(BIG TEN) – Entering this week’s action, every Big Ten team has played at least seven conference games so far. The only remaining unbeaten squads in league play were Purdue (7-0) and Nebraska (7-0). For the Boilermakers, it marked their best start to conference play since they won their first 12 B1G games during the 2017-18 season. Meanwhile, for the Huskers, it is their best league start since opening 10-0 as a member of the Big 8 in 1965-66.
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With the completion of the traditional nonconference schedule, the Big Ten owns a nonconference record of 157-39, the second-best win percentage (.801) of any conference, behind only the Big 12 (.806). Big Ten teams have defended home court to the tune of an 118-4 (.967) record in non-conference home games, the highest non-conference home winning percentage of any D-I conference. Big Ten teams have just two nonconference games remaining on the schedule, both in February.
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Coming into Tuesday’s contests, Nebraska (18-0) is one of only three remaining unbeaten teams in the nation, joining Miami (Ohio) (16-0) and Arizona (18-0). It marks the best start for the Cornhuskers in program history. They’ve also won their last 22 games in a row dating back to last season, which is a new school record, as well as the longest active mark of any team in the nation. The Huskers’ 22-game win streak is also the fourth longest by a Big Ten team since 1995-96.
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Entering Tuesday’s games, Big Ten teams have combined to win 31 Quad 1 games, with 11 teams scoring at least one Quad 1 win. Nebraska (5-0) and Michigan (5-0) are two of just three teams nationally to go at least 5-0 against Quad 1 opposition. Purdue and Michigan State join the Huskers and Wolverines with at least five Quad 1 wins each, a feat accomplished by just 10 teams thus far this season. The Big Ten is the only conference in the country that boasts four teams with five Quad 1 wins.
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Through games on Monday, Jan. 19, the Big Ten boasts 12 teams in the top 75 spots in the NET Rankings, including six in the top 20 and 11 in the top 50. Michigan leads the Big Ten contingent at No. 1, followed by No. 5 Purdue, No. 6 Nebraska, No. 7 Illinois, No. 12 Michigan State, and No. 20 Iowa. Ohio State, Indiana, Wisconsin, UCLA, and USC also claimed spots in the top 50. No other conference in the country has more teams in the top 10 (Big 12 – 3), top 25 (Big 12 – 6), or top 50 (SEC – 11).
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The Big Ten currently ranks third in today’s Kenpom conference rankings (+18.01), behind only the SEC (+19.14) and the Big 12 (18.08). Thirteen of the Big Ten’s 18 teams are ranked in the top 75 of the Kenpom rankings after Mondays’ games, including six in the top 25 and 11 in the top 50. Michigan leads the conference at No. 1, followed by No. 4 Purdue, No. 7 Illinois, No. 10 Michigan State, No. 13 Nebraska, and No. 18 Iowa. No other conference has more teams in the top 10 (Big 12 – 3), top 25 (Big 12, SEC – 6), or top 50 (SEC – 11).
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Seven different Big Ten teams were ranked or received votes in this week’s AP and USA Today Coaches Top 25 polls released on Monday, Jan. 19, including five ranked in the top 11. Michigan led the way at No. 3 on the AP list, followed by No. 4 Purdue, No. 7 Nebraska, No. 10 Michigan State, and No. 11 Illinois. The Wolverines moved to No. 2 in Coaches poll, while Purdue sits at No. 7, followed by No. 7 Nebraska, No. 10 Michigan State, and No. 11 Illinois. Iowa and Wisconsin also received votes in both polls.
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On Monday, the Big Ten announced its list of men’s basketball weekly award winners. Maryland’s Diggy Coit and Wisconsin’s John Blackwell were named Co-Players of the Week. Coit averaged 36.5 points while shooting 23-of-41 (.561) from the field and 13-of-26 (.500) from three-point range. After a 30-point effort in a loss at USC, Coit set an XFINITY Center scoring record with 43 points in a 96-73 win over Penn State. His 30 first half points marked the most in the first half by a Big Ten player in over five years, while his nine three-pointers tied a program mark. Blackwell recorded 27 points, including the game-winning, buzzer-beating three-pointer, six rebounds, and five assists in a 78-75 win at Minnesota then posted 19 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals in a 96-87 win over Rutgers.
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Nebraska’s Braden Frager claimed his third Freshman of the Week honor after averaging 21.5 points on 59% shooting, including 50% from three-point range, in helping the Huskers to a pair of wins. Frager scored a career-high 23 points off the bench in Nebraska’s 90-55 win over Oregon, setting career-bests in points, field goals made (eight) and three-pointers (seven). He then notched 20 points, on 8-of-14 shooting, and four rebounds in a 77-58 win at Northwestern.
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