With 11 highly competitive teams, the 2010 Big Ten NCAA men’s basketball tournament should be an instant classic.

Indianapolis, Indiana is the location of the Big Ten Tournament this year. The first game was on March 11 with a match-up between the University of Michigan and the University of Iowa. These evenly matched teams fought for a bid to the next round. U of M won against the Hawkeyes 59-52. They will face powerhouse and long-time rival, Ohio State University in the next round of the tournament.

Going into the tournament this weekend, there were three teams in a deadlock for the regular season winner in the Big Ten. The teams were Michigan State, Purdue and Ohio State, all with the record of 14-4 in the Big Ten. Led by superb coaches, all three of these teams are expected to go far in not only the Big Ten Tournament, but also the NCAA March Madness Tournament.

With four of the 11 teams in the NCAA top 15 rankings, the Big Ten is keeping a reputation for superior basketball teams. The University of Wisconsin, along with Michigan State, Purdue and Ohio State represent the Big Ten in the nation’s top 15 teams. These elite teams have put themselves in great position to dominate their competition during the NCAA tournament that is coming up on the March 15.

With seven out of the 11 teams in the Big Ten going well above .500, this weekend’s tournament is sure to end in a thriller. The Big Ten, famous for its first-class defense, is packed with playmakers and nation leading scorers. E'Twaun Moore, junior from Purdue, leads the Big Ten in points per game scoring an impressive 21.2 points day-in and day-out.

The Big Ten is continuing to gain respect from the rest of the NCAA with its ongoing success. The tournament should be hard fought and exciting. May the best team win and represent their school well.