Big Ten Basketball Midweek Rundown: Michigan State Back on Track

The Big Ten title race is heating up after Michigan State secured a statement victory to keep itself in the running.

Michigan State guard Jaden Akins reacts after a Purdue foul that knocked him to the floor Tuesday. | Dale Young-Imagn Images

Welcome back to the Big Ten Basketball Midweek Rundown.

The conference championship race is getting more interesting as the weeks go on. Upsets continue to shake up the standings as February nears its midway point. There is also a new team at the top of the standings.

The conference continues to tighten up with the teams at the top, trying to hold on to their conference championship hopes. We are now in the last full week in February, meaning that every game is especially important.

Here is what has happened in the Big Ten so far this week.

Big Ten Men's Basketball Tuesday Results:

No. 11 Wisconsin 95, Illinois 74

Wisconsin put on an impressive performance Tuesday night, rolling past Illinois 95-74 for their fifth straight win. The victory was especially meaningful as it snapped a nine-game losing streak against the Fighting Illini, showing how much the Badgers have turned things around in this matchup.

John Tonje led the charge with 31 points, continuing his hot streak after dropping 32 against Purdue. Illinois struggled to keep up, with Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn leading the team with 17 points, but they couldn’t slow down Wisconsin’s efficient offense. The Badgers looked sharp and confident, while Illinois seemed outmatched in a game that quickly got away from them.

Wisconsin's Kamari McGee (left) and John Blackwell go for the ball Tuesday against Illinois' Will Riley. | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-Imagn Images

No. 14 Michigan State 75, No. 13 Purdue 66

Michigan State came through with a strong second-half performance to take down Purdue 75-66 in a battle between two ranked Big Ten teams. The Spartans overcame an early seven-point deficit and grabbed a 33-31 lead by halftime, maintaining control the rest of the way.

Purdue got a big effort from Trey Kaufmann-Renn, who scored 24, and Braden Smith, who added 17, but the Boilermakers couldn't stop Michigan State's late-game execution. With three straight losses, Purdue looks like a team searching for answers, while Michigan State is gaining momentum at the perfect time, setting up a huge showdown with Michigan.

Minnesota 64, UCLA 61

Minnesota pulled off another thrilling comeback, rallying in the second half to edge UCLA 64-61. Dawson Garcia was unstoppable after halftime, scoring 27 of his season-high 32 points to lead the charge. Lu’Cye Patterson’s clutch layup with eight seconds left put the Gophers ahead for good, and Garcia iced the game with two free throws in the final second.

UCLA had a chance late, but Sebastian Mack was called for a charge with 1.3 seconds remaining, sealing the Bruins’ fate. The Gophers showed resilience, while UCLA let a winnable game slip away.

Big Ten Men's Basketball Wednesday Results:

Penn State 89, Nebraska 72

Penn State snapped its seven-game losing streak in dominant fashion, rolling past Nebraska 89-72. Yanic Konan Niederhauser and Zach Hicks each dropped 19 points, while D’Marco Dunn added 17 in a much-needed win for the Nittany Lions. Penn State came out on fire, starting with a 14-2 run and never looking back, building a commanding 50-27 halftime lead behind Niederhauser’s efficient 15-point first half.

Nebraska struggled early, committing 11 turnovers and making just nine shots before the break, digging a hole too deep to escape. Connor Essegian led the Cornhuskers with 20 points, while Andrew Morgan and Brice Williams contributed 18 and 17, respectively. Penn State played with urgency and efficiency, while Nebraska looked out of sync, especially in the first half.

This is a difficult loss to swallow for Nebraska, and one that could hurt their NCAA tournament chances.

Penn State Nittany Lions guard Nick Kern Jr. gestures towards the other end of the court following a free throw Wednesday against Nebraska. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Oregon 80, Iowa 78

Oregon survived a thriller against Iowa, escaping with an 80-78 victory thanks to a clutch defensive play by Nate Bittle. Bittle, who finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks, sealed the win by partially deflecting Josh Dix’s last-second three-point attempt. The Ducks nearly let it slip away, turning the ball over on an inbounds pass with 13 seconds left, but their defense held strong in the final moments.

Keeshawn Barthelemy, TJ Bamba, and Brandon Angel each added 10 points as Oregon snapped a four-game conference road skid. Iowa, led by Payton Sandfort’s 25 points and Dix’s 19, fought back from an early deficit and briefly took the lead late, but the Hawkeyes couldn’t close it out. Oregon showed resilience in a tough environment, while Iowa’s late-game struggles continued in a season that has now seen them drop eight of their last ten.

Rutgers 89, Washington 85

Rutgers pulled out a hard-fought 89-85 overtime win against Washington, with freshman Dylan Harper stealing the show with 34 points—his third 30-point game of the season. The Scarlet Knights made up for their struggles from the field in overtime by dominating at the free-throw line, outscoring Washington 26-9 from the stripe.

Ace Bailey, battling foul trouble, added 18 points and eight rebounds, while Jeremiah Williams chipped in 13 points and a key steal late in regulation. Washington had strong performances from Mekhi Mason and Zoom Diallo, who each scored 20, but the Huskies couldn’t capitalize on Rutgers’ missed shots in overtime. This first-ever meeting between the programs was a scrappy, back-and-forth battle, but Rutgers showed more poise down the stretch to secure the win.

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