First Round (FRIDAY)
No. 8 Wisconsin (15-9, 4-6 Big Ten) vs. No. 9 Iowa (12-8, 4-6)Neither team has been playing great down the stretch, as both have dropped three of their final four matches. Wisconsin won against Iowa 5-2 at home on April 11, but at a neutral site it will probably be the closest match of the first round. Look for the Badgers to take out the Hawkeyes in a deciding seventh point.Daily Pick: Wisconsin
No. 6 Indiana (13-13, 5-5) vs. No. 11 Michigan State (12-13, 0-10)Michigan State was the only team in the Big Ten to go winless this season, and it won’t get its first win in the tournament. Indiana took care of business in East Lansing, Mich., last weekend, winning 5-2, and will do the same down the road in Ann Arbor, Mich.Daily Pick: IndianaNo. 7 Penn State (13-12, 4-6) vs. No. 10 Purdue (7-15, 1-9)Penn State did not pull off any shocking wins this season, but it beat the teams it was supposed to. The Boilermakers have the worst overall record among Big Ten teams and their only win came at the expense of Michigan State. That sounds like a team the Nittany Lions should beat.Daily Pick: Penn State
Second Round (FRIDAY)
No. 1 Ohio State (27-1, 10-0) vs. No. 8 Wisconsin In the final regular season match for both teams, Ohio State rolled over Wisconsin 7-0. Even though it will be at a neutral site, the result will be the same, especially after a grueling first round match for the Badgers.Daily Pick: Ohio State
No. 4 Michigan (12-13, 6-4) vs. No. 5 Northwestern (18-7, 6-4)Since the Wolverines knocked off the Wildcats in Evanston on March 29, both teams posted identical 5-1 conference records, and both losses came at the hands of Ohio State. The head-to-head regular season match went down to the wire, with Michigan escaping with a win at No. 1 singles. The Cats have matured and won close match after close match, but the home crowd is going to give the Wolverines an edge they didn’t have during the previous meeting. It’ll come down to the wire again, which is why NU’s grit will pull through and knock off the hometown favorites.Daily Pick: NU
No. 3 Minnesota (17-6, 7-3) vs. No. 6 IndianaThe Hoosiers have been a streaky team, losing four straight at one point in the season, and have yet to prove that they can compete with teams ranked ahead of them. Minnesota has been much more consistent throughout the year. This one could get interesting if Indiana plays to its abilities, but Minnesota will advance.Daily Pick: MinnesotaNo. 2 Illinois vs. No. 7 Penn StatePenn State has not fared well against highly ranked teams. In the regular season matchup, the Illini cruised 7-0, with only two singles matches going into a third set. Illinois will be well-rested and will easily move on.Daily Pick: Illinois
Semifinals (SATURDAY)
No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 5 NorthwesternThe Cats were beat 7-0 last weekend at Ohio State, and this match will end in a similar way. NU’s best chance to steal a point will be in doubles, where the team fell just short during the regular season.Daily Pick: Ohio State
No. 2 Illinois vs. No. 3 MinnesotaThe regular season match saw Minnesota lose a close one at home 4-3. The doubles point proved to be the difference, and the Golden Gophers’ No. 2 and No. 3 doubles teams put up much more of a fight than the Illini’s No. 1 pair did. Minnesota will win the doubles point and gain the momentum necessary to split the singles and get its revenge.Daily Pick: Minnesota
Finals (SUNDAY)
No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 3 MinnesotaIn the regular season matchup in Columbus, Ohio, the Buckeyes won every doubles and singles match. In fact, Ohio State won each singles match in straight sets. Without the home court advantage, the Buckeyes won’t dominate to the same extent, but they still won’t come close to losing.Daily Pick: Ohio State
