First-round games
No. 8 Wisconsin vs. No. 9 Purdue
Wisconsin has been playing its opponents tough the past few weeks and managed to get three points off Illinois. Purdue has been shaky all year and got smoked by the Badgers on Easter. Provided Purdue doesn’t get over-motivated, Wisconsin should have no trouble sending the Boilermakers home.
DAILY pick: Wisconsin
No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 11 Iowa
Iowa got lucky on Easter and picked up a Big Ten win to avoid getting skunked, but aside from some of its big serving singles players, the team lacks depth. Unfortunately for the Hawkeyes, the team they beat is Penn State, which won’t like to get embarrassed again. Tough call, but no team can lose twice to Iowa this year.
DAILY pick: Penn State
No. 7 NU vs. No. 10 Michigan State
The Cats have played their hearts out the last few weekends and, despite several injuries, are peaking at the right time of the season. The same cannot be said about the Spartans, who have lost six straight Big Ten matches and their only conference win is against doormat Iowa.
DAILY pick: NU
Quarterfinals
No. 4 Michigan vs. No. 5 Indiana
This matchup is again the second time the pair faces off in as many weeks. The Wolverines have been inconsistent of late, while the Hoosiers have been beating the teams they should. The Hoosiers will look to get their revenge against the Michigan team that sneaked by them for the win last week. With the first upset of the tournament, Indiana looks to get into the semifinals.
DAILY pick: Indiana
No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 8 Wisconsin
These teams played last weekend, with Ohio State coming out on top, and that shouldn’t change in such a short time period. The Buckeyes are the best team in the league by far and shouldn’t find much trouble against the overachieving Badgers.
DAILY pick: Ohio State
No. 2 Illinois vs. No. 7 NU
This will be the intra-state rivalry the schools want, since in football it has become a joke. While the Illini won the last meeting 6-1, they barely won several points, and NU’s doubles has been red-hot recently. If the Cats’ singles can hold up to several of the nation’s best players, NU should give Illinois a run for its money.
DAILY pick: NU
No. 3 Minnesota vs. No. 6 Penn State
Minnesota is the best team in the conference not named Ohio State or Illinois. The Gophers have quietly climbed the conference standings of late, despite losing two of their last three matches. Penn State doesn’t have the firepower or experience to take down the Gophers’ talented upperclassmen.
DAILY pick: Minnesota
Semifinals
No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 5 Indiana
Indiana didn’t fare much better than most of the Big Ten against Ohio State, but the Hoosiers’ Dave Bubenicek looks hungry for more wins to add to his already stellar season. The question becomes whether the rest of the team has the talent to compete with the Buckeyes. Of course, the answer to this is most likely no, so the Hoosiers’ run to the title will fall a little short.
DAILY pick: Ohio State
No. 3 Minnesota vs. No. 7 NU
The last time the two teams met, it was cold and rainy, forcing the match to be played indoors in conditions that favor the Gophers. This match most likely will be played indoors, and the same results should follow: a 5-2 Minnesota win. Of course, if coach Paul Torricelli has any tricks up his sleeve, the match could get interesting, but the Cats don’t have the late-season experience they need to take down the Gophers.
DAILY pick: Minnesota
Finals
No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Minnesota
The two largest schools in the Big Ten will fight over supremacy in tennis, and with a long delay since they have last played each other, this looks to be a hard-fought match for both teams. Ohio State has the top-ranked doubles team in the country, but Minnesota’s singles are dangerous. Whichever team yields in singles will lose this match. Ohio State has too much talent and hasn’t lost a match to anyone in the Big Ten this season. Don’t count on them doing it here.
DAILY pick: Ohio State
