Deciphering the hypnotic Big Ten Tournament pinwheel

Just because the Hawkeyes were booted from the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament does not mean I stopped watching. No sir. I watched the Wisconsin-Indiana and Michigan State-Ohio State tilts today and am very much looking forward to the Buckeyes beating the Badgers tomorrow. (Before this season, I was rather indifferent to Wisconsin’s men’s team. After the Hawkeyes’ double-overtime loss in Madison, however, a deep hatred for the Badgers has begun to burn inside me. It will last at least until tomorrow. I am a Hawkeye fan first and a Big Ten fan second.)

Needless to say, this weekend is been college basketball heaven. But here’s the thing: every time the ball crossed midcourt in one of the games at the United Center, I found myself focusing on the colorful, Big Ten-themed pinwheel logo. I cannot remember when it was first used — it had to be sometime before Nebraska joined the conference in 2011 — but I think it is pretty cool. However, I always find myself trying to figure out which vane represents which school. Thankfully, I think I have figured it out.

Starting at the twelve o’clock position and moving clockwise, I believe the colors correspond to: Ohio State, Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Penn State, Michigan State, Purdue, Michigan, Iowa, and Illinois.