Big Ten Basketball Weekend Rundown: Michigan State Back on Top, Upsets Galore

Welcome back to the Big Ten Basketball Weekend Rundown.

Let's review the results from Thursday to Sunday and examine where each team stands as the NCAA Tournament keeps inching closer and the conference title race get tighter. Which teams are competing for a championship? Which ones will be left out?

*Rankings are from when the games were played

Big Ten Men's Basketball Thursday Results:

No. 20 Maryland 88, USC 71

Maryland dominated from start to finish in an impressive 88-71 victory over USC, never trailing at any point. The Terrapins came out strong, scoring the first 11 points and maintaining control throughout the game. Rodney Rice led the way with 22 points for Maryland.

USC struggled to keep up, despite a 21-point effort from Wesley Yates III and some late three-pointers off the bench from Clark Slajchert. The Trojans managed to cut the deficit to six in the second half, but Maryland’s balanced scoring and relentless pace proved too much to overcome. The Terps have now won eight of their last nine, looking like a team hitting its stride at the right time.

Northwestern 70, Ohio, Ohio State 49

Northwestern put together a dominant second half to secure a convincing 70-49 win over Ohio State, snapping a three-game losing streak. Nick Martinelli led the Wildcats with 18 points. After leading by seven at halftime, Northwestern came out firing in the second half, opening with a 12-0 run and never looking back.

Ohio State, which managed just 49 points—its lowest total of the season—struggled offensively, with only Micah Parrish (16 points) and Bruce Thornton (13 points) reaching double figures. The Buckeyes never found their rhythm, turning the ball over 16 times and getting outscored 25-8 in bench points. Northwestern’s defense and depth proved too much, as the Wildcats built a lead as large as 28 and cruised to an emphatic victory.

Big Ten Men's Basketball Friday Results:

No. 14 Michigan State 75, No. 12 Michigan 62

Michigan State took control of the Big Ten race with a statement 75-62 win over rival Michigan, snapping the Wolverines’ seven-game winning streak. Jase Richardson led the way with 21 points, while Tre Holloman added 18 as the Spartans pulled away in the second half. Michigan, which led 38-34 at halftime, struggled to keep pace after the break, despite 21 points from Vladislav Goldin.

The Spartans took the lead for good on a Carson Cooper dunk early in the second half and never looked back, connecting on nine three-pointers to stretch the margin. With their third straight victory, Michigan State now controls its own destiny in the Big Ten title race, while Michigan will look to bounce back after falling out of first place.

Big Ten Men's Basketball Saturday Results:

Oregon 77, No. 11 Wisconsin 73

Oregon pulled off a thrilling 77-73 overtime victory over No. 11 Wisconsin, snapping the Badgers’ five-game winning streak in dramatic fashion. Nate Bittle led the Ducks with 23 points, including six in overtime, while Jackson Shelstad delivered the highlight of the night—burying a deep, desperation three to tie the game with 12 seconds left in regulation.

Wisconsin had a chance to win but failed to convert, sending the game to overtime. John Tonje paced the Badgers with 22 points, but a costly turnover in the final seconds of regulation set up Oregon’s game-saving shot. The Ducks’ depth proved crucial as they secured their fourth straight win.

Feb 19, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Oregon Ducks center Nate Bittle (32) walks off the court after the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

No. 3 Duke 110, Illinois 67

Duke delivered a historic beatdown at Madison Square Garden, crushing Illinois 110-67 in what became the most lopsided loss in Illini history. Cooper Flagg, in his MSG debut, put up 16 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, but the Blue Devils didn’t even need his best effort as seven players hit double figures.

Duke raced to a 23-point first-half lead and never looked back, scoring its most points in a game since 2018. Illinois had no answers defensively, as Tre White’s 16 points and Kasparas Jakucionis’ 14 weren’t nearly enough to keep it competitive in the nonconference showdown.

Feb 22, 2025; New York, NY, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cooper Flagg (2) gestures after making a three-point shot in the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Penn State 69, Minnesota 60

Penn State used a dominant defensive stretch to take control and hold off Minnesota 69-60, fueled by a stellar 24-point performance from Yanic Konan Niederhauser. The Golden Gophers started strong, building a 24-15 lead, but their offense collapsed late in the first half as Penn State surged ahead 28-26 at the break.

Minnesota briefly regained the lead early in the second half, but another long scoring drought—this time lasting over six minutes—allowed the Nittany Lions to go on a 13-0 run and seize control. The Gophers fought back to cut the deficit to three with under two minutes left, but Penn State sealed the win with clutch free throws and a dunk-and-one from Konan Niederhauser.

Iowa 85, Washington 79

Iowa rallied from an early deficit to secure an 85-79 comeback win over Washington, led by Payton Sandfort’s 27-point performance and clutch free-throw shooting. The game swung back and forth in the second half, with the Huskies jumping out to an early eight-point lead before Iowa answered with a 7-0 run. Sandfort’s three-pointer tied the game at 56, and moments later, he put the Hawkeyes ahead for the first time with three free throws.

Washington stayed within reach, with Mekhi Mason and DJ Davis hitting big shots late, but Iowa’s efficiency at the line—going 23-of-26 on free throws—helped seal the win. Josh Dix added 15 points and Brock Harding had 11 as Iowa overcame a sluggish start to notch a much-needed victory.

Big Ten Men's Basketball Sunday Results:

Indiana 73, No. 13 Purdue 58

Indiana stormed back in the second half to stun No. 13 Purdue, 73-58, overcoming a 12-point halftime deficit with a dominant defensive effort. Malik Reneau and Trey Galloway led the charge with 15 points each. After Purdue closed the first half on a 21-4 run to take a commanding lead, Indiana responded with a 14-2 surge after the break to quickly erase the deficit.

The Hoosiers then rattled off 14 straight points to take control for good, holding the Boilermakers to just 21 second-half points. Fletcher Loyer led Purdue with 20, but the team’s struggles continued as it dropped its fourth straight game. Indiana, meanwhile, earned a much-needed win and split the season series with its biggest rival.

Indiana's Myles Rice (1) celebrates during the Indiana versus Purdue mens basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

UCLA 69, Ohio State 61

UCLA secured a 69-61 victory over Ohio State, marking head coach Mick Cronin’s 500th career win in a game where the Bruins controlled the tempo for most of the second half. Eric Dailey Jr. led UCLA with 20 points, scoring the team's first nine after halftime to push the lead to nine. Ohio State battled back within two, but key three-pointers from Skyy Clark helped the Bruins regain control.

UCLA stretched its lead to 13 before a late Buckeyes push cut the deficit to six, but Clark iced the game with two free throws. Clark finished with 13 points as UCLA continued its strong stretch, winning nine of its last 11. Bruce Thornton scored 21 for Ohio State, which has now dropped four of its last five games.

Rutgers 95, USC 85

Dylan Harper delivered a standout performance with 25 points and nine assists to lead Rutgers to a 95-85 win over Southern California, snapping a three-game skid for the Scarlet Knights. Harper was efficient, hitting 9 of 13 shots, including four 3-pointers, and went perfect from the free-throw line. His scoring outburst helped Rutgers build a strong lead in the second half, with the team’s largest advantage reaching 17 points.

Despite a heroic 30-point effort from Desmond Claude, USC’s struggles continued as they dropped their third straight game. The Trojans made a late push with a 13-4 run, but Rutgers held firm, with Davis’ clutch free throws sealing the win.

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