Big Ten Weekly Men's Basketball Central - Feb. 4-6

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WEEKLY RELEASE - FEB. 4

Big Ten. Big News.

• Entering this week’s action, Michigan State was at the top of the B1G standings with a 9-1 mark in conference play. They were followed closely by Purdue in 2nd at 9-2, then Michigan in 3rd at 8-2, Maryland, Wisconsin, and UCLA in a tie for 4th at 7-4, Illinois in 7th at 7-5, USC in 8th at 5-5, and Oregon, Indiana, and Ohio State in a tie for 9th at 5-6. All 18 teams in the league had registered at least 2 league wins this season.
• On Monday, the Big Ten announced its weekly men’s basketball awards. Nebraska’s Brice Williams was named Player of the Week for the second time this season, while Illinois’ Will Riley claimed his second Freshman of the Week honor. Williams averaged 27.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in leading the Huskers to a pair of wins over ranked teams last week. The senior scored 27 points, including eight straight in overtime, and added a season-high eight rebounds in an 80-74 overtime win against Illinois then paired 28 points, seven boards, and a season-high six assists in a 77-71 win at Oregon. In addition to being named Big Ten Player of the Week, Williams was also named one of three Oscar Robertson Award Players of the Week by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).
• Riley led the Illini to a 1-1 week, averaging 20.0 points on 52% shooting from the field, including 45.5% from three-point range. The freshman scored a team-high 24 points, including 20 in the second half, off the bench in an 87-79 comeback win over Ohio State, the most points scored off the bench in a Big Ten game this season. Riley also added 16 points in an 80-74 overtime loss at Nebraska
• Twelve Big Ten players were included among the 50 players named to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List, the U.S. Basketball Writers announced on Monday. Kasparas Jakucionis (ILL), Ja’Kobi Gillespie (MD), Danny Wolf (MICH), Jaden Akins (MSU), Nick Martinelli (NU), Nate Bittle (ORE), Ace Baldwin Jr. (PSU), Trey Kaufman-Renn (PUR), Braden Smith (PUR), Ace Bailey (RU), Dylan Harper (RU), and John Tonje (WIS) were named to the list of players considered as contenders for the National Player of the Year.
• Baldwin, Harper, and Smith were also recognized as top 10 candidates for the 2025 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Monday. Big Ten programs have produced five previous Bob Cousy Award winners in the 21-year history of the award.
• On Tuesday, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced Kasparas as one of the top 10 candidates for the 2025 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award. Purdue’s Carsen Edwards, Oregon’s Chris Duarte, and Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis have claimed the award in its 10-year history.
• Eight B1G teams were ranked or received votes in the Associated Press and/or USA Today Coaches Top 25 polls released on February 3. Purdue moved up to number seven in the AP poll, followed by No. 9 Michigan State, No. 18 Maryland, No. 21 Maryland, No. 23 Illinois, and No. 24 Michigan. The coaches also listed the Boilermakers and Spartans at No. 7 and 9, respectively, with the Badgers at No. 19, the Wolverines at No. 22, the Terps at No. 24, and the Illini at No. 25. Oregon and UCLA also received votes in both polls.
• The Big Ten has collected 67 wins against Quad 1 opponents and 119 victories against Quad 1 and 2 teams combined. Oregon leads the Big Ten and ranks second in the country with eight Quad 1 victories, two more than Illinois, Purdue, and Wisconsin. The Boilermakers owns a league-high 12 wins over Quad 1 and 2 opponents combined, one of just four teams with at least 12 combined Quad 1 and 2 wins.
• Nine Big Ten teams were ranked in the top 40 and 15 in the top 75 in the NET Rankings through games on February 3. Purdue leads the way at No. 10, followed by No. 12 Illinois, No. 15 Maryland, No. 16 Michigan., No. 17 Wisconsin, No. 20 Michigan State, No 27 Ohio State, No. 28 UCLA, and No. 36 Oregon. Nebraska, Penn State. Northwestern, Iowa, Indiana, USC, and Rutgers also claimed spots in the top 75. Only the SEC has more teams in the top 40 (12), while its 15 top 75 entrants are one more than the Big Ten.
• Nine of the Big Ten’s 18 teams rank in the top 40 of the Kenpom Ratings entering games on Feb. 4, including six in the top 20. Purdue leads the group at No. 8, followed by No. 13 Illinois, No. 15 Wisconsin, No. 17 Michigan State, No. 18 Maryland, No. 20 Michigan, No. 26 Ohio State, No. 29 UCLA, and No. 37 Oregon. Only the SEC has more teams in the top 40 with 12.
• Milestone Watch... Michigan State’s Tom Izzo has collected 352 Big Ten wins, just one shy of tying Bob Knight’s all-time conference wins mark... UCLA’s Mick Cronin stands just four victories from becoming the fourth Big Ten head coach with 500 career wins.
• Illinois’ Morez Johnson Jr. paired 14 points and 15 rebounds in Sunday’s win over Ohio State, becoming the fourth freshman this season to record at least 14 points and 15 rebounds, joining Maryland’s Derik Queen, Rutgers’ Ace Bailey, and Georgetown’s Thomas Sorber.
• Michigan surrendered just 25 points to Rutgers in the first half of Saturday’s contest. It was the fewest points the Wolverines have allowed in the first half of a game this season and the fewest in any half during Big Ten play.
• Nebraska’s win at Oregon on Sunday marked the Huskers’ fourth win over a ranked team this season, tying a program record (1990-91, 1993-94, 1998-99).
• Purdue forced 20 Indiana turnovers, the second straight game that Purdue has forced at least 20 turnovers (Michigan – 22). It’s the first time the Boilermakers have forced 20 or more turnovers in consecutive games since Nov. 16 and 20, 2014 vs. IUPUI and Grambling and the first time in Big Ten play since Feb. 19 and 27, 2008 against Indiana and Minnesota.
• On Saturday, USC’s Desmond Claude scored 11 of his 19 points in the game’s first seven-plus minutes, as the Trojans opened their win over Michigan State on a 22-7 run.
• Washington’s win over Minnesota on Saturday snapped the Huskies’ six game losing streak, its longest run of defeats since 2020-21.
• In Saturday’s win over Northwestern, Wisconsin matched the third most three-pointers in a game in program history, shooting 13-for-32 from 3-point range. It is the 12th time the Badgers have hit double-digit triples (8-3 in such games), matching the highest single season total in school history.
• With one nonconference game remaining, the Big Ten owns a 160-37 record in nonconference games, besting last season’ 144 nonconference victories. Among those wins, the B1G was 122-7 (.946) at home. The Big Ten’s 160 wins and .812 nonconference win percentage sit behind only the SEC’s 185 wins and .889 (185-23) win percentage.
• The 2025 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament will return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 12-16. This will mark the 14th time the tournament has been held in Indianapolis. The tournament will be the first to feature a 15-team field and begin with three games on Wednesday, March 12. Peacock will televise the opening three games of the 2025 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament, with second-round and quarterfinal games on Thursday and Friday slated for Big Ten Network. For the 28th consecutive year, CBS Sports will broadcast the semifinals and championship game on CBS, with those games also streaming live on Paramount+.