Published Mar 9, 2020
Michigan Attempting To Continue Its Big Ten Tournament Success This Week
Austin Fox  •  Maize&BlueReview
Staff Writer

The Michigan Wolverines' basketball team will begin its hunt for a third Big Ten Tournament title in four years on Thursday, when it kicks off action at the annual event with a noon showdown against Rutgers.

The path to a potential conference tournament crown won't be easy, however, with a matchup against top-seeded Wisconsin in store for Friday if the Wolverines get by the Scarlet Knights.

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Michigan is no stranger to recent Big Ten Tournament success, having made the championship game in three straight years and the semifinals in each of the last four.

In fact, U-M has been one of the league's most successful teams in the Big Ten Tournament since 2011, making it to the semifinals in seven of the nine years during that span.

The lone two times they didn't were in 2013 and 2015, with Wisconsin knocking them out in the quarterfinals in each of those years.

The Maize and Blue's recent Big Ten Tournament success has been well-documented (back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018, and a 10-game winning streak in the event that ran from March 9, 2017, through March 16, 2019), but Michigan has actually been one of the league's most successful teams in the annual event since its inception in 1998.

U-M's overall winning percentage of 59.5 all-time in the tournament is the third best among conference clubs, trailing only Michigan State's 66.6 mark and Ohio State's 63.2.

Michigan's three titles (1998, 2017 and 2018), meanwhile, are tied with Wisconsin for the third most (MSU has the most with six and Ohio State has the second most with five).

Former head coach John Beilein, in particular, was especially successful, winning all 12 of his opening Big Ten Tournament games, while leading his team to at least the semifinals in seven of his 12 years on the job.

All-Time Winning Percentages in the Big Ten Tournament
TeamPercentage (Record)Championships

1. Michigan State

66.6% (32-16)

6 (1999, 2000, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2019)

2. Ohio State

63.2% (31-18)

5 (2002, 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2013)

3. Michigan

59.5% (28-19)

3 (1998, 2017 and 2018)

4. Illinois

58.3% (28-20)

2 (2003 and 2005)

5. Wisconsin

56.8% (25-19)

3 (2004, 2008 and 2015)

6. Iowa

45.9% (17-20)

2 (2001 and 2006)

7. Minnesota

45% (18-22)

0

8. Purdue

40% (14-21)

1 (2009)

9. Penn State

38.8% (14-22)

0

10. Nebraska

38.4% (5-8)

0

11. Rutgers

37.5% (3-5)

0

12. Indiana

35.2% (12-22)

0

13. Northwestern

29% (9-22)

0

14. Maryland

28.5% (2-5)

0

Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament
YearHow far U-M AdvancedKnocked out by

1998

Championship

Michigan beat Purdue for the title

1999

Quarterfinals

Ohio State

2000

Opening Round

Penn State

2001

Opening Round

Penn State

2002

Quarterfinals

Ohio State

2003

Quarterfinals

Indiana

2004

Semifinals

Illinois

2005

Opening Round

Northwestern

2006

Opening Round

Minnesota

2007

Quarterfinals

Ohio State

2008

Quarterfinals

Wisconsin

2009

Quarterfinals

Illinois

2010

Quarterfinals

Ohio State

2011

Semifinals

Ohio State

2012

Semifinals

Ohio State

2013

Quarterfinals

Wisconsin

2014

Championship

Michigan State

2015

Quarterfinals

Wisconsin

2016

Semifinals

Purdue

2017

Championship

Michigan beat Wisconsin for the title

2018

Championship

Michigan beat Purdue for the title

2019

Championship

Michigan State

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