March 16--Chris Collins will fill out an NCAA tournament bracket -- but only for consumption by his family.
"Home bragging rights," the Northwestern coach said.
Here's Collins' breakdown for the Tribune of the first-round games involving Big Ten teams:
No. 1 Wisconsin vs. No. 16 Coastal Carolina
"The thing about Wisconsin is, it's not just Frank Kaminsky. There are multiple stars on that team; you saw what Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig did in the Big Ten tournament, and (Duje) Dukan is the X-factor. To me the big storyline will be Traevon Jackson (and whether he can return from a broken bone in his foot). At Duke we had this with Kyrie Irving in a 1-versus-16 game. It's the one chance you get in the tournament to shake some rust off."
No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 13 Valparaiso
"This will not be a cake walk. Valpo defends really well. But Dez Wells is a tremendous leader and what sets Maryland apart is their record in close games (10-1 in games decided by six points or less). They execute and get stops when the game is on the line. I think Maryland, with its guard play, finds a way. But this could be closer than people realize."
No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 10 Georgia
"I really like how Michigan State is playing ... one turnover away from being the Big Ten (tournament) champs. Their vets have stepped up -- (Travis) Trice, (Denzel) Valentine and Branden Dawson. It's a good matchup for them, and I feel good about them advancing. Michigan State-Virginia could be one of best games of the weekend because both are veteran teams, so physical and well-coached."
No. 7 Iowa vs. No. 10 Davidson
"Davidson is undersized but coach (Bob) McKillop is tremendous, one of the best offensive coaches in the country. They push the ball, they cut, they play fast. But I like Iowa's size and length; that length will be a factor on the boards."
No. 9 Purdue vs. No. 8 Cincinnati
"Two programs that are built on the same principles -- toughness, hard-nosed, physical play. They are mirror images. The team that wins will be the one that finds a way to manufacture points. I like the way Purdue is playing -- very confident."
No. 10 Ohio State vs. No. 7 VCU
"An interesting matchup because Ohio State is very perimeter-oriented and reliant on (D'Angelo) Russell. If he is great, they can beat anyone. VCU will press and double-team and try to get the ball out of his hands. Will (Sam) Thompson and (Shannon) Scott and (Jae'Sean) Tate be able to relieve the scoring load off Russell?"
No. 10 Indiana vs. No. 7 Wichita State
"Should be a good game. Wichita has a ton of experience and is extremely well-coached. That backcourt is as good as any in the country with (Ron) Baker and (Fred) VanVleet. The whole thing with Indiana is, can you defend them when they get it going? They have the firepower to play with anybody. How will Wichita defend the 3-point line?"
