First-round games

No. 8 Northwestern (9-13, 4-6 Big Ten) vs.

No. 9 Michigan State (11-15, 2-8)

Northwestern may have beaten Michigan State 5-2 last weekend, but that was without the Spartans’ top player, Nick Rinks. The Wildcats won’t dominate like they did Sunday but they should still be able to squeeze by.

Daily pick: NU

No. 6 Minnesota (15-8, 5-5) vs. No. 11 Purdue (8-13, 1-9)

Purdue’s only Big Ten win came at the start of the season against Michigan State. Since then, it’s been all downhill. Expect two things: home advantage not to count for much, and a dominating performance from the Gophers.

Daily pick: Minnesota

No. 7 Indiana (14-11, 4-6) vs. No. 10 Iowa (8-12, 1-9)

Iowa earned its first Big Ten win last weekend at Purdue. But it won’t count for much against a Hoosiers team upset about missing a first-round bye for the first time in three years.

Daily pick: Indiana

Quarterfinals

No. 1 Ohio State (24-1, 10-0) vs. No. 8 NU

The defending champion Buckeyes have not lost a conference contest in two years. The Buckeyes shut out the Cats earlier in the season, without losing a set. History will repeat itself.

Daily pick: Ohio State

No. 4 Wisconsin (14-9, 6-4) vs. No. 5 Penn State (16-5, 6-4)

It’s been a roller coaster season for the Nittany Lions, but their win against Indiana last weekend will boost their confidence in a bid to avenge their previous 4-3 defeat to the Badgers.