2014 Big Ten Tournament Preview: Can Michigan State turn things around? Rob Dauster Mar 12, 2014, 12:58 PM EDT Leave a comment Getty Images I’m not sure there is a conference in the country where there is more at stake in the conference tournament. Even with Sunday’s loss at Nebraska, Wisconsin has a chance to play their was into a No. 1 seed if they can win the conference tournament. Michigan probably can’t be a No. 1 seed, but winning the league tournament should lock them into a No. 2 seed. And neither of those teams have the highest ceiling of anyone in the conference. That would be Michigan State, who is a national title contender if they can get their act together. Iowa is also trying to figure their issues out, as the Hawkeyes look like a top 15 team and play like a No. 8 seed. Then you get to the bubble, where both Nebraska and Minnesota have their NCAA tournament hopes pinned on their performance this week. The Huskers are probably in a better spot than the Gophers. If Nebraska, who gets a first round bye, lucks out and gets Ohio State in the quarterfinals, they are probably going to get in whether or not they win that game. Minnesota, on the other hand, probably needs to win at least two games if they want to dance. They are on the outside looking in as of today, and beating Penn State isn’t going to change that. MORE: Browse through all of our conference tournament previews The Bracket When: March 13-16 Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis Final: March 16, 3:30 p.m. (CBS) Favorite: Michigan Wolverines Despite losing Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. to the draft, and with Mitch McGary biding his time on the bench with a back injury, John Beilein somehow managed to do something that he wasn’t able to do last season: win the outright Big Ten regular season title. That’s what happens when Nik Stauskas turns into an all-american and Caris LeVert puts together an all-Big Ten caliber campaign. I’m not sure there is a pair of wing players that were better in conference play than those two. AP Photo Perhaps the biggest difference between Michigan now and Michigan four months ago has been the play of Derrick Walton at the point…
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