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Big Ten Weekly Men's Basketball Central: Jan. 24-30
- Big Ten basketball coaches will join their colleagues across the country in participating in the Coaches vs. Cancer Suits & Sneakers Week (Jan. 23-29). This is a nationwide event created to raise funds and awareness about the fight against cancer and promotes the American Cancer Society as a source of inspiration and hope for those facing cancer. Since the CvC program began in 1993, college and high school coaches have raised more than $140 million in the fight against cancer.
- Two games fill the Big Ten schedule tonight, beginning at 6:30 p.m., when Rutgers puts its 11-2 home record on the line against Penn State (BTN). At 7 p.m., Illinois will play host to Ohio State, with both teams looking to climb the Big Ten standings (ESPN).
- Penn State and Rutgers meet for the 80th time in program history Tuesday night, with the Nittany Lions owning a 45-34 advantage in the all-time series, including wins in four of the last six contests. The teams split their two meetings last season, each winning on its home floor. Sam Sessom’s 17 points off the bench led four Nittany Lions in in double figure scoring, as Penn Scored a 66-49 home win in mid-January. In the return game, Penn State erased a 15-point second half deficit and missed a game-winning shot attempt, as Rutgers escaped with a 59-58 victory. Seven Scarlet Knights scored at least six points in the victory, led by Ron Harper Jr.’s 15 points.
- The Nittany Lions are one of four teams in the country with five 1,000-point scorers on their 2022-23 roster - Myles Dread (1,022 points), Andrew Funk (1,477 points), Seth Lundy (1,022 points), Jalen Pickett (1,882 points) and Camren Wynter (1,826 points). San Diego, UAB and Missouri are the only three other teams that have five active 1,000-point scorers on their 2022-23 rosters.
- Points have been tough to come by against Rutgers, as the Scarlet Knights are currently fifth in the nation and leading the Big Ten in scoring defense, holding opponents to just 57.6 points per game. RU has held 18 of its 19 opponents to date under their scoring average entering the game. The only team to reach its scoring average was Michigan State, who bettered its season average by just 0.3 points. In 13 games on its home floor, Rutgers is allowing just 53.2 points and has surrendered 60 points just three times.
- Tonight will mark the 190th meeting all-time between the Buckeyes and Illini, with Illinois leading the series 108-81 but the Buckeyes have won four of the last five meetings in Champaign. In last season’s lone meeting, Ohio State opened the second half with a 16-2 run to seize control of the action, but Illinois made a late rally. The Illini nearly eliminated a 12-point deficit in the game’s final 3:31 before falling 86-83. The trio of Malaki Branham, E.J. Lindell and Kyle Young combined for 70 points in the win, while Alfonso Plummer’s 26 points paced five Illini players with double digit points.
- Despite its recent losing streak, Ohio State remains one of the Big Ten’s most efficient offenses. The Buckeyes rank second in the lead with a .472 field goal percentage, while its .387 three-point field goal percentage also lists second in the league and 15th in the country. Ohio State’s 77.8 points per game are good for third in the conference, as are its 22.74 bench points per game.
- Illinois has scored at least 75 points in each of its four Big Ten wins, averaging 77.0 points while holding opponents to 61.3 points in those four games. Illinois has not topped 66 points in any of its four Big Ten losses, averaging 62.5 points while allowing opponents to score 74.5 points in those four games. The Illini are shooting 47 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from three- point range in those wins, while connecting on just 41.7 percent from the floor and 31.1 percent beyond the arc in the losses.
- In Monday’s only contest, Northwestern scored a tight 66-63 win over Wisconsin. The game featured 34 lead changes and 22 ties, as neither team led by more than four points in the second half. A Brooks Barnhizer lay-up gave the ‘Cats a 62-61 lead with 2:52, which mark the game’s final field goal. Northwestern converted on 4-5 free throw attempts over the game’s final minutes, while the Badgers missed their final six field goal attempts. Boo Buie scored a game-high 20 points, while chase Audige added 16 points for Northwestern. All five Wisconsin starters scored north of eight points, led by Jordan Davis’s 15 points.
- Purdue made its return to the top of both the AP and USA Today polls this week, marking the Boilermakers’ fifth week of the season ranked at No. 1. While Purdue finds itself as the Big Ten’s lone representative in the polls, five teams received votes on both lists. Indiana, Illinois, Michigan State, Rutgers, and Wisconsin all find themselves in the conversation to regain places in the polls.
- Eleven of the 14 Big Ten programs rank in the top 66 of today’s NCAA NET rankings, including six in the top 40: Purdue (#4), Rutgers (#22), Indiana (#19), Ohio State (#24), Illinois (#28), and Iowa (#39). Purdue leads the nation with seven Quad 1 wins. The Big Ten also leads the country with 67 Quad 1 and 2 wins (ACC - 54, Big 12 - 59, Big East - 43, PAC 12 - 51, SEC - 56). Thirteen of the league’s 14 teams also have at least one Quad 1 win and at least 1 Quad 2 win.
- Through games on Jan. 23, 11 of the Big Ten 14 teams rank in the top 60 in the latest KenPom rankings, including nine in the top 40. Purdue leads the way at #5 followed by Ohio State (#19), Rutgers (#20), Indiana (#21), and Illinois (#29). The Big 12 has nine teams in the top 60, one more than the SEC and two more than the PAC 12 and ACC. The Big East checks in with five entrants.
- Nebraska enters this week with the nation’s best NET Strength of Schedule ranking to lead six Big Ten teams in the top 20: #6 Michigan State, #17 Wisconsin, #12 Maryland, #16 Iowa, and #19 Indiana. In total, 12 Big Ten teams rank in the top 50, most of any conference in the country. The Big 12 has 10 teams in the top 50, one more than the SEC. The Big East and PAC 12 have seven and six entrants, respectively, while the ACC checks in with four.
- Some of the nation’s top defensive units are on display each time a Big Ten team takes the court. Four Big Ten teams rank in the NCAA’s top 35 in scoring defense, while 11 hold their opponents at or below 42.0% field goal shooting. The shooting percentages stay low beyond the three-point line, as all 14 teams hold their opponents below 35.0% from three-point range, while eight clubs block at least 4.0 shots per game.
- Six Big Ten teams also rank among the nation’s leaders in taking care of the ball. Penn State leads the country, committing just 8.8 turnovers per game. Wisconsin’s 9.0 turnovers rank second, while Michigan lists ninth with 10.1 miscues. Iowa (11th - 10.3) and Northwestern (13th - 10.4) also list in the top 15. Iowa and Penn State also rank second and fourth in the nation, respectively, with 1.66 and 1.65 assist-to-turnover ratios.
- Entering this week’s games, ten Big Ten teams rank in the top 30 in average home attendance, including five who are listed in the top 20. Indiana (#8), Purdue (#9), Illinois (#10), Michigan State (#11), and Wisconsin (#12) join Maryland (#20). More than 170,000 fans have watched the Hoosiers this season, ranking sixth in the NCAA in total home fans. In total, nearly 2.8 million fans have enjoyed Big Ten men’s basketball live this season.
- Big Ten teams closed the nonconference portion of the 2022-23 campaign with a 115-37 (.757-win percentage) record. The conference ranked second in the nation in nonconference win percentage, behind the Big 12 (.840 / 110-19) and second in wins behind the SEC (130-42).