“Eighteen years, eighteen years. No Big Ten team has won the NCAA Tournament in eighteen years” — Kanye West [sort of].

Kanye knows what’s up. It’s been 18 years since a Big Ten team hoisted the NCAA Tournament Trophy. Michigan State, led by guards Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson (AKA Mo-Pete) defeated the Florida Gators 89-76 on April 3, 2000.

With a week-long hiatus between the end of Big Ten Tournament play and the start of the NCAA Tournament, commissioner Jim Delany hopes his conference can finally reclaim college basketball’s biggest prize.

Final Big Ten Bracketology

Michigan State Spartans

Final Record/Trophy: Big Ten regular season champions. 29-4, 16-2 in conference.

Biggest win(s): Versus North Carolina (neutral site), versus Purdue

Top players: Miles Bridges, Jaren Jackson Jr., Cassius Winston

Predicted seed: 2

Purdue Boilermakers

Final Record: 28-6, 15-3 in conference

Biggest win(s): Versus Arizona (neutral site), sweep of Michigan in regular season.

Top players: Carsen Edwards, Vincent Edwards, Isaac Haas

Predicted seed: 3

Ohio State Buckeyes

Final Record: 24-8, 15-3 in conference

Biggest win(s): Versus Michigan State, at Purdue

Top players: Keita Bates-Diop, JaeSean Tate

Predicted seed: 5

Michigan Wolverines

Final Record/Trophy: Big Ten Tournament Champions. 28-7, 13-5 in conference

Biggest win(s): At Texas, versus Michigan State, versus Ohio State, at Penn State

Top players: Mo Wagner, Charles Matthews, Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman

Predicted seed: 4

On The Bubble

Penn State Nittany Lions

Final record: 21-13, 9-9 in conference

Biggest win(s): Ohio State three times (home, road and Big Ten Tournament)

Top players: Tony Carr, Lamar Stevens, Josh Reaves

In or out?: Out. Penn State lost its final three games of the regular season, including failed opportunities in games against Purdue, Michigan and Nebraska. Penn State was right there, but just missed the cut. If they would have reached the Final of the Big Ten Tournament, the Nittany Lions would have a much stronger case.

Nebraska Cornhuskers

Final record: 22-10, 13-5 in conference

Biggest win(s): vs. Michigan

Top players: James Palmer Jr., Isaac Copeland, Isaiah Roby

In or out?: Out. Nebraska really doesn't have a quality win aside from that home triumph over Michigan. The eye-test doesn't pass either. Yes, Nebraska won more games than Penn State, but Penn State is the better team on paper.