undefined Men’s Basketball News

Wolverines Triumph Over Huskies to Win Second National Championship

Michigan Athletics — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

2026 Big Ten Men's Basketball Postseason Central

Unknown — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

MARCH 19 - APRIL 6, 2026

BIG TEN MEN'S BASKETBALL | BIG TEN STATS | BIG TEN STANDINGS | BIG TEN RECORD BOOK

NCAA TOURNAMENT BRACKET | CROWN BRACKET

Eleven Big Ten teams will continue their seasons, as the NCAA Tournament and College Basketball Crown will get underway. The Big Ten will send nine teams to the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Purdue, UCLA, and Wisconsin. Minnesota and Rutgers will compete in the College Basketball Crown, a single-elimination, eight team contest, which takes place Wednesday, April 1 to Sunday, April 5 in Las Vegas.

All NCAA Tournament games will be televised on CBS Sports, TBS, TNT or truTV and watch on-line at https://www.ncaa.com/march-madness-live/watch and the NCAA March Madness Live app. The Crown's first round contests will be broadcast on FS1, with the semifinals and championship slated for FOX. All of the games will also be available on the Fox Sports app.

Purdue, the No. 7 seed in the 2026 TIAA Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament, raised its third Big Ten Tournament title with Sunday's 80-72 win over No. 1 seed Michigan to earn the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.

This will mark the second year of the College Basketball Crown. Nebraska won the inaugural tournament, scoring a 77-66 win over Central Florida.

Eight Big Ten teams are included in both major college basketball polls entering tournament play, with six ranked in the top 20. The AP poll includes Michigan at No. 3, followed by No. 8 Purdue, No. 11 Michigan State, No. 13 Illinois, No. 15 Nebraska, and No. 19 Wisconsin. The USA Today Coaches Poll lists the Wolverines at No. 3, with the Spartans at No. 11, the Illini at No. 12, the Boilermakers at No. 13, the Huskers at No. 14, and the Badgers at No. 20. UCLA and Ohio State also received votes in both polls.

(NOTES: Regional seeds listed with school names for NCAA Tournament only… all times listed below are Eastern… dates, times and TV coverage subject to change).

2026 NCAA Men's Tournament Schedule

First Round - Thursday, March 19	Time	Location	Watch	Links
East Region #9 TCU def. #8 Ohio State, 66-64	12:15 p.m.	Greenville, S.C.	CBS	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
South Region #4 Nebraska def. #13 Troy, 76-47	12:40 p.m.	Oklahoma City, Okla.	truTV	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
West Region #12 High Point def. #5 Wisconsin, 83-82	1:50 p.m.	Portland, Ore.	CBS	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
East Region #3 Michigan State def. #14 North Dakota State, 92-67	4:05 p.m.	Buffalo, N.Y.	TNT	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
Midwest Region #1 Michigan def. #16 Howard, 101-80	7:10 p.m.	Buffalo, N.Y.	CBS	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
South Region #3 Illinois def. #14 Penn, 105-70	9:25 p.m.	Greenville, S.C.	TNT	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
First Round - Friday, March 20	Time	Location	Watch	Links
South Region #9 Iowa def. #8 Clemson, 67-61	6:50 p.m.	Tampa, Fla.	TNT	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
East Region #7 UCLA def. #10 Central Florida, 75-71	7:25 p.m.	Philadelphia, Pa.	TBS	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
West Region #2 Purdue def. #15 Queens (N.C.), 104-71	7:35 p.m.	St. Louis, Mo.	truTV	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
Second Round - Saturday, March 21	Time	Location	Watch	Links
Midwest Region #1 Michigan def. #9 Saint Louis, 95-72	12:10 p.m.	Buffalo, N.Y.	CBS	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
East Region #3 Michigan State def. #6 Louisville, 77-69	2:45 p.m.	Buffalo, N.Y.	CBS	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
South Region #3 Illinois def. #11 VCU, 76-55	7:50 p.m.	Greenville, S.C.	CBS	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
South Region #4 Nebraska def. #5 Vanderbilt, 74-72	8:45 p.m.	Oklahoma City, Okla.	TNT	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
Second Round - Sunday, March 22	Time	Location	Watch	Links
West Region #2 Purdue def. #7 Miami (Fla.), 79-69	12:10 p.m.	St. Louis, Mo.	CBS	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
South Region #9 Iowa def. #1 Florida, 73-72	7:10 p.m.	Tampa, Fla.	TBS	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
East Region #2 Connecticut def. #7 UCLA, 73-57	8:45 p.m.	Philadelphia, Pa.	TNT	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
Sweet 16 - Thursday, March 26	Time	Location	Watch	Links
West Region #2 Purdue def. #11 Texas, 79-77	7:10 p.m.	San Jose, Calif.	CBS	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
South Region #9 Iowa def. #4 Nebraska, 77-71	7:30 p.m.	Houston, Texas	TBS	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
South Region #3 Illinois def. #2 Houston, 65-55	10:05 p.m.	Houston, Texas	TBS	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
Sweet 16 - Friday, March 27	Time	Location	Watch	Links
Midwest Region #1 Michigan def. #4 Alabama, 90-77	7:35 p.m.	Chicago, Ill.	TBS	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
East Region #2 Connecticut def. #3 Michigan State, 67-63	9:45 p.m.	Washington, D.C.	CBS	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
Elite Eight - Saturday, March 28	Time	Location	Watch	Links
South Region #3 Illinois def. #9 Iowa, 71-59	6:09 p.m.	Houston, Texas	TBS/truTV	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
West Region #1 Arizona def. #2 Purdue, 79-64	8:49 p.m.	San Jose, Calif.	TBS/truTV	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
Elite Eight - Sunday, March 29	Time	Location	Watch	Links
Midwest Region #1 Michigan def. #6 Tennessee, 95-62	2:15 p.m.	Chicago, Ill.	CBS	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
Final Four - Saturday, April 4	Time	Location	Watch	Links
#2 Connecticut def. #3 Illinois, 71-62	6:09 p.m.	Indianapolis, Ind.	TBS	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
#1 Michigan def. #1 Arizona, 91-73	9 p.m.	Indianapolis, Ind.	TBS	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
Championship - Monday, April 6	Time	Location	Watch	Links
#1 Michigan def. #2 Connecticut, 69-63	8:50 p.m.	Indianapolis, Ind.	TBS/TNT/truTV	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score

2026 College Basketball Crown Schedule

Quarterfinal Round	Date & Time	Watch	Links
Baylor def. Minnesota, 67-48	Wed., April 1, 10:30 p.m.	FS1	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score
Creighton def. Rutgers, 82-69	Thur., April 2, 10:30 p.m.	FS1	Live Stats \| Recap \| Box Score

U-M Dominates No. 2 Arizona, Advances to First NCAA Tournament Title Game Since 2018

Michigan Athletics — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Nebraska's Hoiberg Named AP National Coach of the Year

Nebraska Athletics — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Big Ten Weekly Men's Basketball Central - April 1

Unknown — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

BIG TEN MEN'S BASKETBALL   •     BIG TEN STATISTICS   •      NCAA STATISTICS
BIG TEN SCHEDULE & RESULTS   •     BIG TEN STANDINGS
NCAA AP TOP 25 POLL   •     NCAA USA TODAY TOP 25 POLL
MEN'S BASKETBALL POSTSEASON CENTRAL

WEEKLY RELEASE - APRIL 1

Big Ten. Big News.

For the ninth time in NCAA Tournament history, two Big Ten teams have advanced to the NCAA Final Four. No. 3 seed Illinois will face No. 2 seed Connecticut at 6:09 p.m. ET on Saturday, while No. 1 seeds Michigan and Arizona to meet in the nightcap. This is the first time two Big Ten teams have reached the national semifinal since Michigan State and Wisconsin appeared in the 2015 Final Four.
Dating back to the first NCAA Tournament in 1939, the Big Ten has made 51 appearances in the Final Four, tying the ACC for the most of any conference. This will be the sixth appearance for Illinois and the first for head coach Brad Underwood, while Michigan will make its ninth appearance. This is also the second Final Four for Michigan head coach Dusty May, who took Florida Atlantic to the semifinal in 2023.
Illinois secured its place in Saturday’s national semifinal with a 71-59 win over Big Ten rival Iowa in Saturday’s South Region final. Freshman Keaton Wagler was named Region Most Outstanding Player after scoring a game-high 25 points, while classmate Andrej Stojakovic added 17 points. After a 51-51 deadlock with 7:14 remaining, the Illini outscored the Hawkeyes 20-8 to run away with the win. Iowa did not score in the final two minutes, while Illinois finished on an 8-0 run.
Michigan advanced to the Final Four after scoring a 95-62 win over No. 6 seed Tennessee in Sunday’s Midwest Region final in Chicago. Midwest Region Most Outstanding Player Yaxel Lendeborg paced the Wolverines with 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and a pair of blocked shots to lead seven players with at least eight points. Michigan cruised through the Midwest regional, winning its four games by an average of 22.5 points.
Ten Big Ten players were named to their respective NCAA Tournament All-Regional Teams after this weekend’s regional championships. Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg was named the Most Outstanding Player in the Midwest Region and was joined on the team by Elliot Cadeau and Roddy Gayle Jr. Likewise, Illinois’ Keaton Wagler claimed Most Outstanding Player honors in the South Region. Wagler was joined by teammates Andrej Stojakovich and David Markovic, Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz, and Nebraska’s Pryce Sandfort. Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn and Braden Smith were also selected to the All-West Region Team.
Two Big Ten teams, Minnesota and Rutgers, will begin their postseasons on Wednesday, and Thursday, respectively, as both have been selected to compete in the College Basketball Crown. The single elimination eight team tournament, which takes place Wednesday, April 1 to Sunday, April 5. Winners from Wednesday and Thursday’s first round games will meet in Saturday’s semifinal round (1:30 p.m./4 p.m. ET), with the championship slated for 5:30 p.m. ET on Sunday. Games on Wednesday and Thursday will air on FS1, with the semifinals and final slated to air on FOX.
Minnesota will begin its tournament on Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. ET, when it faces Baylor in the first-ever matchup of the two teams. The contest will air on FS1 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Wednesday’s game will mark the Golden Gophers’ first postseason action since the 2024 National Invitation Tournament. Senior Cade Tyson, who was recently named to the NABC All-District Second Team, leads Minnesota with 16.9 points per game, sixth in the Big Ten.
Rutgers will make its first postseason appearance since the 2023 National Invitation Tournament on Thursday, when it faces Creighton. Tip is slated for 10:30 p.m. ET at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Winners of five of their last eight games, the Scarlet Knights will look to senior Tariq Francis, who leads the team with 16.9 points and 2.9 assists per game.
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Athletic Club included four Big Ten players as it announced its 2026 All-American Team and the top five finalist for the Wooden Award. Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler, Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr., and Purdue’s Braden Smith collected four of the 10 spots on the All-America Team, while Lendeborg and Smith were named as two of the Wooden Award’s five finalists. The Wooden Award winner will be announced next week.
A pair of Big Ten teams were represented as the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced the finalists for the 2026awards. Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg was one of four finalists for the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy, joining Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas), Cameron Boozer (Duke), and AJ Dybantsa (BYU). Michigan head coach Dusty May and Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg also joined Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd and Duke’s Jon Scheyer as the four finalists for the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year.
Illinois and Michigan became the second and third Big Ten teams to win every regional game by at least 10 points. Prior to this season, the only Big Ten team to accomplish the feat was the 2000 Michigan State Spartans.
The Big Ten has achieved unprecedented success in this year’s NCAA Tournament. The conference tied a league record with nine teams selected to participate in the tournament then tied an NCAA record with four teams advancing to the Elite Eight, Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, and Purdue. The conference has also amassed 19 victories in the tournament, the most since the league earned 14 wins in 2013. Among those wins, eight have been more than 20 points, the most by any single conference in tournament history.
CBS Sports and TNT Sports have posted record viewership through Sunday’s Elite Eight round. The 2026 tournament is the most-watched tournament since 1993, averaging 10.3 million viewers across CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV through the Elite Eight. The Sweet 16 early primetime window, which included the Michigan-Alabama game, averaged 14.2 million viewers, the largest viewership for that window since 1992. It has produced record-setting audiences, with the most-watched first round ever (9.5 million viewers) and the most watched second round since 1993 (11 million viewers). Thursday’s first round primetime window, including the Michigan-Howard game, averaged 12.5 million viewers, the most watched first round window ever, while Sunday’s early primetime window, which included the Iowa-Florida matchup) boasted 19.7 million viewers, the most watched window first week window in tournament history.
In Purdue’s first round tournament win over Queens, Purdue senior Braden Smith became the NCAA all-time leader in career assists, with his second assist of the victory vaulting Smith past Duke great Bobby Hurley’s 1,076 mark (1990-93). Smith closed his career with 1,103 career assists. Smith also recorded 5,067 minutes played in 149 career NCAA Tournament games, breaking Lionel Simmons’ mark of 5,045 (1987-90).
The Boilermakers claimed their third Big Ten Tournament title with an 80-72 win over top seed Michigan on Sunday afternoon at the United Center in Chicago. The number seven seeded Boilermakers were led by Oscar Cluff and Trey Kaufman-Renn, who combined for 41 points, while Jim and Kitty Delany Most Outstanding Player Braden Smith paired 14 points, 11 assists, five rebounds, and three steals. Smith was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Michigan’s Aday Mara, Cluff, and Wisconsin’s John Blackwell, and John Boyd.
The Purdue-Michigan Big Ten championship game averaged 4.716 million viewers for CBS, its largest viewing audience for the Big Ten Championship game since Ohio State-Wisconsin in 2013. The audience peaked at 6.207 million viewers, making it the most-watched conference championship game on any network in the last 30 years.
Michigan scored its 16th Big Ten championship, closing the regular season with a 19-1 record in Big Ten play. The 19 conference victories are the most in Big Ten history, besting the 18 wins by the 1974-75 and 1975-76 Indiana teams. The Wolverines (10-0) also joined the 1975-76 Hoosiers (9-0) as the only teams to go undefeated on the road.
The Big Ten recently announced its 2026 All-Big Ten Teams and awards. Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg was named Player of the Year by both the coaches and media panel. Fellow Wolverine Aday Mara was named Defensive Player of the Year, while Illinois’ Keaton Wagler claimed Freshman of the Year honors. Nebraska’s Braden Frager claimed Sixth Man of the Year accolades. Wisconsin assistant coach Sharif Chambliss was named Howard Moore Assistant Coach of the Year, with Michigan’s Dusty May and Nebraska’s Fred Hoiberg earning Coach of the Year recognition from the media and coaches, respectively.
The Big Ten opened NCAA Tournament play with six teams ranked in both the AP and USA Today/Coaches polls. Michigan leads the way on both listings at No. 3. In the AP poll, the Wolverines are followed by No. 8 Purdue, No. 11 Michigan State, No. 13 Illinois, No. 15 Nebraska, and No. 19 Nebraska. The coaches list includes No. 11 Michigan State, No. 12 Illinois, No. 13 Purdue, No. 14 Nebraska, and No. 20 Wisconsin. UCLA and Ohio State also received votes in both polls.
The Big Ten closed its nonconference schedule with a record of 157-41, the second-best win percentage (.793) 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.
Entering the NCAA Tournament, Big Ten teams combined to win 94 Quad 1 games, most of any conference, with 17 teams scoring at least one Quad 1 win, and 69 Quad 2 victories. Michigan’s 17 Quad 1 wins are tied with Duke for the most in the nation, while the Wolverines are one of just three teams with a combined 22 Quad 1 and 2 victories. Michigan (22-3), Purdue (17-8), and Nebraska (15-6) are three of just 16 teams nationally with at least 15 combined Quad 1 and 2 wins.
Through games on Selection Sunday, the Big Ten boasted 13 teams in the top 75 spots in the NET Rankings, including three in the top 10 and nine in the top 50. Michigan leads the Big Ten at No. 3, followed by No. 8 Illinois, No. 9 Purdue, No. 11 Michigan State, No. 14 Nebraska, and No. 25 Wisconsin. Iowa, Ohio State, UCLA, and Indiana also claimed spots in the top 50.

Big Ten Weekly Men's Basketball Central - March 25

Unknown — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

BIG TEN MEN'S BASKETBALL •   BIG TEN STATISTICS •     NCAA STATISTICS
BIG TEN SCHEDULE & RESULTS •   BIG TEN STANDINGS
NCAA AP TOP 25 POLL •   NCAA USA TODAY TOP 25 POLL
MEN'S BASKETBALL POSTSEASON CENTRAL

WEEKLY RELEASE - MARCH 25

Big Ten. Big News.

A Big Ten record six teams have advanced to the Sweet 16 round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, and Purdue, just one team shy of the NCAA Tournament record. This marks the first time more than four teams have advanced to the tournament’s second round. A conference record, nine teams were selected to compete in the tournament, with Ohio State, UCLA, and Wisconsin falling short of the advancing to the second weekend.
On Thursday, Purdue will face Texas in San Jose, Calif. (7:10 p.m. CBS), while Houston will host three Big Ten teams, as Nebraska and Iowa (7:30 p.m. TBS) will meet before Illinois faces Houston (10:05 p.m. TBS). On Friday, Michigan will play Alabama in Chicago (7:30 p.m. TBS), with Michigan State and Connecticut to meet in Washington D.C. at 9:45 p.m. (CBS).
Following dominant victories over No. 14 seed Penn (105-70) in the first round and No. 11 seed VCU (76-55) in the second last week in Greenville, S.C., No. 3 seed Illinois will make its 13th all-time appearance in the Sweet 16 when it faces No. 2 seed Houston on Thursday in Houston (9:05 p.m. CT on TBS). The Illini are playing in the Sweet 16 for the second time in three seasons. This is the first time in more than 20 years that Illinois has made two Sweet 16 appearances in a three-year span, since a run of four Sweet 16s in five years from 2001-05.
Alvaro Folgueiras game-winning three-pointer gave No. 9 seed Iowa a 73-72 win over No. 1 seed and defending NCAA champion Florida and sent the Hawkeyes to their first Sweet 16 appearance since 1999. The Hawkeyes will face a familiar foe on Thursday night in Houston, as they meet No. 4 seed Nebraska. In four career games in March Madness, Bennett Stirtz is averaging 17.8 points, 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds with .412/.286/.785 shooting splits. He has played 40 minutes in each of the four games.
Michigan will make its ninth Sweet 16 appearance in its last 10 NCAA Tournament appearances on Friday, when it faces #4 Alabama at the United Center in Chicago. The Wolverines totaled 196 points during the opening weekend in Buffalo, cruising past No. 16 seed Howard (101-80) and No. 9 seed Saint Louis (95-72) to reach the Sweet 16. Head coach Dusty May will take a team Sweet 16 for the third time in the last four seasons, including consecutive appearances with Michigan (2025, 2026) after guiding Florida Atlantic to a Final Four run in 2023.
Powered by a program NCAA Tournament record 16 assists from Jeremy Fears Jr. in its 77-69 win over No. 6 seed Louisville, Michigan State will head to the Sweet 16 for the second year in a row and the 17th time overall under Hall of Fame Coach Tom Izzo. The Spartans will face the winner of No. 2 seed Connecticut on Friday in the East Regional semifinal in Washington, D.C.
Nebraska will look to extend its record-breaking season on Thursday, when it faces No. 9 seed Iowa in Houston. The Huskers earned the program’s first two NCAA Tournament wins last week, extending their current postseason win streak to six games, The Huskers are led by junior Pryce Sandfort, who is averaging 19.0 points per game on 55 percent shooting, including 10-of-18 from three-point range.
Coming off a pair of double-digit wins in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, Purdue looks to keep it going when it faces 11th-seeded Texas on Thursday in San Jose, Calif. The Boilermakers are making their third straight Sweet 16 appearance and seventh in the last nine tournaments. During its current six game win streak, dating back to the Big Ten Tournament, Purdue has trailed for just 20 minutes. During those six games, Purdue has trailed for a total of 1:41 in the second half (Miami, Fla.).
Through two rounds, the 2026 NCAA Tournament is averaging 10.1 million viewers across CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV. It has produced record-setting audiences, with the most-watched first round ever (9.5 million viewers) and the most watched second round since 1993 (11 million viewers). Thursday’s primetime window, including the Michigan-Howard game, averaged 12.5 million viewers, the most watched first round window ever, while Sunday’s early primetime window, which included the Iowa-Florida matchup) boasted 19.7 million viewers, the most watched window first week window in tournament history.
In Friday’s opening round win over Queens, Purdue senior Braden Smith became the NCAA all-time leader in career assists, with his second assist of the victory vaulting Smith past Duke great Bobby Hurley’s 1,076 mark (1990-93). On Sunday, Smith became the third player in NCAA Tournament history to have at least 100 points, 100 assists and 50 rebounds in NCAA Tournament play, joining Kansas' Aaron Miles and North Carolina's Ed Cota.
A pair of Big Ten coaches also reached milestones over the weekend. On Saturday, Illinois’ Brad Underwood earned his 300th Division I victory. Purdue’s Matt Painter scored his 500th victory on the Boilermakers’ bench on Sunday, joining Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, Indiana’s Bobby Knight, and Purdue’s Gene Keady as the only Big Ten coaches with 500 wins at a Big Ten school.
Four student-athletes and three coaches were recognized by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on Friday, as the group announced the semifinalists for the Naismith Awards. Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg, and Purdue’s Braden Smith were among 10 players named as semifinalists for the Naismith Player of the Year Award, while Lendeborg joined teammate Aday Mara as semifinalists for the Defensive Player of the Year honor. Michigan’s Dusty May, Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, and Nebraska’s Fred Hoiberg were also listed among the 10 Naismith Coach of the Year nominees.
Two Big Ten teams, Minnesota and Rutgers, have also been selected to play in the 2026 College Basketball Crown in Las Vegas, a single-elimination eight team contest, which takes place Wednesday, April 1 to Sunday, April 5.
The Boilermakers claimed their third Big Ten Tournament title with an 80-72 win over top seed Michigan on Sunday afternoon at the United Center in Chicago. The number seven seeded Boilermakers were led by Oscar Cluff and Trey Kaufman-Renn, who combined for 41 points, while Jim and Kitty Delany Most Outstanding Player Braden Smith paired 14 points, 11 assists, five rebounds, and three steals. Smith was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Michigan’s Aday Mara, Cluff, and Wisconsin’s John Blackwell, and John Boyd.
The Purdue-Michigan Big Ten championship game averaged 4.716 million viewers for CBS, its largest viewing audience for the Big Ten Championship game since Ohio State-Wisconsin in 2013. The audience peaked at 6.207 million viewers, making it the most-watched conference championship game on any network in the last 30 years.
Michigan scored its 16th Big Ten championship, closing the regular season with a 19-1 record in Big Ten play. The 19 conference victories are the most in Big Ten history, besting the 18 wins by the 1974-75 and 1975-76 Indiana teams. The Wolverines (10-0) also joined the 1975-76 Hoosiers (9-0) as the only teams to go undefeated on the road.
The Big Ten recently announced its 2026 All-Big Ten Teams and awards. Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg was named Player of the Year by both the coaches and media panel. Fellow Wolverine Aday Mara was named Defensive Player of the Year, while Illinois’ Keaton Wagler claimed Freshman of the Year honors. Nebraska’s Braden Frager claimed Sixth Man of the Year accolades. Wisconsin assistant coach Sharif Chambliss was named Howard Moore Assistant Coach of the Year, with Michigan’s Dusty May and Nebraska’s Fred Hoiberg earning Coach of the Year recognition from the media and coaches, respectively.
The Big Ten opened NCAA Tournament play with six teams ranked in both the AP and USA Today/Coaches polls. Michigan leads the way on both listings at No. 3. In the AP poll, the Wolverines are followed by No. 8 Purdue, No. 11 Michigan State, No. 13 Illinois, No. 15 Nebraska, and No. 19 Nebraska. The coaches list includes No. 11 Michigan State, No. 12 Illinois, No. 13 Purdue, No. 14 Nebraska, and No. 20 Wisconsin. UCLA and Ohio State also received votes in both polls.
The Big Ten closed its nonconference schedule with a record of 157-41, the second-best win percentage (.793) 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.
Entering the NCAA Tournament, Big Ten teams combined to win 94 Quad 1 games, most of any conference, with 17 teams scoring at least one Quad 1 win, and 69 Quad 2 victories. Michigan’s 17 Quad 1 wins are tied with Duke for the most in the nation, while the Wolverines are one of just three teams with a combined 22 Quad 1 and 2 victories. Michigan (22-3), Purdue (17-8), and Nebraska (15-6) are three of just 16 teams nationally with at least 15 combined Quad 1 and 2 wins.
Through games on Selection Sunday, the Big Ten boasted 13 teams in the top 75 spots in the NET Rankings, including three in the top 10 and nine in the top 50. Michigan leads the Big Ten at No. 3, followed by No. 8 Illinois, No. 9 Purdue, No. 11 Michigan State, No. 14 Nebraska, and No. 25 Wisconsin. Iowa, Ohio State, UCLA, and Indiana also claimed spots in the top 50.

Smith Breaks NCAA Career Assist Mark in Tournament Opening Victory

Big Ten Communications — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Big Ten Scores 6 Men's Basketball All-America Honors

Unknown — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Six Big Ten men’s basketball student-athletes have collected All-America honors this week.

Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg and Purdue’s Braden Smtih have been named consensus First Team All-Americans, while Illinois’ Keaton Wagler garnered consensus Second Team honors, after collecting from the Associated Press (AP), National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), Sporting News, and US Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).

Each outlet also included Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr. on its list of All-Americans, while Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz, and Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton also received All-America Honorable Mention.

This marks the 17^th consecutive season that the Big Ten has boasted at least one consensus All-American.

Lendeborg, who was also named Big Ten Player of the Year, anchored the Wolverines with 14.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.3 blocked shots, and 1.2 steals per game, while helping Michigan win its 16^th Big Ten title and a program record 31 victories.

This marks the second consecutive season with consensus All-America honors for Smith, who is averaging 14.0 points, 9.1 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game. With 317 assists heading into the NCAA Tournament, the Purdue senior has already broken his own Big Ten single season assist mark and stands on the verge of breaking Bobby Hurley’s career assist mark.

Wagler has reset the Illinois freshman scoring marks, with 573 points on the season. His 17.9 points per game are on pace to break the Illini all-time freshman scoring average record set in 1993-94. The freshman has recorded nine 20-point games, one shy of the program freshman record, and scored in double-figures in each of the last 24 games and 29 times this season.

Fears, a redshirt sophomore, Fears leads Michigan State in scoring with 15.7 points per game and in assists, with 9.2 per game, which leads both the Big Ten and the nation. He ranks third in the Big Ten in free throw percentage (89.3%) and second in assist-to-turnover ratio (4.13). He is the only player in the country averaging at least 15.0 points and 9.0 assists per game.

Stirtz currently ranks fifth in the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 20 points, including 18 20-point and three 30-point contests, to go along with 4.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals. He is currently the only player in the nation with at least 660 points, 145 assists, 80 three-pointers, 80 rebounds, and 45 steals.

Thornton, the Buckeyes’ only four-time captain, leads Ohio State with 20.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. One of just four players nationally to average 20 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists, Thornton recently passed Dennis Hopson to become Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer.

Consensus All-America
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan – First Team
Braden Smith, Purdue – First Team
Keaton Wagler, Illinois – Second Team

Sporting News All-America
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan – First Team
Keaton Wagler, Illinois – Second Team
Braden Smith, Purdue – Second Team
Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State – Third Team

USBWA All-America
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan – First Team
Braden Smith, Purdue – First Team
Keaton Wagler, Illinois – Second Team
Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State – Third Team
Bennett Stirtz, Iowa – Honorable Mention

AP All-America
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan – First Team
Keaton Wagler, Illinois – Second Team
Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State – Second Team
Braden Smtih, Purdue – Second Team
Bennett Stirtz, Iowa – Honorable Mention
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State – Honorable Mention

USBWA All-America
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan – First Team
Braden Smith, Purdue – First Team
Keaton Wagler, Illinois – Second Team
Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State – Third Team

Click here to view the complete list of 2025-26 AP All-America Teams .

Click here to view the complete list of 2025-26 NABC All-America honors .

Click here to view the complete list of 2025-26 Sporting News All-America honors .

Click here to view the complete list of 2025-26 USBWA All-America honors.

Big Ten Weekly Men's Basketball Central - March 18-22

Unknown — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

BIG TEN MEN'S BASKETBALL •   BIG TEN STATISTICS •   NCAA STATISTICS
BIG TEN SCHEDULE & RESULTS •   BIG TEN STANDINGS
NCAA AP TOP 25 POLL •   NCAA USA TODAY TOP 25 POLL
MEN'S BASKETBALL POSTSEASON CENTRAL

WEEKLY RELEASE - MARCH 18

Big Ten. Big News.

Nine Big Ten schools have been selected to compete in the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, it was announced Sunday on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Selection Show on CBS. Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Purdue, UCLA, and Wisconsin will all be taking part in this year’s tournament. All games will be televised on CBS Sports, TBS, TNT or truTV, with Big Ten teams tipping off on Thursday.
Two Big Ten teams, Minnesota and Rutgers, have also been selected to play in the 2026 College Basketball Crown in Las Vegas, a single-elimination eight team contest, which takes place Wednesday, April 1 to Sunday, April 5.
Purdue claimed its third Big Ten Tournament title with an 80-72 win over top seed Michigan on Sunday afternoon at the United Center in Chicago. The number seven seeded Boilermakers were led by Oscar Cluff and Trey Kaufman-Renn, who combined for 41 points, while Jim and Kitty Delany Most Outstanding Player Braden Smith paired 14 points, 11 assists, five rebounds, and three steals. Smith was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Michigan’s Aday Mara, Cluff, and Wisconsin’s John Blackwell, and John Boyd.
Sunday’s Purdue-Michigan championship game averaged 4.716 million viewers for CBS, its largest viewing audience for the Big Ten Championship game since Ohio State-Wisconsin in 2013. The audience peaked at 6.207 million viewers, making it the most-watched conference championship game on any network in the last 30 years.
Michigan scored its 16th Big Ten championship, closing the regular season with a 19-1 record in Big Ten play. The 19 conference victories are the most in Big Ten history, besting the 18 wins by the 1974-75 and 1975-76 Indiana teams. The Wolverines (10-0) also joined the 1975-76 Hoosiers (9-0) as the only teams to go undefeated on the road.
Six Big Ten players collected All-America honors this week. Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg collected First Team accolades from the Associated Press (AP), National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), Sporting News, and US Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). Purdue’s Braden Smith was also named to the First Team by the NABC and USBWA, while Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr. and Keaton Wagler also received All-America recognition. Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz and Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton received Honorable Mention from the AP, while the USBWA included Stirtz on its Honorable Mention list.
Last week, the Big Ten announced its 2026 All-Big Ten Teams and awards. Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg was named Player of the Year by both the coaches and media panel. Fellow Wolverine Aday Mara was named Defensive Player of the Year, while Illinois’ Keaton Wagler claimed Freshman of the Year honors. Nebraska’s Braden Frager claimed Sixth Man of the Year accolades. Wisconsin assistant coach Sharif Chambliss was named Howard Moore Assistant Coach of the Year, with Michigan’s Dusty May and Nebraska’s Fred Hoiberg earning Coach of the Year recognition from the media and coaches, respectively.
The Big Ten will open NCAA Tournament play with six teams ranked in both the AP and USA Today/Coaches polls. Michigan leads the way on both listings at No. 3. In the AP poll, the Wolverines are followed by No. 8 Purdue, No. 11 Michigan State, No. 13 Illinois, No. 15 Nebraska, and No. 19 Nebraska. The coaches list includes No. 11 Michigan State, No. 12 Illinois, No. 13 Purdue, No. 14 Nebraska, and No. 20 Wisconsin. UCLA and Ohio State also received votes in both polls.
The Big Ten closed its nonconference schedule with a record of 157-41, the second-best win percentage (.793) 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.
Entering Thursday’s NCAA Tournament games, Big Ten teams have combined to win 94 Quad 1 games, most of any conference, with 17 teams scoring at least one Quad 1 win, and 69 Quad 2 victories. Michigan’s 17 Quad 1 wins are tied with Duke for the most in the nation, while the Wolverines are one of just three teams with a combined 22 Quad 1 and 2 victories. Michigan (22-3), Purdue (17-8), and Nebraska (15-6) are three of just 16 teams nationally with at least 15 combined Quad 1 and 2 wins.
Through games on Selection Sunday, the Big Ten boasts 13 teams in the top 75 spots in the NET Rankings, including three in the top 10 and nine in the top 50. Michigan leads the Big Ten at No. 3, followed by No. 8 Illinois, No. 9 Purdue, No. 11 Michigan State, No. 14 Nebraska, and No. 25 Wisconsin. Iowa, Ohio State, UCLA, and Indiana also claimed spots in the top 50.
Milestone Watch... Purdue’s Braden Smith sits just two assists shy of breaking Bobby Hurley’s career assist record of 1,076. Smith is the only player in NCAA history to have at least 1,500 points, 1,000 assists and 500 career rebounds, currently with 1,865 points, 1,075 assists and 661 rebounds... Congratulations to Ohio State’s Devin Royal and USC’s Jordan Marsh, who recently scored their 1,000th career points... Illinois head coach Brad Underwood enters tournament play with 298 career wins, while Purdue head coach Matt Painter owns 498 wins on the Boilermakers’ sideline.

Big Ten Recognizes Winter Academic All-Big Ten Honorees

Unknown — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. - The Big Ten Conference recognized a total of 1,127 students on winter sports rosters who have been named to the Academic All-Big Ten Team Wednesday.

The list of honorees includes 83 men’s and 119 women’s basketball students, 98 men’s ice hockey students, 59 men’s and 146 women’s gymnastics students, 154 men’s and 251 women’s swim and dive students, and 217 wrestling students.

To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten selection, students must be on a varsity team (as verified by being on the official squad list as of March 1 for fall sports), have been enrolled full time at the institution for a minimum of 12 months and carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher.

Among the winter Academic All-Big Ten honorees, 30 had unblemished GPAs:

Men’s Basketball
Jacob Koch, Iowa, Sophomore, Business Direct Administration, Iowa City, Iowa

Women’s Basketball
Emma Shumate, Michigan State, Senior, Sustainable Parks, Recreation & Tourism, Dresden Ohio
Sammy White, Northwestern, Graduate Student, Sports Communication Cert, Timonium, Md.

Men’s Gymnastics
Jax Washburn, Illinois, Sophomore, Community Health, Portland, Ore.
Kellen Ryan, Penn State, Graduate Student, Engineering, Janesville, Wis.

Women’s Gymnastics
Chloe Cho, Illinois, Sophomore, Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, Santa Clarita, Calif.
Aurelie Tran, Iowa, Sophomore, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Repentigny, Quebec, Canada
Kaia Vanney, Iowa, Senior, Interdepartmental Studies, Redondo Beach, Calif.
Eva Volpe, Iowa, Junior, Public Health, Pearland, Texas
Sarah Moraw, Minnesota, Graduate Student, Human Rsrc/Indus Rel M H R I R, Holland, Mich.
Megan Steensland, Minnesota, Graduate Student, Sport Management M Ed, Chaska, Minn.
Mika Webster-Longin, UCLA, Sophomore, History, Richmond, Calif.

Men’s Swim and Dive
Taye Ghadiali, Michigan, Graduate Student, Social Work, Warren, Mich.
Joe Polyak, Minnesota, Junior, Biochemistry B S, Iowa City, Iowa

Women’s Swim and Dive
Mary Kate Cavanaugh, Indiana, Sophomore, Finance, Longmont, Colo.
Brady kendall, Michigan, Graduate Student, Pharmacy PharmD, Canton, Mich.
Letitia Sim, Michigan, Senior, Applied Exercise Science, Spanish Fort, Ala.
Jade Roghair, Minnesota, Senior, Neuroscience B S, Iowa City, Iowa
Rachel Bockrath, Ohio State, Sophomore, Biology, Wilmington, Del.
Delia Lloyd, Ohio State, Sophomore, Biology, Toronto, Canada
Caroline Frazier, Purdue, Sophomore, Environmental & Ecological Engineering, Spring, Texas
Elena Dry, UCLA, Junior, Molecular, Cell and Development Biology, Raleigh, N.C.

Wrestling
Dylan Connell, Illinois, Graduate, MS: Management, Marengo, Ill.
Charlie Fifield, Illinois, Graduate, MS: Management, Rolling Meadows, Ill.
Taye Ghadiali, Michigan, Graduate Student, Social Work, Warren, Mich.
Andy Hampton, Michigan State, RS-Senior, Media Analytics, Rochester, Mich.
Drew Roberts, Minnesota, RS-Senior, Non Degree, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Lucas Cochran, Penn State, Graduate Student, Real Estate Law & Valuation, Perry, Utah
Patrick Adams, Rutgers, Graduate Student, Labor Studies and Employment Relations, Old Bridge, N.J.
Cale Anderson, Wisconsin, Graduate Student, M.S. Kinesiology, Viroqua, Wis.

NABC Tabs 25 with All-District Honors

Unknown — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – On Tuesday, the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) announced its 2025-26 NABC Division I All-District Teams and District Coaches of the Year. The All-District honors are voted on by NABC-member coaches across NCAA Division I.

Among the honorees were 25 student-athletes and coaches from 15 Big Ten schools, including Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg and Michigan head coach Dusty May, who were named Central and Great Lakes District Coaches of the Year, respectively.

The NABC introduced a new model for its Division I district alignment last season, with schools arranged by state rather than by conference. The modernized NABC Division I district alignment features 10 geographic regions that each encompass multiple states. Every Division I school in each given state belongs to that state’s corresponding district.

Click here to view the complete list of NABC All-District honors .

Central District
Coach of the Year – Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska

First Team
Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska
Bennett Stirtz, Iowa

Second Team
Rienk Mast, Nebraska

East District
First Team
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State

Great Lakes District
Coach of the Year – Dusty May, Michigan

First Team
Keaton Wagler, Illinois
Lamar Wilkerson, Indiana
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State
Nick Martinelli, Northwestern
Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue
Braden Smith, Purdue
John Blackwell, Wisconsin
Nick Boyd, Wisconsin

Second Team
David Mirkovic, Illinois
Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan
Aday Mara, Michigan
Cade Tyson, Minnesota
Fletcher Loyer, Purdue

Mid Atlantic District
Second Team
Tariq Francis, Rutgers

Pacific District
First Team
Tyler Bilodeau, UCLA
Donovan Dent, UCLA
Chad Baker-Mazara, USC
Hannes Steinbach, Washington

Second Team
Nate Bittle, Oregon

Minnesota, Rutgers Selected to Compete in College Basketball Crown

Unknown — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Two Big Ten teams have been selected to play in the 2026 College Basketball Crown in Las Vegas. Minnesota and Rutgers will compete in the single-elimination eight team contest, which takes place Wednesday, April 1 to Sunday, April 5.

The Golden Gophers will face Baylor on Wednesday, April 1 at 10:30 p.m. ET, while the Scarlett Knights will meet Creighton at 10:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 2. Both games will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Tickets for the Crown are available now at VividSeats.com.

Winners of Wednesday and Thursday’s quarterfinals will advance to the Crown semifinals on Saturday, April 4, with the champion decided one day later. Both the semifinal and championship games will be played at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Nebraska won the inaugural College Basketball Crown last season, topping Central Florida 77-66.

The event’s first and second round contests will be broadcast on FS1, with the semifinals and championship slated for FOX. All of the games will also be available on the Fox Sports app.

9 Big Ten Teams Selected to Participate in NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament

Unknown — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

View 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Bracket

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Nine Big Ten teams heard their names called on Sunday’s NCAA Tournament Selection Show on CBS, as the NCAA announced the 68 teams selected to participate in the 2025-26 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

This is the third time the Big Ten has sent nine teams to the NCAA Tournament, matching the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Only three times in tournament history has a conference sent more than nine teams.

Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Purdue, UCLA, and Wisconsin will all be taking part in this year’s tournament. All games will be televised on CBS, TBS, TNT or TruTV beginning on Tuesday night.

Purdue earned the Big Ten’s automatic bid after topping Michigan 80-72 in Sunday’s Big Ten Tournament championship game. The Boilermakers earned a No. 2 seed and will face Queens (N.C.) on Friday in St. Louis.

The Big Ten will open NCAA Tournament play on Thursday, as No. 8 seed Ohio State face No 9 seed TCU in Greenville, S.C. A match-up between No. 3 seed Illinois and No. 14 seed Penn will close the first day’s action in Greenville.

Buffalo will also host a pair of games featuring Big Ten teams, as No. 3 seed Michigan State will meet No. 14 seed North Dakota State, followed by a match-up between No. 1 seed Michigan and the winner of a First Four contest between UMBC and Howard.

Also on Thursday, No. 4 seed Nebraska and No. 13 seed Troy will meet in Oklahoma City, while No. 5 seed Wisconsin will play No. 15 seed High Point in Portland.

On Friday night, No. 9 seed Iowa and No. 8 seed Clemson will match wits in Tampa, while No. 7 seed UCLA will meet No. 10 Central Florida in Philadelphia.

First round winners will advance to play on Saturday and Sunday.

The 2026 Final Four is scheduled for April 4 in Indianapolis, with the national championship game slated for Monday, April 6.

2026 NCAA Tournament First Round Games
Thursday, March 19
#8 Ohio State vs. #9 TCU, 12:15 p.m. on CBS (Greenville, S.C.)
#4 Nebraska vs. #13 Troy, 12:40 p.m. on TruTV (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
#5 Wisconsin vs. #12 High Point, 1:50 p.m. on TBS (Portland, Ore.)
#3 Michigan State vs. #14 North Dakota State, 4:05 p.m. on. TNT (Buffalo, N.Y.)
#1 Michigan vs. #16 UMBC/Howard, 7:10 p.m. on CBS (Buffalo, N.Y.)
#3 Illinois vs. #14 Penn, 9:25 p.m. on TNT (Greenville, S.C.)

Friday, March 20
#9 Iowa vs. #8 Clemson, 6:50 p.m. on. TNT (Tampa, Fla.)
#7 UCLA vs. #10 Central Florida, 7:25 p.m. on TBS (Philadelphia, Pa.)
#2 Purdue vs. #15 Queens (N.C.), 7:35 p.m. on TruTV (St. Louis, Mo.)

Purdue Wins the 2026 TIAA Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament Championship

Unknown — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Oscar Cluff scored 21 points, Trey Kaufman-Renn had 20 and No. 18 Purdue topped No. 3 Michigan 80-72 on Sunday for the Big Ten Tournament championship.

Braden Smith had 14 points, 11 assists and three steals as Purdue (27-8) added to an impressive turnaround after closing the regular season with four losses in six games. Fletcher Loyer made three 3-pointers and finished with 14 points.
The Boilermakers won the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2023 and third time overall. They lost to the Wolverines in the final in 1998 and 2018.

Yaxel Lendeborg scored 20 points for top-seeded Michigan (31-3), which beat Purdue 91-80 in their regular-season meeting on Feb. 17. Aday Mara had 17 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots.

Wearing No. 41 after his No. 3 jersey ripped early in the game, Smith helped the Boilermakers seize control by deftly running the pick and roll with Kaufman-Renn in the second half. The senior point guard has 1,075 career assists, just one shy of Bobby Hurley’s NCAA record.

Two jumpers by Kaufman-Renn off passes from Smith powered Purdue to a 55-44 lead with 12:55 left. After Elliot Cadeau scored for Michigan, the 6-foot Smith drove inside, drew a foul on the 7-3 Mara and scored, drawing a big cheer from the Purdue fans in the crowd at the United Center.

The Boilermakers made nine of their first 11 shots in the second half. They shot 15 for 26 in the second half overall.

Cadeau finished with 10 points and 10 assists for Michigan, which won the Big Ten tourney in 2025. Playing in his hometown, Nimari Burnett scored 12 points.

Purdue used a 12-2 run to take a 38-34 lead late in the first half. But Cadeau found Mara for an alley-oop dunk and converted a tying layup in the final seconds.

2026 TIAA Big Ten Men's Basketball All-Tournament Team
Aday Mara, Michigan
Oscar Cluff, Purdue
Braden Smith, Purdue
John Blackwell, Wisconsin
Nick Boyd, Wisconsin

Jim & Kitty Delany Most Outstanding Player
Braden Smith, Purdue

2026 TIAA Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament Central

Unknown — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

MARCH 10-15, 2026
UNITED CENTER - CHICAGO, ILL.

BIG TEN MEN'S BASKETBALL | TOURNAMENT BRACKET
TOURNAMENT STATISTICS | TIE BREAKER PROCEDURES
TOURNAMENT RECORD BOOK | TOURNAMENT PROGRAM
TICKET INFORMATION | 2025 TOURNAMENT RECAP

UNITED CENTER | UNITED CENTER FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS | DIRECTIONS & PARKING
CHICAGO SPORTS COMMISSION | TOURNAMENT PARKING | VISITOR INFORMATION

2026 TIAA Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament Schedule (all times CENTRAL)

Tuesday, March 10 - First Round
Game 1 (Peacock)	4 p.m.	#17 Maryland d. #16 Oregon, 70-60	ORE Notes \| MD Notes \| Live Stats \| Box Score \| Recap \| Post-Game Quotes \| Post-Game Notes
Game 2 (Peacock)	25 minutes after Game 1	#15 Northwestern d. #18 Penn State, 76-66	NU Notes \| PSU Notes \| Live Stats \| Box Score \| Recap \| Post-Game Quotes \| Post-Game Notes
Wednesday, March 11 - Second Round
Game 3 (Peacock)	11 a.m.	#9 Iowa d. #17 Maryland, 75-64	MD Notes \| IOWA Notes \| Live Stats \| Box Score \| Recap \| Post-Game Quotes \| Post-Game Notes
Game 4 (Peacock)	25 minutes after Game 3	#12 Washington d. #13 USC, 83-79 (OT)	WASH Notes \| USC Notes \| Live Stats \| Box Score \| Recap \| Post-Game Quotes \| Post-Game Notes
Game 5 (BTN)	5:30 p.m.	#15 Northwestern d. #10 Indiana, 74-61	NU Notes \| IND Notes \| Live Stats \| Box Score \| Recap \| Post-Game Quotes \| Post-Game Notes
Game 6 (BTN)	25 minutes after Game 5	#14 Rutgers d. #11 Minnesota, 72-67	MINN Notes \| RU Notes \| Live Stats \| Box Score \| Recap \| Post-Game Quotes \| Post-Game Notes
Thursday, March 12 - Third Round
Game 7 (BTN)	11 a.m.	#8 Ohio State d. #9 Iowa, 72-69	Iowa Notes \| OSU Notes \| Live Stats \| Box Score \| Recap \| Post-Game Quotes \| Post-Game Notes
Game 8 (BTN)	25 minutes after Game 7	#5 Wisconsin d. #12 Washington, 85-82	WASH Notes \| WIS Notes \| Live Stats \| Box Score \| Recap \| Post-Game Quotes \| Post-Game Notes
Game 9 (BTN)	5:30 p.m.	#7 Purdue d. #15 Northwestern, 81-68	NU Notes \| PUR Notes \| Live Stats \| Box Score \| Recap \| Post-Game Quotes \| Post-Game Notes
Game 10 (BTN)	25 minutes after Game 9	#6 UCLA d. #14 Rutgers, 72-59	RU Notes \| UClA Notes \| Live Stats \| Box Score \| Recap \| Post-Game Quotes \| Post-Game Notes
Friday, March 13 - Quarterfinals
Game 11 (BTN)	11 a.m.	#1 Michigan d. #8 Ohio State, 71-67	OSU Notes \| MICH Notes \| Live Stats \| Box Score \| Recap \| Post-Game Quotes \| Post-Game Notes
Game 12 (BTN)	25 minutes after Game 11	#5 Wisconsin d. #4 Illinois, 91-88 (OT)	WIS Notes \| ILL Notes \| Live Stats \| Box Score \| Recap \| Post-Game Quotes \| Post-Game Notes
Game 13 (BTN)	5:30 p.m.	#7 Purdue d. #2 Nebraska, 74-58	PUR Notes \| NEB Notes \| Live Stats \| Box Score \| Recap \| Post-Game Quotes \| Post-Game Notes
Game 14 (BTN)	25 minutes after Game 13	#6 UCLA d. #3 Michigan State, 88-84	UCLA Notes \| MSU Notes \| Live Stats \| Box Score \| Recap \| Post-Game Quotes \| Post-Game Notes
Saturday, March 14 - Semifinals
Game 15 (CBS)	12 p.m.	#1 Michigan d. #5 Wisconsin, 68-65	MICH Notes \| WIS Notes \| Live Stats \| Box Score \| Recap \| Post-Game Quotes \| Post-Game Notes
Game 16 (CBS)	25 minutes after Game 15	#7 Purdue d.#6 UCLA, 73-66	UCLA Notes \| PUR Notes \| Live Stats \| Box Score \| Recap \| Post-Game Quotes \| Post-Game Notes
Sunday, March 15 - Final
Game 17 (CBS)	2:30 p.m.	#7 Purdue d. #1 Michigan, 80-72	MICH Notes \| PUR Notes \| Live Stats \| Box Score \| Recap \| Post-Game Quotes \| Post-Game Notes \| All-Tournament Team

Big Ten Conference Impacts Chicago Community During 2026 TIAA Men’s Basketball Tournament

Unknown — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

CHICAGO, Illinois – As part of the celebration of the 2026 TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament in Chicago, the conference announced a variety of community initiatives in the city. The tournament, welcoming all 18 Big Ten teams for the first time, tips off on Tuesday, March 10, at the United Center with a champion crowned on Sunday, March 15 (2:30pm CT; CBS).

“As the Big Ten hosts tournaments and championships throughout the country, we want to leave a meaningful mark on the communities that welcome us,” said Omar Brown, Senior Vice President for Community & Impact. "Our partnership with the city of Chicago, because this is our home, extends well beyond just our events and we're thrilled to highlight many this week."

In partnership with the College Football Playoff Foundation, Brilliance and Excellence, and My Brother’s Keeper Chicago, the Big Ten announced that Edmund Burke Elementary School in the Washington Park neighborhood will receive a $50,000 grant to renovate a shared space.

The conference also awarded three Chicago schools – South Shore Fine Arts Academy, O’Keeffe School of Excellence and Brunson Technology – a $5,000 School Improvement Grant, and an additional $1,000 to award to a teacher to support meaningful enhancement of their classroom. The Big Ten announced these awards in-person at each school on Tuesday morning.

“We’re honored that the Big Ten Conference and other community partners are giving back to Chicago by supporting our most important investment - our Chicago Public Schools’ students,” said CPS Interim Superintendent/CEO Dr. Macquline King. “Thanks to these thoughtful grants, students at these schools will enjoy improved classroom spaces and opportunities to grow as lifelong learners.”

During Tuesday’s opening round games at the United Center, tipping off at 4pm CT, the Big Ten will host more than 100 Chicago community leaders. On Wednesday the conference will host more than 100 Chicago Public Schools students to enjoy the competition.

Throughout the week, students from these schools and others will have the opportunity to compete in scrimmages on the United Center floor during halftime of tournament games. Burke Elementary students will get things started during Tuesday’s first game, with O’Keeffe following on Wednesday, Brunson on Thursday, and Beasley Academic Center during Friday’s quarterfinals.

The conference’s previous work with Milton Brunson Math and Science Specialty Elementary School has included the opportunity for its student journalists to attend Big Ten Volleyball and Basketball Media Days, engaging with student-athletes and coaches as part of a hands-on development experience.

The 2026 TIAA Men’s Basketball Tournament begins on Tuesday, March 11, at 4pm CT when Maryland takes on Oregon, followed by Northwestern versus Penn State. All seating for the 29^th edition of the tournament is reserved. Fan can purchase all-session and single session at the United Center box office or online at Ticketmaster.com . All ticket packages are subject to Ticketmaster and facility fees. For more information on this year’s tournament, visit the Big Ten Tournament Central page at bigten.org/MBBT .

###

Big Ten Announces 2026 Men’s Basketball Postseason Honors

Unknown — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its All-Big Ten Men’s Basketball Teams and individual award winners for the 2025-26 season. A total of 15 student-athletes were selected to the All-Big Ten teams by the coaches and the media. Additionally, 11 student-athletes were awarded honorable mention status

Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg was named Big Ten Player of the Year by both the league’s coaches and the media. Lendeborg is the sixth Wolverine to earn the honor and the first since Nik Stauskas in 2014

Lendeborg stuffed the stat sheet to the tune of 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.4 blocked shots, and 1.2 steals per game while averaging just shy of 30 minutes per game. The Pennsauken, N.J. native has scored in double figures in 24 of Michigan’s 31 games and secured north of 10 rebounds on seven occasions.

Fellow Wolverine Aday Mara was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, joining two-time winner Gary Grant in 1987 and 1988. The sophomore leads the Big Ten ranks fifth in the country with 80 total blocked shots and 2.58 blocks per game

Both the coaches and media selected Illinois’ Keaton Wagler as Freshman of the Year. Wagler averaged a team-leading 17.9 points and broke the Illinois freshman scoring record, previously held by Cory Bradford in 1998-99, also a previous Big Ten Freshman of the Year honoree. Wagler also joins D.J. Richardson (2010) and Kofi Cockburn (2020) as previous Illini Freshman of the Year

Nebraska freshman Braden Frager was named Sixth Man of the Year, a first for the Huskers. Frager’s 11.7 points per game were good for third on the team, while his 5.9 rebounds led the squad. A three-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week, Frager posted six 20-point games this season, including a January 13^th contest that saw him go 8-for-13 from three-point range.

The coaches selected Nebraska’s Fred Hoiberg as Coach of the Year. This is the second Big Ten Coach of the Yeah honor for Hoiberg, who has led the Huskers to a program record 15 Big Ten victories and 26 wins in total, tying the school record. The Huskers finished tied for second in the Big Ten regular-season standings, the program’s best finish since a runner-up showing in the Big Eight in 1992-93.

The media chose Michigan’s Dusty May as its Coach of the Year. May led the Wolverines to the number one seed in the Big Ten Tournament and their 16th conference title. The Wolverines enter postseason play with a 29-2 record, highlighted by 24 wins by double figures, including 13 by 20 or more, 10 by 30 or more, and a Big Ten-record seven victories by 40 or more points, along with one win by 50 or more points.

Wisconsin assistant coach Sharif Chambliss is this year’s recipient of the Howard Moore Assistant Coach of the Year Award. A former Wisconsin captain, Chambliss has spent the last five seasons on the Badger bench. Chambliss, who helped the Badgers secure the 2022 Big Ten regular season title remains active in the Madison community by volunteering for the Badger Challenge, Balance and Believe, Garding Against Cancer events, among others.

The Howard Moore Award, which honors former Wisconsin student-athlete and assistant coach Howard Moore, is presented to a men’s basketball assistant coach who demonstrates commitment to the development of student-athletes on and off the court; who has made a measurable contribution to the betterment of their community; and who has shown a commitment to diversity and inclusion. The recipient shall have made a demonstrable positive impact on the lives of those with whom they interact.

Moore has had an impact on the Big Ten Conference at all levels, playing on the Wisconsin basketball team from 1992-95, holding an assistant coaching role for the Badgers from 2006-10 and 2016-19 and serving as an analyst on the Big Ten Network. His impact extends far beyond basketball where his Moore Foundation was an extension of the way he lives his life: being selfless and putting others first. His career was tragically cut short in May of 2019 when an accident with a drunk driver claimed the lives of his wife and daughter and left him with life-altering disabilities.

The Big Ten also recognized 18 Sportsmanship Award honorees. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These student-athletes must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.

The awards are voted on by conference coaches and a select media panel. The complete list of All-Conference honorees and individual award winners is below.

2025-26 All-Big Ten Men’s Basketball Honors
As selected by Big Ten Coaches

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan

DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Aday Mara, Michigan

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Keaton Wagler, Illinois

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR
Braden Frager, Nebraska

COACH OF THE YEAR
Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska

HOWARD MOORE ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD
Sharif Chambliss, Wisconsin

FIRST TEAM
Keaton Wagler, Illinois
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State
Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska
Braden Smith, Purdue

SECOND TEAM
Lamar Wilkerson, Indiana
Bennett Stirtz, Iowa
Nick Martinelli, Northwestern
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
Nick Boyd, Wisconsin

THIRD TEAM
Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan
Aday Mara, Michigan
Tyler Bilodeau, UCLA
Hannes Steinbach, Washington
John Blackwell, Wisconsin

HONORABLE MENTION
David Mirkovic, Illinois
Jaxon Kohler, Michigan State
Cade Tyson, Minnesota
Sam Hoiberg, Nebraska
Rienk Mast, Nebraska
Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue
Donovan Dent, UCLA

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
David Mirkovic, Illinois
KEATON WAGLER, Illinois
Trey McKenney, Michigan
Braden Frager, Nebraska
Hannes Steinbach, Washington

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Kylan Boswell, Illinois
Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
Aday Mara, Michigan
Sam Hoiberg, Nebraska

2025-26 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Jake Davis, ILL; Conor Enright, IND; Bennett Stirtz, IOWA; Collin Metcalf, MD; Will Tschetter, MICH; Carson Cooper, MSU; Bobby Durkin, MINN; Rienk Mast, NEB; Nick Martinelli, NU; Bruce Thornton, OSU; Sean Stewart, ORE; Josh Reed, PSU; Liam Murphy, PUR; Jahmichael Davis, RU; Tyler Bilodeau, UCLA; Terrance Williams II, USC; Zoom Diallo, WASH; Isaac Gard, WIS.

2025-26 All-Big Ten Men’s Basketball Honors
As selected by Media Voting Panel

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Keaton Wagler, Illinois

COACH OF THE YEAR
Dusty May, Michigan

FIRST TEAM
Keaton Wagler, Illinois
Bennett Stirtz, Iowa
YAXEL LENDEBORG, Michigan
Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State
Braden Smith, Purdue

SECOND TEAM
Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan
Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska
Nick Martinelli, Northwestern
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
Nick Boyd, Wisconsin

THIRD TEAM
Lamar Wilkerson, Indiana
Aday Mara, Michigan
Tyler Bilodeau, UCLA
Hannes Steinbach, Washington
John Blackwell, Wisconsin

HONORABLE MENTION
Kylan Boswell, Illinois
David Mirkovic, Illinois
Elliot Cadeau, Michigan
Jaxon Kohler, Michigan State
Cade Tyson, Minnesota
Sam Hoiberg, Nebraska
Rienk Mast, Nebraska
John Mobley Jr., Ohio State
Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue
Tariq Francis, Rutgers
Donovan Dent, UCLA

Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS

Big Ten Network Presents Coverage of 2026 TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament

Unknown — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The Big Ten Network’s coverage of the 2026 TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament begins Wednesday, featuring 10 games, on-site studio programming throughout the tournament and an experienced group of broadcasters and analysts on-site in Chicago.

For the first time ever, the 2026 TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament will feature all 18 programs, including six teams ranked in the top 25, led by No. 3 Michigan, and followed by No. 8 Michigan State, No. 9 Illinois, No. 11 Nebraska, No. 18 Purdue and No. 23 Wisconsin.

BTN will broadcast 10 games across the second and third rounds, as well as the quarterfinals. Throughout BTN’s coverage Kevin Kugler, Jeff Levering and Guy Haberman will deliver play-by-play, while Robbie Hummel, Don MacLean and Jordan Taylor will appear as analysts. Rick Pizzo and Andy Katz will serve as sideline reporters across the 10 games.

Dave Revsine, Mike Hall and Pizzo will lead the network’s studio coverage across the full tournament, March 10-15, with appearances throughout the week by Katz, Taylor, Rapheal Davis, Seth Davis and Bruce Weber. The group will provide analysis across several editions of B1G Live programming, including B1G Live: Basketball Tip-Off Show, Halftime, Game Break and Postgame as well as The B1G Show. A full schedule of BTN’s tournament programming can be found at bigten.org/btn/btn-tv-schedule .

BTN’s game coverage begins with two games during Wednesday’s second round at 6:30 p.m. ET and 9 p.m. ET. The third round on Thursday tips off with the first game at noon ET, followed by a contest at approximately 2:30 p.m. ET. The night session of the third round begins at 6:30 p.m. ET and concludes with the final game of the day at approximately 9 p.m. ET.

Friday's quarterfinals follow the same schedule as Thursday, with games at noon ET, 2:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. ET and 9 p.m. ET.

The Journey, the Big Ten Network’s Emmy-nominated original series, will also be on-site to capture behind-the-scenes footage throughout the tournament airing on various BTN platforms. The season finale of The Journey: Big Ten Basketball 2026 will highlight the winner of the 2026 TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament and their run to the championship. The episode is set to debut following the winner’s run in the NCAA Tournament.

Game broadcasts may be available in 4K with select providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, DIRECTV, DISH, YouTube TV, Verizon Fios and Fubo. Additionally, games can be streamed in 4K on the FOX Sports App via connected devices such as Apple TV 4K, Amazon Fire TV and Roku.

All games and studio programming on the Big Ten Network can be streamed via the web, smartphones, tablets and connected devices through the FOX Sports App. Throughout the tournament, additional coverage can be found via the Big Ten Men’s Basketball accounts on X , Instagram and YouTube .

Ohio State and Washington Garner Men’s Basketball Weekly Laurels

Unknown — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Player of the Week
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
G – Sr. – 6-2 – Fairburn, Ga. - Milton

Averaged 21.5 points, 7.0 assists, and 3.5 rebounds with no turnovers and shot 82.4 percent from the field in a pair of Buckeyes’ wins
Scored 17 points on 7-of-8 from the field and 2-of-2 from three-point distance with seven assists in a 94-62 win at Penn State
Recorded a game-high 25 points on 7-of-9 shooting with seven assists and a pair of steals in Ohio State’s 91-78 win over Indiana
Became the all-time leading scorer in program history with 2,110 points
Claims his fourth career Player of the Week award and third of the season
Last Ohio State Player of the Week: Bruce Thornton (February 23, 2026)

Freshman of the Week
Hannes Steinbach, Washington
F – 6-11 – Würzburg, Germany – Würzburg Basket

Averaged 26.0 points and 18.5 rebounds, while shooting 78.3 percent from the field, as the Huskies went 1-1 on the week
Paired 22 points and 24 rebounds in Washington’s 91-74 win over USC, the Huskies’ third 20-20 game since 1977
Added a 26-point, 13-rebound performance in an 85-79 loss at Oregon
Garners his second consecutive Freshman of the Week honor and fourth of the season
Last Washington Freshman of the Week: Hannes Steinbach (March 2, 2026)

2025-26 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Players of the Week
March 9
P: Bruce Thornton, OSU
F: Hannes Steinbach, WASH

March 2
P: Pryce Sandfort, NEB
P: Nick Martinelli, NU
F: Hannes Steinbach, WASH

Feb. 23
P: Bruce Thornton, OSU
F: Andre Mills, MD

Feb. 16
P: Nick Boyd, WIS
F: Keaton Wagler, ILL

Feb. 9
P: Lamar Wilkerson, IND
P: Bennett Stirtz, IOWA
F: Alijah Arenas, USC

Feb. 2
P: Bennett Stirtz, IOWA
P: Jeremy Fears Jr., MSU
F: Keaton Wagler, ILL

Jan. 26
P: Keaton Wagler, ILL
P: Jeremy Fears, MSU
F: Keaton Wagler, ILL

Jan. 19
P: Diggy Coit, MD
P: John Blackwell, WIS
F: Braden Frager, NEB

Jan. 12
P: Braden Smith, PUR
P: Nick Boyd, WIS
F: Keaton Wagler, ILL

Jan. 5
P: Morez Johnson Jr., MICH
P: Braden Smith, PUR
F: Keaton Wagler, IL
F: Hannes Steinbach, WASH

Dec. 22
P: Tariq Francis, RUT
P: Skyy Clark, UCLA
F: Braden Frager, NEB

Dec. 15
P: Lamar Wilkerson, IND
P: Pryce Sandfort, NEB
F: Keaton Wagler, ILL

Dec. 8
P: John Blackwell, WIS
F: Hannes Steinbach, WASH

Dec. 1
P: Yaxel Lendeborg, MICH
F: Kayden Mingo, PSU

Nov. 24
P: Diggy Coit, MD
F: Braden Frager, NEB

Nov. 17
P: Braden Smith, PUR
F: David Mirkovic, ILL

Nov. 10
P: Tucker DeVries, IND
P: Bruce Thornton, OSU
F: David Mirkovic, ILL

Big Ten Unveils 2026 TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament Bracket

Unknown — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced the full bracket for the 2026 TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament, set to take place March 10-15 at the United Center in Chicago.

All seating for the 29^th edition of the tournament is reserved. Fan can purchase all-session and single session at the United Center box office or online at Ticketmaster.com . All ticket packages are subject to Ticketmaster and facility fees. For more information on this year’s tournament, visit the Big Ten Tournament Central page at bigten.org/MBBT .

All 17 games of this year’s Big Ten Tournament will be broadcast live, with Tuesday’s first round broadcast on Peacock. Wednesday’s first session will also air on Peacock, with Big Ten Network airing the day’s second session. Big Ten Network will also broadcast all eight third round and quarterfinal games on Thursday and Friday, respectively. The Big Ten Tournament semifinal and championship games will be televised live on CBS and the Paramount+ app.

Michigan (29-2, 19-1 Big Ten) earned the No. 1 seed and the program’s 16^th Big Ten regular season title. The Wolverines are looking to become the first back-to-back Big Ten Tournament winners since they did it in 2017 and 2018.

Nebraska (26-5, 15-5 Big Ten) earned the No. 2 seed. This is the second top three Big Ten finish in the last three years, the first time that has happened for the Huskers in the Big Ten era and first the first time since the early 1990s (1990-91, 3rd; 1992-93, t-2nd).

Michigan State (25-6, 15-5 Big Ten) claimed the No. 3 seed. The Spartans are led by its four captains, Carson Cooper, Jaxon Kohler, Coen Carr, and Jeremy Fears Jr., who have combined for 64.2% of the team's scoring (1,567 of 2,442 points) and average nearly 50 points, 24 rebounds and 13 assists per game.

Illinois (24-7, 15-5 Big Ten) secured the No. 4 seed after posting 15 conference wins to tie the 2022 Illinois squad for second most league wins in program history, one shy of the team mark set in 2021. It’s 24 wins are also the most during the regular season in program history.

Each of the tournament’s top four seeds have earned triple-byes and will open tournament play in Friday’s quarterfinal round.

The 2026 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, March 10 (First Round)
Game 1 (#17 Maryland vs. #16 Oregon) – 4 p.m. CT (Peacock)
Game 2 (#18 Penn State vs. #15 Northwestern) – 25 minutes following Game 1 (Peacock)

Wednesday, March 11 (Second Round)
Game 3 (#9 Iowa vs. Game 3 winner) – 11 a.m. CT (Peacock)
Game 4 (#12 Washington vs. #13 USC) – 25 minutes following Game 3 (Peacock)
Game 5 (#10 Indiana vs Game 2 winner) – 5:30 p.m. CT (BTN)
Game 6 (#11 Minnesota vs. #14 Rutgers) – 25 minutes following Game 5 (BTN)

Thursday, March 12 (Third Round)
Game 7 (#8 Ohio State vs. Game 3 winner) – 11 a.m. CT (BTN)
Game 8 (#5 Wisconsin vs. Game 4 winner) – 25 minutes following Game 7 (BTN)
Game 9 (#7 Purdue vs. Game 5 winner)– 5:30 p.m. CT (BTN)
Game 10 (#6 UCLA vs. Game 6 winner) – 25 minutes following Game 9 (BTN)

Friday, March 13 (Quarterfinals)
Game 11 (#1 Michigan vs. Game 7 winner) – 11 a.m. CT (BTN)
Game 12 (#4 Illinois vs. Game 8 winner) – 25 minutes following Game 11 (BTN)
Game 13 (#2 Nebraska vs. Game 9 winner) – 5:30 p.m. CT (BTN)
Game 14 (#3 Michigan State vs. Game 10 winner) – 25 minutes following Game 13 (BTN)

Saturday, March 14 (Semifinals)
Game 15 (Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner) – 12 p.m. CT (CBS)
Game 16 (Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner) – 25 minutes following Game 15 (CBS)

Sunday, March 15 (Championship)
Game 14 (Game 15 winner vs. Game 16 winner) – 2:30 p.m. CT (CBS)

NOTES: All times are approximate and subject to change … BTN games are also available on the FOX Sports app … CBS games are also available on the Paramount+ app … for more information, please visit the tournament web site at ( bigten.org/MBBT ).

Big Ten Weekly Men's Basketball Central - March 3-9

Unknown — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

BIG TEN MEN'S BASKETBALL      •        BIG TEN STATISTICS      •        NCAA STATISTICS
BIG TEN SCHEDULE & RESULTS      •        BIG TEN STANDINGS
NCAA AP TOP 25 POLL      •        NCAA USA TODAY TOP 25 POLL

WEEKLY RELEASE - MARCH 3

Big Ten. Big News.

Michigan captured the 2025-26 Big Ten Men’s Basketball title last week, the 16th in program history, improving to 17-1 in conference play after wins over Minnesota and Illinois. The Wolverines have also secured the number one seed in the upcoming TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament and one of four triple byes. Michigan will open tournament play in Friday’s quarterfinal round.
Entering the final week of the regular season, Michigan State and Nebraska are tied for second in the Big Ten standings at 14-4, followed by Illinois at 13-5, with Purdue and Wisconsin tied for fourth at 12-6. UCLA stand in seventh at 11-7, with Iowa and Ohio State tied for eighth at 10-8.
The Big Ten closed its nonconference schedule with a record of 157-41, the second-best win percentage (.793) 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.
Entering Tuesday’s games, Big Ten teams have combined to win 73 Quad 1 games, with 17 teams scoring at least one Quad 1 win, and 85 Quad 2 victories. At 11-1, Michigan joins Arizona (14-2), Duke (13-2), and Florida (11-1) as the only teams with 10 Quad 1 wins, while the Wolverines join Illinois, Michigan State, Nebraska, and Purdue in a group of 12 teams with at least eight Quad 1 wins. The Big Ten also boasts seven teams in a group of 33 nationally with at least 10 Quad 1 and 2 wins: Michigan (21-2), Michigan State (15-5), Illinois (14-7), Nebraska (12-4), Purdue (12-7), Wisconsin (12-9), and Iowa (10-8).
Through games on Monday, March 2, the Big Ten boasts 12 teams in the top 75 spots in the NET Rankings, including three in the top 10 and 10 in the top 50. Michigan leads the Big Ten at No. 2, followed by No. 5 Illinois, No. 9 Purdue, No. 11 Michigan State, and No. 12 Nebraska. Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio State, UCLA, and Indiana also claimed spots in the top 50.
Seven Big Ten teams were ranked or received votes in this week’s AP and USA Today Coaches Top 25 polls released on Monday, March 2, including five ranked in the top 15. Michigan leads the way at No. 3 in both polls, followed by Michigan State at No. 8, Nebraska at No. 9, and Illinois at No. 11. The AP listed Purdue at No. 15, while the coaches included the Boilermakers at No. 14. Wisconsin and Ohio State also received votes.
On Monday, Nebraska forward Pryce Sandfort and Northwestern forward Nick Martinelli were named Big Ten Co-Players of the Week. Sandfort averaged 24 points, 7.0 assists, and 3.0 assists, while shooting 50 percent from the field in a 2-0 week for Nebraska. The junior earned his second Player of the Week nod after pairing 16 points, eight rebounds, and four assists in a 74-61 win over Maryland. Sandfort closed the week with 32 points, including 20 in the second half, and six rebounds in an 82-67 win at USC.
Martinelli earned his third Player of the Week honor after averaging 25.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game for the week as Northwestern claimed a pair of wins. The senior forward posted 22 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and hit the game-winning bucket in a 63-62 win over Oregon. He closed the week scoring 21 of his 28 points in the second half of a 72-68 victory at Indiana.
Freshman Hannes Steinbach recorded back-to-back 20-point double-doubles and shot north of 70 percent from the field to lead Washington to a 1-1 week. A three-time Freshman of the Week, Steinbach paired 24 points and a career-best 16 rebounds in the Huskies’ 79-72 win at Rutgers. In a 90-73 loss to Wisconsin, Steinbach tallied 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting and grabbed 11 boards.
Milestone Watch... Congratulations to Purdue’s Braden Smith who recently recorded his 1,000th career assist. Smith enters this week ranked fourth on the NCAA Div. I all-time assists list, 65 assists behind NCAA record holder Bobby Hurley (1,076)... Congratulations to UCLA’s Skyy Clark and Minnesota’s Bobby Durkin, who recently scored their 1,000th career points... Congratulations to Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg, who recently became the fifth active Div. I player with 1,000 career rebounds... Indiana guard Lamar Wilkerson is 61 points shy of recording his 2,00th career point... Illinois head coach Brad Underwood owns 296 career victories.
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.

Nebraska, Northwestern, Washington Score Men’s Basketball Weekly Awards

Unknown — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Co-Player of the Week
Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska
F – Jr. – 6-7 – Waukee, Iowa – Waukee Northwest

Averaged 24 points, 7.0 assists, and 3.0 assists, while shooting 50 percent from the field in a 2-0 week for Nebraska
Paired 16 points, eight rebounds, and four assists in a 74-61 win over Maryland
Tallied 32 points, including 20 in the second half, and six rebounds in an 82-67 win at USC
Earns second Player of the Week honor
Last Nebraska Player of the Week: Pryce Sandfort (December 15, 2025)

Co-Player of the Week
Nick Martinelli, Northwestern
F – Sr. – 6-7 – Glenview, Ill. – Glenbrook South

Averaged 25.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game for the week as Northwestern claimed a pair of wins
Posted 22 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and hit the game-winning bucket in a 63-62 win over Oregon
Scored 21 of his 28 points in the second half of a 72-68 victory at Indiana
Claims his third Player of the Week award
Last Northwestern Player of the Week: Nick Martinelli (March 3, 2025)

Freshman of the Week
Hannes Steinbach, Washington
F – 6-11 – Würzburg, Germany – Würzburg Basket

Recorded back-to-back 20-point double-doubles and shot north of 70 percent from the field to lead Washington to a 1-1 week
Paired 24 points and a career-best 16 rebounds in the Huskies’ 79-72 win at Rutgers
Tallied 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting and grabbed 11 boards in a 90-73 loss to Wisconsin
Garners his third Freshman of the Week honor
Last Washington Freshman of the Week: Hannes Steinbach (January 5, 2025)

2025-26 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Players of the Week
March 2
P: Pryce Sandfort, NEB
P: Nick Martinelli, NU
F: Hannes Steinbach, WASH

Feb. 23
P: Bruce Thornton, OSU
F: Andre Mills, MD

Feb. 16
P: Nick Boyd, WIS
F: Keaton Wagler, ILL

Feb. 9
P: Lamar Wilkerson, IND
P: Bennett Stirtz, IOWA
F: Alijah Arenas, USC

Feb. 2
P: Bennett Stirtz, IOWA
P: Jeremy Fears Jr., MSU
F: Keaton Wagler, ILL

Jan. 26
P: Keaton Wagler, ILL
P: Jeremy Fears, MSU
F: Keaton Wagler, ILL

Jan. 19
P: Diggy Coit, MD
P: John Blackwell, WIS
F: Braden Frager, NEB

Jan. 12
P: Braden Smith, PUR
P: Nick Boyd, WIS
F: Keaton Wagler, ILL

Jan. 5
P: Morez Johnson Jr., MICH
P: Braden Smith, PUR
F: Keaton Wagler, ILL
F: Hannes Steinbach, WASH

Dec. 22
P: Tariq Francis, RUT
P: Skyy Clark, UCLA
F: Braden Frager, NEB

Dec. 15
P: Lamar Wilkerson, IND
P: Pryce Sandfort, NEB
F: Keaton Wagler, ILL

Dec. 8
P: John Blackwell, WIS
F: Hannes Steinbach, WASH

Dec. 1
P: Yaxel Lendeborg, MICH
F: Kayden Mingo, PSU

Nov. 24
P: Diggy Coit, MD
F: Braden Frager, NEB
Nov. 17
P: Braden Smith, PUR
F: David Mirkovic, ILL

Nov. 10
P: Tucker DeVries, IND
P: Bruce Thornton, OSU
F: David Mirkovic, ILL

Big Ten Receives 2026 NCAA/MOAA Opportunities & Impact Award

Unknown — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- The Big Ten Conference has been named the Division I winner of the 2026 NCAA/MOAA Opportunities and Impact Award, the NCAA and Minority Opportunities Athletic Association — an affiliate of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics — announced Thursday.

READ: NCAA and MOAA announce 2026 Opportunities and Impact Award recipients

The award recognizes and celebrates the initiatives, programs and efforts of athletics departments and conference offices in Divisions I, II and III that embrace environments of belonging and well-being and elevate the student-athlete voice in intercollegiate athletics communities. NCAA and MOAA representatives will present the awards June 7-10 in Las Vegas during the MOAA Symposium.

"We're proud to accept this honor on behalf of our 18 schools, whose support makes these initiatives possible," Big Ten Conference Commissioner Tony Petitti said.

Omar Brown, Big Ten senior vice president for community and impact, added, "This humbling recognition is a direct result of the leadership and alignment we have from Commissioner Petitti, throughout the conference office, and in collaboration with our campuses. Big Ten student-athletes always are aiming for excellence in competition, in the classroom and in their communities. We will continue to build on this foundation to create transformational opportunities for their development and deliver impact to the many locales we call home across the nation throughout the year."

The Big Ten Conference continues to engage, educate and empower its student-athletes, coaches, administrators and its broader community base with programs, initiatives and engagements that make a difference and encourage positive change. For four years, student-athletes from Big Ten schools have traveled to Alabama for an immersive journey that included learning about the Civil Rights Movement, visits to historic sites, community service projects and panel sessions with local leaders. The Big Ten has also added new elements to the transformative experience each year to deepen understanding and inspire civic responsibility.

WATCH: Big Ten Community & Impact makes a difference

Additionally, the conference creates leadership opportunities for its student-athletes. It partners with James Russell Lowell Elementary School in Indianapolis, connecting its 18 member schools with classrooms that include mentorship and encouragement via virtual meetings.

Another one of its many initiatives are structured conversations with administrators, coaches, athletes and employees to gather feedback and to inform future strategies. Examples include conducting student-athlete experience exit surveys and hosting standing committees, commissions and leadership councils to discuss progress, share feedback and assess strategic alignment. The conference also hosts numerous inclusive programs such as United as One, the B1G Fellows Program, the Student-Athlete Issues Commission, The Women's Volleyball Mentorship Program and the CBS Sports Ambassador Program & Sports Journalism Initiative. The conference also promotes several awards programs, which includes the Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award to recognize student-athletes who demonstrate leadership, service and volunteerism.

WATCH: Indiana honorees receive their Jackie Robinson Award jackets

WATCH: Purdue's Devin Mockobee dons his jacket while being recognized at Boilermakers basketball game

Along with the Big Ten, Saint Michael's College athletics department was recognized in Division II, and Occidental College's athletics department was the Division III honoree.

"This honor is an acknowledgment of NCAA member schools and conference offices that intentionally create spaces and opportunities for all student-athletes, coaches and administrators to feel seen, heard and valued," said Felicia Martin, NCAA senior vice president of inclusion, education and community engagement. "It is important to recognize these outstanding recipients who diligently embrace a commitment to positively impact their athletic communities and make a significant difference for all humanity."

"Congratulations to this year's recipients," said Timothy Wise, MOAA president and assistant general manager at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. "The outstanding work by the winners showcases the commitment to providing opportunities in the ever-changing landscape and making a significant impact on their campus and in conference communities. Each of the winners is worthy of this honor, and MOAA looks forward to partnering with the NCAA to recognize these achievements at the 2026 MOAA Symposium in June."

###

Discover, Big Ten Present Custom Jackets To Jackie Robinson Award Honorees

Unknown — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Presenting sponsor Discover will deliver custom letterwinner jackets to all 36 institutional winners of the 2025-26 Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award, the Big Ten announced Wednesday. Each university’s male and female honoree will receive a customized, one-of-one gift featuring unique school elements and visuals.

The first two custom jackets were presented in December at the Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game to 2025 national winners Dillon Fontus, from Maryland football, and Iowa wrestler Nanea Estrella.

Both of last year’s winners, and Sonya Pankey Robinson (Jackie Robinson’s granddaughter), attended the game as guests of Discover, seeing Indiana claim the title at Lucas Oil Stadium on their way to a perfect 16-0 campaign and CFP National Championship. The 2026 national winners will be announced later this spring from the cohort of 36 campus recipients.

In November, the Big Ten Conference announced the 36 student-athletes selected as institutional winners of the 2025-26 Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award presented by Discover. Now in its second year, the honor was created to recognize Big Ten student-athletes who strive to have a positive impact within their community in addition to excellence in competition.

Institution	Honoree	Sport
Illinois	TJ Griffin	Football
Illinois	Tali Joelson	Gymnastics
Indiana	Tyler Lillard	Wrestling
Indiana	Kristina Vincic	Track & Field
Iowa	Ava Bayless	Wrestling
Iowa	Will Ryan	Cross Country \| Track & Field
Maryland	Joey Schneck	Wrestling
Maryland	Madeline Komoroski	Gymnastics
Michigan	Kevin Kearns	Lacrosse
Michigan	Zoë Bormet	Field Hockey
Michigan State	Maddie Lawlor	Field Hockey
Michigan State	Jalen Thompson	Football
Minnesota	Charlie Sutherland	Baseball
Minnesota	Niamya (Nia) Holloway	Basketball
Nebraska	Katelyn Caneda	Softball
Nebraska	Michael Booker III	Football
Northwestern	Kansas Robinson	Softball
Northwestern	Najee Story	Football
Ohio State	Caleb Downs	Football
Ohio State	Makenna Webster	Ice Hockey \| Field Hockey
Oregon	Matt Bedford	Football
Oregon	Blessyn McMorris	Acrobatics & Tumbling
Penn State	Nick Dawkins	Football
Penn State	Elise DeWan	Field Hockey
Purdue	Devin Mockobee	Football
Purdue	Emma Bailey	Softball
Rutgers	Jude Essuman	Soccer
Rutgers	Caitlin Collins	Lacrosse
UCLA	Jordan Robinson	Track & Field
UCLA	Karson Gordon	Football \| Track & Field
USC	Maribel Flores	Soccer
USC	Robert Gref	Diving
Washington	Franck Kepnang	Basketball
Washington	Rhonda Newton	Track & Field
Wisconsin	Rico Hallman	Football
Wisconsin	Erin Connolly	Soccer

In recognition of their achievement and as an expression of the conference’s appreciation, each of the 36 campus winners will receive a medal bearing the likeness of Jackie Robinson and the logo of the Big Ten Conference in addition to their custom jacket.

WATCH: Indiana honorees receive their Jackie Robinson Award jackets

WATCH: Purdue's Devin Mockobee dons his jacket while being honored at Boilermakers basketball game

WATCH: Big Ten Community & Impact makes a difference

Jackie Robinson was a standout student-athlete at UCLA, where he was the school’s first four-sport letter winner, excelling in football, basketball, track and field, and baseball. Beyond his athletic prowess, he continues to be recognized and honored for his contributions off the field: integrating Major League Baseball and his lifelong commitment to social justice. He is the embodiment of the Big Ten's mission to develop strong student leaders, and this program honors his legacy and core values of courage, determination, teamwork, persistence, integrity, citizenship, justice, commitment, and excellence. As Jackie famously said, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”

“It is our privilege and great honor to bestow this award in Jackie’s name upon these deserving Big Ten student-athletes and to express our appreciation for the support of the Jackie Robinson Foundation,” said Big Ten Conference Commissioner Tony Petitti.

Honorees were selected based on the following criteria:

Demonstrated Impact: Significant and tangible contributions to community projects or causes, including measurable outcomes or positive changes resulting from their involvement.
Collaboration and Teamwork: Ability to work effectively with others, including peers, organizations, and community members, to achieve common goals and enhance community impact.
Consistency and Commitment: Ongoing and consistent participation in community service activities over an extended period of time.
Visibility and Advocacy: Efforts to raise awareness and advocate for important groups or causes, leveraging their platform to promote positive change and engage others.

"The Big Ten Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award celebrates Jackie’s legacy of excellence in community service,” said Sonya Pankey Robinson, Jackie’s first grandchild as well as Director and board member of the Jackie Robinson Foundation. "We are proud to recognize 36 outstanding men and women for the incredible impact they make in their community."

"Our student-athletes make significant contributions through competition, academics, and community impact,” said Big Ten Senior Vice President, Community & Impact, Omar Brown. “This award allows the Big Ten to recognize these efforts in improving communities, just as we do with their other athletic and academic achievements. Jackie Robinson embodies this award and our goal to honor student-athletes who positively affect others."

The Big Ten Conference’s commitment to athletics, academics and service goes back to the conference’s founding. Coupling the academic goals set forth by leaders of the charter members of the conference with their steadfast commitment to athletics, the conference instituted the Big Ten Medal of Honor in 1915, the first award to demonstrate support for the educational emphasis placed on intercollegiate athletics. It is awarded annually by each member institution to one male and one female student of the graduating class who has attained the greatest proficiency in scholarship and athletics.

Michigan Secures Share of 2026 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Title

Unknown — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Michigan Wolverines claimed at least a share of the 2025-26 Big Ten men’s basketball title with tonight’s 77-67 win over Minnesota inside the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. This marks the 16^th Big Ten title for the Wolverines and first since 2021.

With tonight’s victory, the No. 3-ranked Wolverines improved to 16-1 in conference play with three games remaining in the regular season. Michigan has also secured a triple-bye in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament and will open play with a quarterfinal round game on Friday.

The 2026 TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament will take place March 10-15 at Chicago’s United Center, home of the NBA Chicago Bulls, and will mark the first tournament featuring all 18 Big Ten teams. The winner of the tournament will receive the Big Ten’s automatic qualification to the NCAA Tournament.

Peacock will broadcast the first two games of the tournament on Tuesday and the first two games in Wednesday’s second round, while Big Ten Network will air the final two games on Wednesday, along with four games on Thursday and Friday. For the 29th consecutive year, CBS will broadcast the Big Ten Tournament semifinals and championship game on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Fans are also encouraged to visit the official Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament web site ( bigten.org/MBBT) and follow Big Ten Men’s Basketball on X (formerly Twitter) ( @B1GMBBall ).

Big Ten Weekly Men's Basketball Central - February 24-March 2

Unknown — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

BIG TEN MEN'S BASKETBALL     •       BIG TEN STATISTICS     •       NCAA STATISTICS
BIG TEN SCHEDULE & RESULTS     •       BIG TEN STANDINGS
NCAA AP TOP 25 POLL     •       NCAA USA TODAY TOP 25 POLL

WEEKLY RELEASE - FEBRUARY 24

Big Ten. Big News.

With two weeks left in the regular season, Michigan enters this week's action at the top of the Big Ten standings at 15-1, followed by Illinois in second at 13-4, then Michigan State, Nebraska, and Purdue in a tie for third at 12-4, Wisconsin in sixth at 11-5, UCLA in seventh at 10-6, and Iowa and Ohio State in a tie for eighth at 9-7. All 18 teams had recorded at least two league victories so far.
On Thursday, seven Big Ten players were named to the Naismith Trophy Men’s College Basketball Player of the Year Late-Season Team. The Atlanta Tipoff Club included Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz, Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr., Nebraska’s Pryce Sandfort, Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton, and Purdue’s Braden Smith in its list of 30 players now in contention for the prestigious award.
The Division I Men’s Basketball Committee unveiled its top 16 teams on the Bracket Preview Show on Saturday. Six Big Ten teams were included on the list. Michigan was named the top overall seed, while Illinois and Purdue claimed number two seeds. Nebraska and Michigan State were placed on the numbers three and four lines, respectively. The official bracket will be announced on Sunday, March 15.
The Big Ten closed its nonconference schedule with a record of 157-41, the second-best win percentage (.793) 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.
Entering Tuesday’s games, Big Ten teams have combined to win 60 Quad 1 games, with 16 teams scoring at least one Quad 1 win, and 73 Quad 2 victories. At 10-1, Michigan joins Arizona (11-2) and Duke (12-2) as the only teams with 10 Quad 1 wins, while the Wolverines join Illinois and Purdue in a group of 12 teams with at least seven Quad 1 wins. The Big Ten also boasts six teams in a group of 27 nationally with at least 10 Quad 1 and 2 wins: Michigan (19-2), Illinois (13-6), Purdue (12-5), Michigan State (12-5), Nebraska (11-4), and Wisconsin (10-8).
Through games on Monday, Feb. 16, the Big Ten boasts 12 teams in the top 75 spots in the NET Rankings, including three in the top 10 and nine in the top 50. Michigan leads the Big Ten tops the list at No. 1, followed by No. 4 Illinois, No. 6 Purdue, No. 11 Nebraska, and No. 12 Michigan State. Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio State, and UCLA also claimed spots in the top 50.
Seven Big Ten teams were ranked or received votes in this week’s AP and USA Today Coaches Top 25 polls released on Monday, Feb. 16, including five ranked in the top 15. Michigan leads the way at No. 3 in both polls, followed by Purdue at No. 8 and Michigan State at No. 13. AP voters listed Illinois at No. 10 and Nebraska at No. 12, while the coaches placed Huskers at No. 10 and the Illini at No. 11. Wisconsin and Iowa also received votes in both polls.
Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 29.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and shot over 52 percent from the field as the Buckeyes split a pair of games against top 20 opponents. Thornton paired 27 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists in an 86-69 win over Wisconsin. The senior also surpassed the 2,000 career point mark in the win, becoming the 36th Big Ten player to reach the milestone. In Sunday’s 66-60 loss at Michigan State, Thornton scored a game-high 32 points with four rebounds, two assists, and two steals with no turnovers, while playing all 40 minutes.
Maryland freshman Andre Mills was also named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Monday. The freshman guard recorded 30.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists, while shooting 54.3 precent from the field and 60.0 percent from three-point range as Maryland went 1-1 on the week. Mills scored a Maryland freshman record 39 points in a 78-74 loss at Northwestern, then added 21 points, including seven consecutive points and the go-ahead three in the final two minutes of a 64-60 victory over Washington.
Milestone Watch... Congratulations to Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton who surpassed 2,000 career points in the win over Wisconsin, becoming just the sixth Big Ten player with 2,000 career points and 500 career assists...With 994 career assists, Purdue’s Braden Smith enters this week ranked fifth on the NCAA Div. I all-time assists list. Only four players have collected 1,000 career assists, including NCAA record holder Bobby Hurley (1,076)... Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg enters this week’s action just eight rebounds from becoming the fourth active player to secure 1,000 career rebounds... USC’s Gabe Dynes stands just six blocked shots from becoming the fourth active Division I player in the country with 200 career blocked shots. … Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell enters this week’s action with 349 career wins, while Illinois head coach Brad Underwood owns 296 career victories.
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.

Ohio State and Maryland Score Men’s Basketball Weekly Laurels

Unknown — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Player of the Week
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
G –Sr. – 6-2 – Fairburn, Ga. - Milton

Averaged 29.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and shot over 52 percent from the field as the Buckeyes split a pair of games against top 20 opponents
Paired 27 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists in an 86-69 win over Wisconsin
Scored a game-high 32 points with four rebounds, two assists, and two steals with no turnovers, while playing all 40 minutes of a 66-60 loss at Michigan State
Surpassed both 2,000 career points, becoming the 36th Big Ten player to reach the milestone
Earns third career Player of the Week honor and second of the season
Last Ohio State Player of the Week: Bruce Thornton (November 10, 2025)

Freshman of the Week
Andre Mills, Maryland
G – 6-4 – Boston, Mass. – Brimmer & May

Recorded 30.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists, while shooting 54.3 precent from the field and 60.0 percent from three-point range as Maryland went 1-1 on the week
Scored a Maryland freshman record 39 points in a 78-74 loss at Northwestern
Added 21 points, including seven consecutive points and the go-ahead three in the final two minutes of a 64-60 victory over Washington
Garners his first Freshman of the Week honor
Last Maryland Freshman of the Week: Derik Queen (February 17, 2025)

2025-26 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Players of the Week
Feb. 23
P: Bruce Thornton, OSU
F: Andre Mills, MD