perhaps the best team in the country, Michigan State enters with the most pressure, and the weight of ongoing scandals involving the FBI’s corruption probe, and the school’s handling of sexual assault allegations.
Odds: 5-2
No. 2 Ohio State
Record: 24-7, 15-3
Coach: Chris Holtmann (First season, 24-7)
Star: Keita Bates-Diop (19.2 ppg, 8.9 rpg) — One of the most improved players in the country, the 6-foot-7 junior blossomed this season, and was named the Big Ten Player of the Year.
X-factor: Kam Williams (8.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg) — The Buckeyes’ best long-range shooter opens up the paint for Bates-Diop and Jae’Sean Tate.
Strength: Defensive rebounding. Despite lacking a true rim protector, the Buckeyes allow just 66.6 points per game, mostly because they led the Big Ten in defensive rebounding percentage at .756.
Weakness: Bench. Ohio State gets very little scoring from its reserves. The starters produce 78 percent of the offense.
Can win title if: Bates-Diop continues to perform like the best player in the conference, and his supporting cast remains consistent.
Odds: 6-1
No. 3 Purdue
Record: 26-5, 15-3
Coach: Matt Painter (13th season, 291-147)
Star: Carsen Edwards (18.2 ppg, 3.0 apg) — Following the departure of Caleb Swanigan, the 6-1 sophomore emerged as one of the nation’s top guards, and shoots over 40 percent on 3-pointers.
X-factor: Isaac Haas (14.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg) — The 7-2, 290-pound center presents one of the toughest matchups in the country, but has recorded only one double-double this season.
Strength: Shooting. The Boilermakers rank third in the country in 3-point percentage (.421), and 16th in field goal percentage (.496), while averaging nearly 82 points per game.
Weakness: Offensive rebounding. The sharpshooters are partly to blame, but Purdue struggles to get second chances, recording a conference-worst 8.5 offensive rebounds per game.
Can win title if: It doesn’t come down to the final minutes. The Boilermakers had the country’s fourth-highest scoring margin (16.8), but went 4-5 in games decided by four or fewer points.
Odds: 11-4
No. 4 Nebraska
Record: 22-9, 13-5
Coach: Tim Miles (Sixth season, 97-95)
Star: Jesse Palmer Jr. (17.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg) — The former Miami reserve became a star in his first season at Nebraska, and was a first-team All-Big Ten selection.
X-factor: Glynn Watson Jr. (10.5 ppg, 3.3 apg) — The 6-foot guard has taken a step back after a strong sophomore season, and is shooting an unsightly 35.1 percent from the field.
Strength: Defending the 3. The Cornhuskers rank 25th in the nation in perimeter defense, allowing opponents to make just 31.5 percent of 3-pointers.
Weakness: Rebounding. Nebraska is the only team in the Big Ten with a negative rebounding margin (-1.4).
Can win title if: Upsets abound. The Cornhuskers went 0-3 against the top three teams in the Big Ten this season, and likely need to reach the title game to get off the bubble.
Odds: 10-1
No. 5 Michigan
Record: 24-7, 13-5
Coach: John Beilein (11th season, 239-142)
Star: Moritz Wagner (14.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg) — Older and stronger than when he was a breakout star in the NCAA Tournament last season, the 6-11 German sharpshooter keys Michigan’s versatile attack.
X-factor: Charles Matthews (13.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg) — The Kentucky transfer does a little bit of everything — scores, rebounds, distributes, defends.
Strength: Taking care of the ball. The Wolverines’ 1.62 assist-to-turnover ratio is fourth in the nation, and their +3.8 turnover margin is the best in the Big Ten.
Weakness: Free throws. Strangely, a team that shoots over 47 percent from the field only connects on 65.9 percent of its free throws.
Can win title if: Momentum matters. Michigan enters red hot, winners of five straight and seven of eight, with the belief it can become the first back-to-back winner since Ohio State (2010-11).
Odds: 7-1
No. 6 Indiana
Record: 16-14, 9-9
Coach: Archie Miller (First season, 16-14)
Star: Juwan Morgan (16.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg) — The physical 6-8 sophomore’s numbers increased across the board in a breakout campaign.
X-factor: Devonte Green (7.6 ppg, 2.5 apg) — When the younger brother of Spurs guard Danny Green scores in double-figures, the Hoosiers are 6-2.
Strength: Experience. Only two underclassmen are key contributors — Green and Aljami Durham.
Weakness: Shooting the 3. Indiana was 13th in the Big Ten, making just 32 percent of its attempts from distance.
Can win title if: The Hoosiers can flip the script from narrow losses to league powers Purdue, Michigan State and Ohio State, with Green, Morgan and senior Robert Johnson performing at levels they have yet to reach.
Odds: 20-1
No. 7 Penn State
Record: 19-12, 9-9
Coach: Pat Chambers (Seventh season, 106-121)
Star: Tony Carr (19.9 ppg, 4.8 apg) — The Big Ten’s leading scorer is a legitimate pro prospect after making a major leap as a sophomore.
X-factor: Mike Watkins (12.1 ppg, 8.9 rpg) — In the 11 games the sophomore forward failed to reach double-figures, the Nittany Lions won just four times.
Strength: Thievery. Penn State was 33rd in the country and first in the Big Ten with 7.6 steals per game.
Weakness: Free-throw shooting. Penn State is tied for 270th in the country, hitting a ghastly 68.7 percent of its attempts.
Can win title if: Watkins is himself after missing time with a leg injury, and the Nittany Lions regain their mid-February form, when they reeled off six wins in seven games.
Odds: 10-1
No. 8 Maryland
Record: 19-12, 8-10
Coach: Mark Turgeon (Seventh season, 157-79)
Star: Kevin Huerter (14.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg) — The sophomore from upstate New York is one of the country’s best shooters, making over 42 percent of his 3-pointers, and reaching double-digit points every game since Nov. 25.
X-factor: Bruno Fernando (10.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg) — The uber-athletic freshman from Angola could soon become one of the Big Ten’s best big men, but the 6-10 forward is just as likely to disappear as he is to post a double-double.
Strength: Free throws. Maryland leads the conference from the line, shooting 75.3 percent as a team.
Weakness: Decision-making. Leading scorer Anthony Cowan still looks uncertain how best to impact the game from possession to possession, and the team has been a disaster in the final minutes, going 3-8 in games decided by six points or fewer.
Can win title if: The Terps learn how to play away from College Park. Maryland coughed up NCAA Tournament consideration by going 2-7 in Big Ten road games.
Odds: 25-1
No. 9 Wisconsin
Record: 14-17, 7-11
Coach: Greg Gard (Third season, 56-35)
Star: Ethan Happ (17.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg) — Wisconsin’s leading scorer, rebounder and distributor, the 6-10 junior give the Badgers a puncher’s chance against anyone.
X-factor: Brad Davison (12.1 ppg, 2.5 apg) — Wisconsin’s top perimeter playmaker is only a freshman, but he has loads of potential, as his 30-point outburst Sunday against Michigan State showed.
Strength: Defense. The Badgers remain stingy on that end, limiting possessions and allowing just 66.5 points per game.
Weakness: Sharing the ball. The Badgers average just 12.7 assists per game, 245th fewest in the country.
Can win title if: Happ owns the paint for four straight games, freshmen Davison and Aleem Ford play like upperclassmen, and the Badgers defense mimics Virginia’s.
Odds: 33-1
No. 10 Northwestern
Record: 15-16, 6-12
Coach: Chris Collins (Fifth season, 88-76)
Star: Scottie Lindsey (15.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg) — The senior guard is closing his career strong, hitting 9-of-11 3-pointers in the regular-season finale against Iowa.
X-factor: Bryant McIntosh (12.0 ppg, 5.1 apg) — The Wildcats have been lost without their senior leader and top playmaker at full strength. He missed two games last week because of a shoulder injury, and played just seven minutes Sunday.
Strength: Controlling the pace. The Wildcats allow just 66.5 points per game, and play to one of the slowest tempos in the country.
Weakness: Taking advantage of its pace. Northwestern hasn’t made the most of its limited possessions, shooting just 42.7 percent from the field.
Can win title if: The magic returns. The Wildcats were one of college basketball’s best stories last season after making their first NCAA Tournament, but failed to match heightened expectations, and have lost six straight games.
Odds: 33-1
No. 11 Minnesota
Record: 15-16, 4-14
Coach: Richard Pitino (Fifth season, 90-77)
Star: Jordan Murphy (17.0 ppg, 11.4 rpg) — The undersized 6-6 forward leads the nation in double-doubles (24), and ranks fifth in rebounding.
X-factor: Nate Mason (16.8 ppg, 4.3 apg) — The senior is fifth all-time on the school’s scoring list, and has two games with at least 33 points in the past three weeks.
Strength: Taking care of the ball. Minnesota ranks second in the Big Ten, and 26th in the nation, in committing just 11.1 turnovers per game.
Weakness: Depth. The Golden Gophers haven’t been the same since losing third-leading scorer Amir Coffey to a shoulder injury, and fourth-leading scorer Reggie Lynch to expulsion, following sexual assault allegations.
Can win title if: The team that started the season 7-0 has been hustling the Big Ten, while losing nine of its past 10 games.
Odds: 100-1
No. 12 Iowa
Record: 13-18, 4-14
Coach: Fran McCaffery (Eighth season, 149-118)
Star: Tyler Cook (15.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg) — A bright spot in a dark year, the 6-9 sophomore emerged as one of the league’s best big men.
X-factor: Luke Garza (11.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg) — The talented 6-11 freshman makes Iowa a load to handle in the paint when he’s active.
Strength: Selflessness. Iowa, fourth in country in assists (18.3 assists), recently made headlines when guard Jordan Bohannon just passed on an opportunity to break the school’s free-throw record, intentionally missing the record-breaking opportunity so he would not dethrone Iowa legend Chris Street, who was killed in a tragic car accident.
Weakness: Defense. Iowa was a sieve all year, allowing Big Ten-worsts 78.5 points per game and 37.8 percent from 3-point land.
Can win title if: The FBI takes down every single-digit seed. The Hawkeyes compiled their worst league mark in seven years.
Odds: 100-1
No. 13 Illinois
Record: 14-17, 4-14
Coach: Brad Underwood (First season, 14-17)
Star: Leron Black (15.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg) — The Illini’s leading scorer and rebounder is built like a linebacker at 6-7, but has the touch of a guard.
X-factor: Trent Frazier (12.5 ppg, 3.0 apg) — When the freshman guard from Florida is in a rhythm, Illinois’ offense become more versatile, and dangerous.
Strength: Depth. Underwood goes 10 deep, and gets production from all of his reserves.
Weakness: Rim protection. It doesn’t exist for Illinois. It blocks just 2.1 shots per game, the fewest in the Big Ten.
Can win title if: Underwood can get a few games of eligibility for Thomas Walkup, and the rest of his former Stephen F. Austin roster, who were a hit in New York two years ago.
Odds: 100-1
No. 14 Rutgers
Record: 13-18, 3-15
Coach: Steve Pikiell (Second season, 28-36)
Star: Corey Sanders (14.3 ppg, 3.1 apg) — The junior guard hasn’t delivered on the promise he demonstrated as a freshman, but still carries the team’s hopes on his shoulders every game.
X-factor: Geo Baker (10.5 ppg, 2.8 apg) — The 6-4 guard has been one of the best freshmen in the conference this season, but has scored a total of 16 points in his past four games.
Strength: Defense and rebounding. Rutgers ranks 17th in the nation in points allowed (64.5), and 13th in offensive boards (13.3) per game.
Weakness: Shooting. The Scarlet Knights rank among the worst offenses in the country, averaging 64.5 points (337th), while making just 40 percent of field goals (343rd), 28.4 percent of 3-pointers (350th) and 63.7 percent of free throws (344th).
Can win title if: The Big Ten rewards Rutgers one final time for providing access to the millions of cable boxes in the metropolitan area.
Odds: 100-1