The USC Trojans finally got a big win in Big Ten basketball, and they ended the Wisconsin Badgers’ hot run in the conference. The Nebraska Cornhuskers, still perfect on the season, are continuing their reign of terror in the Big Ten without an end in sight. Illinois continues to look like a dark horse to win it all, and maybe the best team to take down the Cornhuskers.
Here is an overview and scoreboard for the Big Ten men’s basketball weekend:
Advertisement
Here are the scores from Friday:
Indiana 82-59 vs Rutgers
Indiana steamrolled the Scarlet Knights with 3 20 point performances from their top guys. The Hoosiers were led by 27 points from Lamar Wilkerson. This was the exact win the Hoosiers needed to end a 4-game losing streak against the best of the best in the Big Ten.
No. 3 Michigan 74-62 vs Ohio State
Yaxel Lendeborg stuck it right back to the Buckeyes and one of their players, Colin White, who talked a big game going into this rivalry showdown. Lendeborg led the Wolverines to victory with 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 steals. This game went to show that the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry is felt in every sport, not just football.
Advertisement
Here are the scores from Saturday:
No. 10 Michigan State 91-48 vs Maryland
The Spartans won this game as soon as it started and they seemed to be playing a different game than the Terrapins. The Spartans’ defense stifled Maryland, and their star, Jeremy Fears, was special in this game. Fears had 17 points and 17 assists to lead the Spartans to a dominant victory.
No. 7 Nebraska 76-57 vs Minnesota
Even with some of the injuries they faced, the Cornhuskers seem to be unbeatable, and their 20-0 record backs that up. This team is dangerous, and with each win, they are getting more and more battle tested.
Advertisement
No. 11 Illinois 88-82 vs No. 4 Purdue
One of the best freshmen in the country picked one of the biggest games of the season to have his best game. Keaton Wagler dropped an efficient 46 points, only missing 4 shots. He could not be stopped, and he led the Illini to a victory, all while Braden Smith had 27 points and 12 assists. This was a huge statement win for the Illini, putting the Big Ten and the entire country on notice.
UCLA 71-64 vs Northwestern
The Bruins and the Cornhuskers are the only two unbeaten teams at home in the Big Ten. The Bruins keep chipping off wins and look to not be slowing down after their upset of Purdue.
Advertisement
In the last two games to close out the weekend, here is how things played out on Sunday:
Washington 72-57 vs Oregon
In the battle between two former Pac-12 teams, the Washington Huskies annihilate the Oregon Ducks. With getting production from just about everyone in the rotation, the Huskies out-glassed the Ducks 42-23. The Huskies were the clearly better team, and Hannes Steinbach and Franck Kepnang led the way, both getting double-doubles.
USC 73-71 at Wisconsin
The Trojans cooled off the hot Wisconsin Badgers in a close two-point victory. After five straight wins and a win versus Michigan, the Badgers stumbled. The Trojans humbled Wisconsin. USC star transfer Chad Baker-Mazara showed up big time, posting 29 points and shooting 5-11 from beyond the arc. The Trojans were down 58-46 with 12 minutes left to play, but the Trojans went on to have a 16-2 run late in the game, led by their star Baker-Mazara, who scored the final 7 points. This was the exact win the Trojans needed; hopefully, it can spark something.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Biggest winners and losers from January 23-25 in Big Ten basketball
