Big Ten Weekly Men's Basketball Central - January 13-19
BIG TEN MEN'S BASKETBALL
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BIG TEN STATISTICS
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NCAA STATISTICS
BIG TEN SCHEDULE & RESULTS
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BIG TEN STANDINGS
NCAA AP TOP 25 POLL
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NCAA USA TODAY TOP 25 POLL
Big Ten. Big News.
- Entering this week’s action, every Big Ten team has played at least five conference games so far. The only remaining unbeaten squads in league play were Nebraska (5-0) and Purdue (5-0). Fifteen of 18 teams have recorded at least one conference victory.
- Nebraska (16-0) was the only B1G member among the remaining five unbeaten teams in the nation (Arizona, Iowa State, Miami (Ohio), Vanderbilt). It marks the best start for the Cornhuskers in program history. They’ve also won their last 20 games in a row dating back to last season, which is the longest active mark of any team in the nation.
- Entering Tuesday’s games, Big Ten teams have combined to win 25 Quad 1 games, with 10 teams scoring at least one Quad 1 win. Nebraska (5-0) and Michigan (4-0) are two of just five teams nationally to go at least 4-0 against Quad 1 opposition. The Wolverines and Huskers join Illinois and Purdue with at least four Quad 1 wins each, a feat accomplished by just 12 teams thus far this season. The Big Ten is one of two conferences that boasts four teams with four Quad 1 wins.
- Through games on Monday, Jan. 12, the Big Ten boasts 12 teams in the top 75 spots in the NET Rankings, including six in the top 20 and 11 in the top 50. Michigan leads the Big Ten contingent at No. 1, followed by No. 6 Purdue, No. 10 Illinois, No. 11 Nebraska, No. 14 Michigan State, and No. 20 Iowa. Indiana, Ohio State, Wisconsin, UCLA, and USC also claimed spots in the top 50. No other conference in the country has more teams in the top 10 (Big 12 - 3), top 25 (Big 12 - 6), or top 50 (SEC - 10).
- The Big Ten currently ranks second in today’s Kenpom conference rankings (+17.84), behind only the SEC (+19.01). Fourteen of the Big Ten’s 18 teams are ranked in the top 75 of the Kenpom rankings after Mondays’ games, including seven in the top 25 and 13 in the top 50. Michigan leads the conference at No. 1, followed by No. 4 Purdue, No. 7 Illinois, No. 13 Michigan State, No. 17 Nebraska, No. 21 Iowa, and No. 27 Indiana. No other conference has more teams in the top 10 (Big 12 - 3), top 25 (Big 12 - 7), or top 50 (SEC - 11).
- Ten different Big Ten teams were ranked or received votes in this week’s AP and USA Today Coaches Top 25 polls released on Monday, Jan. 12. Michigan led the way at No. 4 on the AP list, followed by No. 5 Purdue, No. 8 Nebraska, No. 12 Michigan State, and No. 13 Illinois. The Wolverines fell to No. 3 in Coaches poll, while Purdue sits at No. 5, followed by No. 10 Nebraska, No. 12 Michigan State, No. 13 Illinois, and No. 23 Iowa. Wisconsin, Ohio State, USC, and Indiana also received votes in at least one poll.
- On Monday, the Big Ten announced its list of men’s basketball weekly award winners. Purdue’s Braden Smith and Wisconsin’s nick Boyd shared Co-Player of the Week honors. Smith was recognized after he led Purdue to a pair of wins, averaging 24.5 points, 10.5 assists and 2.5 steals. Smith scored 23 points, with seven assists and three steals in an 81-73 win over Washington. The senior guard then paired 26 points and 14 assists in a 93-85 victory over Penn State, becoming the first Big Ten player in at least 20 years to have at least 26 points and 14 assists in a game. Meanwhile, Boyd was honored after he averaged 21 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in leading the Badgers to a 2-0 week. Boyd scored a game-high 20 points, while adding eight boards, and five assists in an 80-72 win over UCLA. He then scored 22 points, with six assists, three rebounds and zero turnovers in a 91-88 win at No. 2 Michigan.
- Illinois freshman G Keaton Wagler was selected as the Big Ten Freshmen of the Week on Monday after he paced the Illini with 18 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in a pair of victories. He tallied a game-high 17 points, with seven rebounds and three assists, in an 81-55 home win over Rutgers. Wagler also earned game-high honors with 19 points to go with five rebounds and four assists in a 75-69 win at No. 19 Iowa.
- Milestone Watch... Congratulations to Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg, who secured his 100th victory at Nebraska on Saturday... Congratulations to Nebraska’s Rienk Mast who recently became the third active Division I player with 1,000 career rebounds... UCLA head coach Mick Cronin stands one win from his 150th victory at UCLA, while Illinois head coach Brad Underwood is four conference wins from 100.
- With the completion of the traditional nonconference schedule, the Big Ten owns a nonconference record of 157-39, the second-best win percentage (.801) of any conference, behind only the Big 12 (.806). Big Ten teams have defended home court to the tune of an 118-4 (.967) record in non-conference home games, the highest non-conference home winning percentage of any D-I conference. Big Ten teams have just two nonconference games remaining on the schedule, both in February.
- The 29th annual TIAA Big Ten Tournament will be played at the United Center in Chicago, March 10th – 15th, 2026. For the first time, all 18 Big Ten teams will compete for the tournament title. The tournament will open with a pair of games on Tuesday, March 10 and culminate with championship on Sunday March 15.