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March 9, 2008 by kj

A week from now, we’ll all be poring over NCAA Tournament brackets making prognostications about teams like Davidson, VCU, Drake, Robert Morris, Baylor, and Portland State. Some of these teams we’ve barely heard of, let alone watched this season.

So, I thought, why not get the prognostications started a week earlier this year, and make them about the teams we’ve all been watching regularly for the last 10 weeks?

The Spartans Weblog is pleased therefore to announce the First Annual and World’s Only (As Far As We Know) Big Ten Tournament Bracket Contest.

The winner of the contest will win a free MSU 300 t-shirt made by richrobots. (Click on the link at the top of the right-hand column, or this previous post, for more details.)

The BTT bracket is now finalized. To submit an entry in the contest, post a comment to this blog post. Include your pick for the winner of each of the 10 games of the tournament. Scoring will be as follows:

Round 1 winners (3): 1 point each
Semi-finalists (4): 2 points each
Finalists (2): 4 points each
Champion (1): 8 points
Total points available: 27

In keeping with the tempo-free statistics bent of this blog, the tie-breaker will be the number of possessions in the final game of the tournament. That figure will be calculated according to the Big Ten Wonk formula, averaged for the two teams in the final and rounded to the nearest whole number. For the less statistically-inclined, go ahead and pick a random number between 55 and 75.

Here’s an example of a contest entry, based on the assumption of the higher seed winning each game:

Game 1: Iowa
Game 2: Penn St.
Game 3: Minnesota
Game 4: Wisconsin
Game 5: MSU
Game 6: Purdue
Game 7: Indiana
Game 8: Wisconsin
Game 9: Purdue
Game 10: Wisconsin
Tie-breaker: 65 possessions

(Feel free to drop the “Game” on each line to save time, but please include the numbers.)

Legal boilerplate:

All entries must be received by noon on Thursday (before the tip-off of Game 1) to be valid.
In the case of a tie between one or more contestants in both contest points and the number of possessions in the final, the winner will be determined by coin-flip or other random mechanism determined by the Spartans Weblog.
The prize for the contest winner consists of one MSU 300 richrobots t-shirt (men’s or women’s fit) and associated shipping/tax costs for United State residents. No substitutions.
Any non-MSU fans who might happen to be readers of this blog may enter the contest but, if they win, must either (1) forfeit the prize to the next highest finisher or (2) sign an affidavit swearing to wear the t-shirt during at least four MSU basketball games next season.
The Spartans Weblog is the final authority regarding interpretation of the contest rules and determination of the winner.

Let’s see who can find the right combination of statistical analysis, gut intuition, and good old-fashioned luck and become the most fashionable Spartan fan on their block . . .

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Posted in big ten, contest | 30 Comments

30 Responses

on March 9, 2008 at 8:33 pm spartanproducer

do I get a prize for being first to enter?? oh well, good idea anyway, so here’s my best guess (and in anything involving predictions of this year’s MSU team it truly is a guess)

Game 1: Iowa
Game 2: Illinois
Game 3: Minnesota
Game 4: Wisconsin
Game 5: MSU
Game 6: Purdue
Game 7: Indiana
Game 8: MSU
Game 9: Purdue
Game 10: Purdue

tiebreaker: possessions 61
on March 9, 2008 at 9:05 pm BT

Oh, I am SO in … can’t wait to wear that Sparta t-shirt around the UW campus. (“This is madness!” “No, this … is … MADTOWN!!!!!!!”) But seriously, I’ll have no problem wearing it during four Spartan games next year … has Izzo confirmed the date with Western Delaware State yet?

1: Iowa
2: Illinois
3: Minnesota
4: Wisconsin
5: Ohio State (hey, on a Spartan blog, that’s a big point differential for me!)
6: Purdue
7: Indiana (verrrry tempting to pick the upset here, but it should be a home crowd for the Hoosiers)
8: Wisconsin
9: Purdue
10: Wisconsin
tempo-free: 67
on March 10, 2008 at 4:15 am markv

1. Michigan
2. Illinois
3. Northwestern
4. Wisconsin
5. MSU
6. Purdue
7. Northwestern
8. MSU
9. Purdue
10. Purdue
possessions:68

No, i’m not a Northwestern alum. Go green!
on March 10, 2008 at 6:58 am TMadison25

1. Michigan
2. Illinois
3. Minnesota
4. Wisconsin
5. MSU
6. Illinois
7. Minnesota
8. MSU
9. Minnesota
10. MSU
on March 10, 2008 at 7:29 am GBBound

Game 1: Iowa
Game 2: Illinois
Game 3: Minnesota
Game 4: Wisconsin
Game 5: MSU
Game 6: Purdue
Game 7: Minnesota
Game 8: MSU
Game 9: Purdue
Game 10: MSU
Possessions: 63
on March 10, 2008 at 7:54 am Mrs. Spartans weblog

Game 1: Iowa
Game 2: Penn State
Game 3: Minnesota
Game 4: Wisconsin
Game 5: MSU
Game 6: Purdue
Game 7: Minnesota
Game 8: MSU
Game 9: Purdue
Game 10: Purdue
Possessions: 68
on March 10, 2008 at 8:07 am Your Sister

Game 1: Iowa
Game 2: Illinois
Game 3: Minnesota
Game 4: Wisconsin
Game 5: MSU
Game 6: Purdue
Game 7: Indiana
Game 8: MSU
Game 9: Indiana
Game 10: MSU
Possessions: 66
on March 10, 2008 at 8:09 am TMadison25

tiebreaker: 70
on March 10, 2008 at 8:23 am Kelly

1: Iowa
2: Illinois
3: Minnesota
4: Wisconsin
5: MSU
6: Purdue
7: Indiana
8: MSU
9: Purdue
10: MSU

Possessions: 64
on March 10, 2008 at 8:26 am Spartalytical

Game 01: Michigan
Game 02: Penn State
Game 03: Minnesota
Game 04: Wisconsin
Game 05: Michigan State
Game 06: Purdue
Game 07: Indiana
Game 08: Wisconsin
Game 09: Purdue
Game 10: Purdue

Game 10 Possessions: 67
on March 10, 2008 at 10:47 am Devin

Game 1: Iowa
Game 2: Illinois
Game 3: Minnesota
Game 4: Wisconsin
Game 5: MSU
Game 6: Illinois
Game 7: Indiana
Game 8: MSU
Game 9: Indiana
Game 10: Indiana
Possessions: 62

Obviously, I’m a Hoosier fan, but I solemnly swear that if I win (no danger of it, really) to wear the MSU t-shirt for four MSU games next season. However, they just won’t be Indiana-MSU games.
on March 10, 2008 at 10:59 am kj

I may have to add the provision that the 4 MSU games be nationally-televised games.

Happy to have participation from elsewhere in the Big Ten blogosphere.
on March 10, 2008 at 12:10 pm Hubert

Game 1: Iowa
Game 2: Illinois
Game 3: Minnesota
Game 4: Wisconsin
Game 5: MSU
Game 6: Purdue
Game 7: minnesota
Game 8: MSU
Game 9: Purdue
Game 10: Purdue
Possessions: 61
on March 10, 2008 at 1:08 pm Nate in Chicago

Game 1: Michigan
Game 2: PSU
Game 3: Minnesota
Game 4: Wisconsin
Game 5: MSU
Game 6: Purdue
Game 7: IU
Game 8: Wisc.
Game 9: Purdue
Game 10: Wisc.
Possessions: 64
on March 10, 2008 at 3:22 pm Dave

Game 1: Mich
Game 2: Ill
Game 3: Minn
Game 4: Wisc
Game 5: MSU
Game 6: Pur
Game 7: Ind
Game 8: MSU
Game 9: Pur
Game 10: MSU

Possessions: 67
on March 10, 2008 at 7:06 pm alamarand

1. Iowa
2. Penn st
3. Minn
4. Wisc
5. MSU
6. Purdue
7. Ind
8. MSU
9. Ind.
10.MSU

Possessions: 67
on March 11, 2008 at 7:25 am wifeofaspartan

1. Iowa
2. Illinois
3. Minn
4. Wisc
5. MSU
6. Purdue
7. Minn
8. MSU
9. purdue
10. MSU

possessions: 59
on March 11, 2008 at 9:37 pm Brad

My Picks:

Game 1 – Iowa
Game 2 – Illinois
Game 3 – Minnesota

Game 4 – Wisconsin
Game 5 – Michigan State
Game 6 – Purdue
Game 7 – Indiana

Game 8 – Michigan State
Game 9 – Indiana

Champ – Indiana

TieBreak = 62 possessions

Give me that shirt baby!! (or actually give that shirt to the next highest bidder baby!!)
on March 11, 2008 at 10:04 pm NorthernSparty

1: Iowa
2: Illinois
3: Minnesota
4: Wisconsin
5: MSU
6: Purdue
7: Indiana
8: MSU
9: IU
10: MSU

Possessions: 63
on March 12, 2008 at 11:28 am Joshua D.

1:Michigan
2:Illinois
3:Minnesota
4:Wisconsin
5:MSU
6:Purdue
7:Indiana
8:Wisconsin
9:Purdue
10:Wisconsin

Possessions: 59
on March 12, 2008 at 11:30 am DMP

I thought I had a real gamblers’ bracket going, but seeing the posts I can see there are other faithfuls here with me:
1 Mich
2 Ill
3 Minn
4 Wis
5 MSU
6 Per
7 Minn
8 MSU
9 Per
10 MSU
on March 12, 2008 at 11:33 am DMP

Oops, sorry, here is my re-entry including the tie-breaker:
1 Mich
2 Ill
3 Minn
4 Wis
5 MSU
6 Per
7 Minn
8 MSU
9 Per
10 MSU

Possessions: 65
on March 12, 2008 at 11:59 am Nick

Game 1: Michigan
Game 2: Illinois
Game 3: Minnesota
Game 4: Wisconsin
Game 5: MSU
Game 6: Purdue
Game 7: Indiana
Game 8: Wisconsin
Game 9: Purdue
Game 10: Wisconsin

tiebreaker: 64
on March 12, 2008 at 9:35 pm MS

Thanks for the contest!

Game 1: Iowa
Game 2: Illinois
Game 3: Minnesota
Game 4: Wisconsin
Game 5: MSU
Game 6: Purdue
Game 7: Indiana
Game 8: MSU
Game 9: Purdue
Game 10: Purdue

Tiebreaker: 63

I hate to pick Purdue, but the ugly home win against the Boilermakers without Hummel gives an edge to Purdue at Conseco. Still, Go Spartans!
on March 13, 2008 at 7:02 am Opie

Go Spartans ! Time to Krank it up !

Game 1 Iowa
Game 2 Penn State
Game 3 Gophers
Game 4 Wisconsin
Game 5 Sparty gets Revenge
Game 6 Baby Boilers
Game 7 Indiana
Game 8 Spartans again win on a neutral Court
Game 9 Good Game predicted: Indiana Prevails.
Game 10 Spartans Win Championship !!

Spartans Drew, Suton, and the Fab Freshman hit their stride going into March Madness.
on March 13, 2008 at 7:05 am Opie

Oh yeah.. Tiebreaker: 64
on March 13, 2008 at 9:31 am TheES

Game 1: Iowa
Game 2: Joe Pa
Game 3: Minnesota
Game 4: Wisconsin
Game 5: Sparty
Game 6: Purdue
Game 7: Minnesota
Game 8: Sparty
Game 9: Purdue
Game 10: Sparty

tiebreaker: 56
on March 13, 2008 at 11:03 am Gary Robinson

Game 1: Iowa
Game 2: Penn State
Game 3: Minnesota
Game 4: Wisconsin
Game 5: Michigan State
Game 6: Purdue
Game 7: Indiana
Game 8: Michigan State
Game 9: Purdue
Game 10: Purdue
on March 13, 2008 at 11:04 am Gary Robinson

Sorry, forgot the tiebreaker.

Possessions: 58
on March 9, 2009 at 6:48 am The Second Annual and World’s Only (As Far As We Know) Big Ten Tournament Bracket Contest | Spartans Weblog

[...] Same rules as last year: [...]

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