All articles tagged with #big ten
No. 12 Nebraska hosts Maryland at Pinnacle Bank Arena as Pryce Sandfort erupts for a career-high 33 points and eight 3-pointers to fuel a win-securement push toward March Madness; the Huskers are 23-4 (12-4 Big Ten) while Maryland, in Buzz Williams’ first year, sits at 11-16. Tip-off is 6 p.m. CST on the Big Ten Network.
Indiana led by double digits at home but could not close, falling 72-68 to Northwestern as the Wildcats dominated the boards and controlled the game in the second half. IU shot just 8-for-26 after halftime (2-for-12 from three) and had limited contributions beyond Tayton Conerway, while Nick Martinelli surged to 28 points overall (21 in the second half). The Hoosiers’ defense remains under strain in Big Ten play, leaving three regular-season games to address consistency and finish.
Indiana built a first-half lead with strong 3-point shooting, but Northwestern surged in the second half to win 72-68. Nick Martinelli sparked the Wildcats with an 8-point second-half burst, and Northwestern converted late to take the lead and seal it with free throws after a critical sequence in the final minutes. For Indiana, Lamar Wilkerson led with 18 points while Tayton Conerway and Sam Alexis added 14 and 13, respectively, but IU struggled offensively down the stretch as Northwestern crept back into the game and claimed the win.
No. 3 Michigan beat Minnesota 77-67 to secure at least a share of the Big Ten regular-season title, improving to 26-2 overall and 16-1 in conference play. Six takeaways: Michigan steadied after recent rebounding/paint concerns, but defensive lapses persist; Elliot Cadeau bounced back with 15 points, five assists and four rebounds; reserve guard L.J. Cason continued to prove himself with 14 points and five rebounds; Trey McKenney showed continued growth with 12 points on 4-for-8 from three; next up is a showdown with No. 10 Illinois with a chance to clinch the outright title, though the defense will need to stay dialed in for a national championship run.
Sports Illustrated’s final February Bracket Watch centers the Big Ten in a tight bubble race as four teams sit near the cut line with conference tournaments looming; Duke holds the overall No. 1 seed while Michigan, Arizona, and UConn anchor the other top seeds, and Indiana, UCLA, Ohio State, and USC remain under close watch as the Mountain West bid picture stays unsettled.
Carson Cooper scored a career-high 20 points with 11 rebounds to lift No. 15 Michigan State to a 66-60 win over Ohio State at Breslin Center, improving MSU to 22-5 (12-4 Big Ten) while Ohio State falls to 17-10 (9-7). Ohio State was without Devin Royal and John Mobley and got 32 points from Bruce Thornton, but the Buckeyes remained 0-9 against Quadrant 1 opponents this season, and MSU cemented a third-place tie in the Big Ten with Nebraska and Purdue.
UCLA coach Mick Cronin apologized for ejecting center Steven Jamerson II from the game after a blowout loss to No. 15 Michigan State, saying he must do a better job representing the school; he defended Jamerson and urged unity as UCLA prepares to host Illinois.
Purdue raced to a dominant 93-64 win over Indiana at Mackey Arena, building a 17-point halftime lead and never letting up as they controlled the game with efficient shooting, second-chance points, and IU foul trouble. Lamar Wilkerson led Indiana with 20 points, but the Hoosiers couldn’t keep pace, and Purdue secured the season-series split.
UCLA coach Mick Cronin apologized for his controversial actions during a heated game against Michigan State, including ejecting a player and delivering a combative postgame session. He later offered a sincere apology for some of his conduct, saying he doesn’t want negative publicity for UCLA and suggesting this may be a step toward a cooler-headed approach, despite a history of outspoken moments.
No. 1 Michigan used a blazing start and a productive bench to topple No. 7 Purdue 91-80 at Mackey Arena, widening its grip on the Big Ten title race. The Wolverines exploded for a 48-28 halftime lead behind sharp 3-point shooting (13 of 23 from deep) and 16 second-chance points on offensive rebounds, then maintained control as six players scored in double figures, including 17 from Elliot Cadeau. Purdue struggled with missed layups and could not slow Michigan’s depth or pace, with Braden Smith scoring 20 and Trey Kaufman-Renn 27 in a losing effort. The result cements Michigan as the favorite in the conference as it chases a league crown.
Ohio State beat No. 24 Wisconsin 86-69 to notch its first ranked win of the season, led by Devin Royal's 25 points and Bruce Thornton's 27 as the Buckeyes pulled away in the second half and avenged an earlier road loss.
No. 1 Michigan rolled to a 91-80 road win over No. 7 Purdue to improve to 25-1 and widen its Big Ten lead. A 15-0 early burst set the tone, Elliot Cadeau had 17 points and seven assists, and the Wolverines dominated the glass with a 39-31 rebounding edge including 14-4 in second-chance points. Nine players scored, six reached double figures, and Michigan assisted on 24 of 30 makes as Lendeborg contributed 13 points and seven assists, helping seal the win before a marquee date with Duke.
No. 9 Nebraska heads to Carver-Hawkeye Arena for a Big Ten showdown with Iowa, riding a bounce-back win over Northwestern powered by Pryce Sandfort’s 29 points. Nebraska will rely on rebounding and defense to counter Iowa’s revamped lineup in a likely tense, on-the-road battle as they try to stay near the top of the conference standings.
Indiana was held to a season-low 51 points in a 71-51 loss at Illinois, hampered by poor 3-point shooting (6-for-24) and a failure to corral misses as Illinois grabbed 41.7% of its offensive rebounds and converted 15 boards into 17 second-chance points. Lamar Wilkerson scored 21 for IU, while Nick Dorn struggled with 0-for-5 shooting and just 1 point, underscoring IU's need for Dorn to heat up as the season pushes toward the stretch run; Illinois, with a strong offense and rebounding edge, looks like a serious national-title contender.
Nebraska’s Pryce Sandfort, the Huskers’ 17.5 ppg scorer and former Iowa standout, returns to Iowa for a Big Ten showdown as Nebraska (22-3, 11-3) chases a likely NCAA Tournament run with six regular-season games left, including two against the Hawkeyes. Sandfort followed his older brother to Iowa before transferring to Nebraska, and he erupted for 29 points in the win over Northwestern. ESPN Bracketology currently lists Nebraska as a 3-seed and Iowa as an 8-seed, with an upcoming home game vs Penn State and continued pressure to maintain their rankings and seed.