STF Conference Report - Big Ten

Right now, as you read this, the first round of the Big Ten Tournament is taking place over at ESPN2. I'll give you a minute to flip the channel...

Got it? Great. So there you have it. Things could not be more un-exciting in the first round of the Big Ten Tourney. But have no fear - business is about to pick up. With arguably four teams in the hunt to win the tournament (Wisconsin, Purdue, Indiana and Michigan State) and three teams who could easily play the role of spoiler (Illinois, Minnesota and Ohio State), simple math tells me that there are seven quality teams in this tournament. Unfortunately, for myself and the rest of the Big Ten analysts this year, math has doesn't sh*t to help.

With that said, here's a quick preview of this year's tournament, despite it already having started:

Team to Beat - Wisconsin. The Badgers battled through their Big Ten schedule en route to a regular season title. Don't expect them to skip a beat in the conference tournament and into the NCAAs, as long as Brian Butch can act like the 6-foot-11 big man that he is.

Team to Watch - Purdue. The Boilermakers have arguably the most upside and potential out of any of the Big Ten squads. With young talents such as Robbie Hummel, Scott Martin and E'Twaun Moore, there's no question that Purdue will be a dangerous foe in the tournament. But will inexperience hurt them in the end? Stay tuned to find out.

Team to Fear - Michigan State. The preseason favorites. The wise elders. The Spartans. Michigan State has been here before, and with Drew Neitzel and Raymar Morgan leading the way, the Spartans could easily plow through the tournament and head into the NCAAs with the momentum they've been searching for all season long.

Player to Watch - Eric Gordon, Indiana. This may seem like a no brainer, but it's not for the reason you may think. Gordon, who many scouts have slated as a lottery pick in next year's NBA Draft, is NOT ready for the pros. I repeat, Eric Gordon is nowhere near ready to enter the NBA. Therefore, the Big Ten Tournament - and subsequently the NCAA Tourney as well - will be his final auditions for the big stage. If the last few weeks are any indication, Gordon is going to get eaten alive by the bigger guards of the NBA.

Quick Prediction - Purdue will win the Big Ten Tournament.