Over the weekend, the top teams in the Big Ten fell to determined opponents in humbling fashion. UCLA got a win that could propel the Bruins to March Madness, while Illinois has to rebound from a horrible blown lead. Michigan will try to take its frustration out on Minnesota. USC blew a lead in the final minute to lose yet another winnable game.
Here are the scores and the rest of my analysis from the games in Big Ten basketball, played on Saturday:
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Minnesota 80-61 vs Rutgers
Now make that 2 straight 20-point blowout victories for the Gophers. Minnesota is now playing the basketball it should have been playing all season long. Cade Tyson dropped 27 points in this game and was a stellar 7-9 from 3. This was a game that just sums up what Tyson has been this season. Tyson is averaging 19.5 points per game and shooting 40.9% from 3. Langston Reynolds also had his offensive game clicking on all cylinders as he shot 7-10 from the field and was complemented by Tyson’s great outing with 19 points of his own. The Gophers’ offense has been on a heater this past few games, and they will need to keep it up as they head into a tough matchup against Michigan right after a loss to Duke. It will be interesting to see whether or not the Wolverines will cool down the Gophers or will Minnesota pull off another upset.
No. 9 Nebraska 87-64 vs Penn State
A spectacular outing from Pryce Sandfort led the Cornhuskers to a commanding win over Penn State. Sandfort had a career high 33 points, 20 of which came in the first half, went 11-17 from the field, and 8-14 from 3. It was a good day for Nebraska as a whole from 3 as they were efficient beyond the arc, shooting 40%. Penn State was abysmal on the other end, shooting 20% from 3. The Cornhuskers had all their top guys stepping up and making an impact in this game. Sandfort was an elite scorer, Braden Fager had 15 points, and Sam Hoiberg had a double-double featuring 11 points and 10 assists. The Cornhuskers responded just as they should have to rebound from their loss to Iowa. Now, Nebraska will need to take care of business in the last 4 games to give itself the best seeding possible.
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Maryland 64-60 vs Washington
Andre Mills follows up his 39-point performance with a 20-point outing, leading Maryland to victory. The Terrapins dominated the Huskies on the glass, 34-19, and shot 43.5% from 3 in this game to propel them over the Huskies. This was a back-and-forth kind of game due to the fact that both teams needed a victory badly. Both teams were desperate, and that led to a great amount of physicality and intensity in this game. Freshman guard Guillermo Del Pino stepped up big in this game, especially late, and gave the Terrapins exactly what they have been needing off the bench. Along with a solid outing from Isiah Watts down the stretch. Terrapins had what it took late to overcome the lead changes and the adversity, and Washington did not. What a win for the Terrapins to overcome a 2-game losing streak.
Oregon 71-70 vs USC
The Ducks get a big boost from Kwame Evans vs their former PAC-12 rival. Kwame Evans Jr. posted 21 points, shot 2-3 from 3, and had 8 rebounds. In a must-win game, the Trojans ‘ misfortune this season continued. The Ducks went on a 7-0 run in the last minute of the game to win. This win would have put the Trojans in a great position to make the tournament; with a 3rd straight loss, their hopes are getting more and more likely to vanish. Chad Baker-Mazara had 21 points off the bench in his return, and shot 3-6 from 3. It was another poor shooting night for the freshman phenomenon Alijah Arenas as he shot 1-6 from 3 and only posted 13 points. The Trojans had control of this game like many others, but it ultimately slipped right out of their hands late, and it was as devastating a loss as USC could have suffered to wrap this season up.
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No. 3 Duke 68-63 vs No. 1 Michigan
Down goes the number 1 team in the country. The Duke Blue Devils sit the Wolverines down on Saturday. Duke now has a direct path to the #1 seed. Cameron Boozer looked like a top pick in this game and the best player on the court. As he had 18 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 blocks. Boozer made a big-time 3 to extend the lead late and give Duke breathing room. The Blue Devils had 4 starting players in their lineup reach double figures. Yaxel Lendeborg was also great in this one with his 21-point performance, 16 of which came in the first half. Michigan was the winner of 11 straight and in the driver’s seat for the 1 seed, and after this humbling loss, they will have to regroup and try to restore their credibility as one of the best teams in the country.
UCLA 95-94 vs No. 10 Illinois
If you thought UCLA did not have any more fight left in them, they proved you dead wrong with a thrilling win over #10 Illinois. The Bruins had a nearly impossible streak of 3 games, facing off against the top two Michigan teams and then Illinois. UCLA got blown off the court vs both Michigan teams, getting outscored by a combined 53 points. The Bruins responded by hitting a game-winning buzzer-beater shot to hand Illinois their 6th loss of the season. The Bruins have had their fair share of moments that could have derailed the season; this exact win could be what saves the season and gets them in the tournament. It took 6 Bruins in double figures to pull this one out, but this is a victory that will bring this team together and prepare them for what is coming in March.
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Sunday – No. 15 Michigan State 66-60 vs Ohio State
The Buckeyes remain very much on the bubble, probably below UCLA and definitely ahead of USC.
Sunday – No. 24 Wisconsin 84-71 vs Iowa
The Badgers remain hot in the Big Ten while Iowa lost a chance to improve its NCAA Tournament seeding.
Overview
Michigan and Illinois will look to resurrect themselves after setting back losses on Saturday. On the other hand, UCLA and Nebraska found themselves in big wins to help get themselves ready for the tournament. The last games of the season in the Big Ten will make you or break you, and so far, it is looking like that last stretch of games is breaking the USC Trojans. The Big Ten is just getting started, and the last few games will for sure deliver an entertaining end to the season before the conference tournament.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Biggest winners & losers for February 22 in Big Ten men’s basketball
