MADISON, Wis. – Mathematically, the University of Wisconsin does not control its path to winning a regular-season Big Ten title. Mentally, however, senior Steven Crowl believes the Badgers have a conference championship within their control.

“We’re all confident about the opportunities we’ve been given at the end of the season,” Crowl said Thursday. “Purdue, Illinois, Michigan State, those are all big games for us. I think we control our own destiny, so it’s worrying about one game at a time, trying to get the wins, and everything else will take care of itself in the end.

No.16 Wisconsin's championship viability will be determined on Saturday afternoon at Mackey Arena, when it plays No. 7 Purdue, one of the league's powerhouse programs.

The Badgers (19-5, 9-4 Big Ten) have yet to beat a team with a winning conference record and haven’t beaten a Big Ten team inside the NET top 25, but knocking off Purdue would boost them in multiple ways, from tournament seeding to conference standings.

The Boilermakers (19-6, 11-3) are the top-ranked team in the conference by the Associated Press, KenPom (eighth) and the NCAA NET Rankings (eighth).

“(Saturday) is a prelim of what’s to come in the future,” Crowl said.

With the conference expanding to 18 teams, limiting the home-and-home matchups to three per school, and downsizing the number of games between the top prospects, the league's top half will have plenty of movement over the final three weeks of the season.

The shifting started on Tuesday when Michigan moved a half-game ahead of Purdue for first place in the league after a 75-73 home victory over the Boilermakers. Michigan State is now a full game back, with Wisconsin two behind.

Maryland (2.5), UCLA (2.5), and Illinois (3) also remain in the hunt for a top-four finish in the conference, earning a double bye in next month’s Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis (all three schools currently hold the tiebreaker over the Badgers).

Wisconsin has the easiest remaining schedule of the teams in the top four of the league in terms of Big Ten opponent’s combined winning percentage (.479). KenPom predicted UW to finish 5-2, with its two losses coming tomorrow (by five) and at Michigan State (by one).

“I think we have a great opportunity to finish in the top of the Big Ten,” guard John Blackwell said. “We just have to stay locked in and stay focused. It’s a great way to get ready for March and what that presents going forward.”

A look at the remaining schedules of the Big Ten’s top four teams.

Michigan (11-2): at Ohio State, vs. Michigan State, at Nebraska, vs. Rutgers, vs. Illinois, vs. Maryland, at Michigan State. Combined Big Ten winning percentage: 56-41 (.577).

Purdue (11-3): vs. Wisconsin, at Michigan State, at Indiana, vs. UCLA, vs. Rutgers, at Illinois. Combined Big Ten winning percentage: 48-35 (.578).

Michigan State (10-3): at Illinois, vs. Purdue, at Michigan, vs. Maryland, vs. Wisconsin, at Iowa, vs. Michigan. Combined Big Ten winning percentage: 65-30 (.684).

Wisconsin (9-4): at Purdue, vs Illinois, vs. Oregon, vs. Washington, at Michigan State, at Minnesota, vs. Penn State: Combined Big Ten winning percentage: 46-50 (.479).

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