Six Big Ten teams will see their seasons continue in the postseason. Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Purdue were selected for the NCAA Tournament, while Nebraska and Penn State accepted bids to the National Invitation Tournament.
Michigan State's current streak of 21 consecutive NCAA Tournaments ranks third nationally. The Spartans' Tom Izzo is one of four head coaches (Arizona's Lute Olsen, Duke's Mike Krzyzewski and North Carolina's Dean Smith) to lead one school to at least 20 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
The Big Ten has sent seven different teams to the Final Four in the last nine years, including at least one participant in four of the past six years. Ohio State advanced to the Final Four in 2007, followed by Michigan State in 2009 and 2010, Michigan in 2013, Wisconsin in 2014 and 2015 and the Spartans in 2015.
Since 2005, five Big Ten teams have advanced to the NCAA Tournament championship game. Wisconsin advanced to the title game in 2015, Michigan played in the final in 2013, Michigan State reached the national championship game in 2009, Ohio State played in the 2007 title game and Illinois reached the final in 2005.
Michigan won the 2018 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament title for a second consecutive year to become the third team to win back-to-back Big Ten Tournament crowns and the first since 2010-11 (Ohio State). Junior Moritz Wagner, who scored a team-high 17 points to lead Michigan to a 75-66 win in the championship game vs. third-seeded Purdue, was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
Michigan State finished with a 16-2 conference record and claimed the outright regular-season title. The Spartans' outright regular-season crown was its first since the 2008-09 season.
The All-Big Ten and individual award winners were announced on Monday, Feb. 26. Ohio State's Keita Bates-Diop earned Big Ten Player of the Year honors from the conference's coaches and a media panel. Ohio State's Chris Holtmann claimed Coach of the Year laurels from both the media and his peers. Michigan State's Jaren Jackson Jr. picked up Freshman of the Year accolades in both ballots. Michigan State's Jackson Jr. was named the Defensive Player of the Year and Michigan’s Duncan Robinson was voted the Sixth Man of the Year by the coaches.
Michigan State's Miles Bridges, Ohio State's Keita Bates-Diop and Purdue's Carsen Edwards were honored on the Sporting News and USBWA All-America teams announced on Monday, March 12. Bridges and Bates-Diop earned Second Team recognition on both lists, while Edwards was a Third Team honoree on the Sporting News' list.