Beginning Jan. 27, when then-No. 5 Nebraska traveled to the Crisler Center for a date with then-No. 3 Michigan, the Big Ten ushered in a wave of high-leverage games that pitted the league’s best teams against each other at the midway point of the conference schedule.
First, the Wolverines upended the previously unbeaten Cornhuskers, whose roster that night was diminished through injury. Then, Michigan scored its second victory over a top-10 opponent in the span of four days with an emphatic, emotional rivalry win against then-No. 7 Michigan State at the Breslin Center. And finally, on Sunday afternoon, white-hot Illinois, previously ranked ninth, conquered a raucous atmosphere at Pinnacle Bank Arena to hand Nebraska a second consecutive loss and extend its own winning run to 11, the seventh-longest streak in the country.
What amounted to an in-season round-robin began to establish a more legitimate pecking order in the Big Ten after teams entered the weekend at 9-1 in league play. Michigan and Illinois, who have combined for just one loss since Nov. 28, are playing like favorites entering the back half of their respective conference schedules. That leaves Nebraska and Michigan State jockeying for position behind them, with both teams seeking to address the issues that cost them in marquee moments last week. And then there’s Purdue, winners of the regular-season title in 2023 and 2024, lurking in the background following an uncharacteristic three-game skid.
Our newest Men’s College Hoops Spotlight sizes up the Big Ten race with five weeks remaining in the regular season:
Big Ten title race: The frontrunners
Michigan
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN: Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on January 27, 2026. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
- Record: 20-1 overall, 10-1 Big Ten
- Ratings: No. 2 on KenPom, No. 1 on Torvik, No. 1 on EvanMiya.com
- Best conference wins: USC, Washington, Nebraska, Michigan State
- Worst conference losses: Wisconsin
- Remaining SOS: 24th nationally, 6th Big Ten
Though Michigan’s win over Nebraska got here towards an injury-depleted squad — the Cornhuskers have been with out two of their three main scorers in Rienk Mast (flu) and Braden Frager (knee) — a subsequent victory over rival Michigan State was significantly convincing, particularly contemplating the Wolverines hadn’t received in East Lansing since 2018. They led for greater than 35 minutes towards the Spartans and withstood a ferocious second-half comeback earlier than pulling away within the closing levels.
Head coach Dusty Might’s group will now enter its sport towards Penn State on Thursday night time as essentially the most balanced group within the convention, according to KenPom, rating ninth nationally in offensive effectivity and first in defensive effectivity. The latter is a spot Michigan reclaimed from the Spartans following final week’s head-to-head matchup through which it restricted Michigan State to 37% capturing total and 17% from 3-point vary. However the Wolverines have arguably essentially the most troublesome ending stretch of anybody within the Huge Ten with remaining video games towards No. 12 Purdue, No. 4 Duke (non-conference), No. 5 Illinois, Iowa and the rematch with No. 10 Michigan State, amongst others. So whereas it’s unlikely that Michigan can navigate that stretch unscathed — particularly with video games towards Duke, Purdue and Illinois all on the highway — Might’s group has already racked up sufficient wins to stay within the thick of this 12 months’s convention championship race.
Coach quote: “I feel we proved that we will nonetheless win in several methods,” Might mentioned in a information convention following his group’s win over Michigan State on Friday. “We haven’t been in two video games like we have been on this week the place there’s so little motion. You’re challenged for each inch of the courtroom. You’re challenged for each step. And so final 12 months’s group, we didn’t reply very properly as soon as the Huge Ten obtained into this a part of the season. And we addressed that via recruiting. Our guys have been ready to do this tonight. They have been capable of get simply sufficient house and separation and create the angles, and guys stepped up and made performs.”
Illinois
WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA: Illinois’ Keaton Wagler makes a transfer on Pudue’s C.J. Cox at Mackey Enviornment on January 24, 2026. (Picture by Justin Casterline/Getty Photographs)
- Record: 19-3 overall, 10-1 Big Ten
- Ratings: No. 5 on KenPom, No. 8 on Torvik, No. 8 on EvanMiya.com
- Best conference wins: Iowa, Purdue, Washington, Nebraska
- Worst conference losses: Nebraska
- Remaining SOS: 30th nationally, 9th Big Ten
Though Illinois has suffered 3 times as many defeats as Michigan this season, the standard of opponents its misplaced to can’t be questioned: a neutral-site sport towards then-No. 11 Alabama on Nov. 19, a neutral-site sport towards then-No. 5 UConn on Nov. 28 and a house sport towards then-No. 23 Nebraska on Dec. 13. Two of these groups — UConn and Nebraska — are ranked among the many top-10 nationally in the latest AP Poll, although Alabama has since slipped to No. 27 total.
Nonetheless, few groups within the nation — if any — are as sizzling because the Illini amid their ninth season beneath head coach Brad Underwood. A scorching offense that’s averaging 131.2 factors per 100 possessions presently leads the nation in effectivity by practically two full factors over second-place Purdue and practically 4 full factors over third-place Alabama. Underwood’s group is on tempo to document essentially the most environment friendly offense this sport has seen across 30 years of data tracked by KenPom, with final 12 months’s Duke squad (130.1 factors per 100 possessions) being the one different program to prime 130 throughout that span.
For the Illini to be doing this with out place to begin guard Kylan Boswell (14.3 factors per sport), who suffered a damaged hand in observe on Jan. 19 and can miss not less than a number of extra weeks, provides to the impressiveness of the feat. With out him, true freshman guard Keaton Wagler, a former three-star recruit, has morphed into one of the dynamic gamers within the nation and is averaging 21.2 factors per sport over his final 13 outings.
Coach quote: “I feel we’ve obtained some toughness,” Underwood mentioned in a information convention following his group’s win over Nebraska on Sunday. “I feel we’ve obtained some connectivity. Each sport [has] its personal identification, and we’ve obtained to resolve totally different issues [each night]. I feel this group has super problem-solving capability. I feel our basketball IQ is fairly excessive. I feel our toughness is rising. I feel we’ve obtained a little bit of that [toughness already], however I feel we’ve nonetheless obtained some room to enhance.”
[NCAA TOURNAMENT: Kansas Looking Strong, Nebraska Drops in New Bracket]
Huge Ten title race: Subsequent in line
Michigan State
EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN: Michigan State’s Cameron Ward and Jordan Scott struggle for rebounding place towards Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. at Breslin Heart on January 30, 2026. (Picture by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Photographs)
- Record: 19-3 overall, 9-2 Big Ten
- Ratings: No. 10 on KenPom, No. 13 on Torvik, No. 10 on EvanMiya.com
- Best conference wins: Iowa, USC, Indiana, Washington
- Worst conference losses: Nebraska, Michigan
- Remaining SOS: 22nd nationally, 5th Big Ten
The Spartans noticed their seven-game profitable streak snapped in a disappointing dwelling loss to then-No. 3 Michigan, falling behind by 16 within the first half after which working out of steam down the stretch after clawing again to take a 57-55 lead with 7:27 remaining. Head coach Tom Izzo spent loads of time within the post-game information convention lamenting his group’s efficiency — significantly in a turnover-ridden first half — whereas additionally alluding to the concept sure flaws he and the workers had acknowledged earlier within the month have been lastly uncovered by a high quality opponent. It is attainable Michigan State’s lofty convention document is considerably overinflated on condition that the Spartans have now misplaced their solely two Huge Ten video games towards ranked opponents up to now this season.
So what are a number of the pitfalls? For starters, Michigan State is essentially the most imbalanced of the 5 major contenders for the Huge Ten title. Michigan, Illinois, Purdue and Nebraska all rank among the many prime 27 nationally in each offensive and defensive effectivity, according to KenPom, which is one thing the Spartans can’t match. Izzo’s group sits forty eighth in offense and second in protection getting into Wednesday’s sport towards Minnesota. There are additionally ongoing points surrounding subpar backcourt play from everybody not named Jeremy Fears Jr., who’s a legitimate Player of the Year candidate within the convention, and a team-wide 3-point capturing proportion of 35% that ranks 117th nationally. Transferring ahead, Izzo steered the Spartans will introduce freshman wing Jordan Scott to the beginning lineup in an effort to leap begin the offense.
Coach quote: “We obtained guys which can be making an attempt to do stuff they’ll’t do,” Izzo mentioned in a information convention following his group’s loss to Michigan on Friday. “That’s why within the final [few] video games, our bigs have had 10 turnovers and 9 turnovers. It’s onerous to do this. It’s onerous to do this. Meaning they’re making an attempt to do greater than they’ll do. We’re gonna have to speak about that. There’s issues I’ve wished to do for a pair weeks as a result of I noticed some issues coming, and we’ll do this now. And but I’m not gonna panic over getting beat in a sport that we had that one stretch the place it was only a dangerous stretch, there, within the first half. After which the second half, we battle all the way in which again [but] to not fairly get it executed on the finish.”
Nebraska
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN: Nebraska’s Pryce Sandfort makes an attempt a shot over Michigan’s Aday Mara at Crisler Enviornment on January 27, 2026. (Picture by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Photographs)
- Record: 20-2 overall, 9-2 Big Ten
- Ratings: No. 13 on KenPom, No. 12 on Torvik, No. 13 on EvanMiya.com
- Best conference wins: Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan State, Washington
- Worst conference losses: Michigan, Illinois
- Remaining SOS: 66th nationally, 16th Big Ten
A dream-like run of 20 consecutive wins to start the season lastly got here to an finish for Nebraska final week throughout a troublesome stretch through which the Cornhuskers fell to Michigan and Illinois within the span of six days, tumbling from No. 5 to No. 9 within the nationwide rankings. In some respects, the concept head coach Fred Hoiberg’s group remained undefeated via late January was one thing of a miracle, contemplating Nebraska had been picked to complete 14th within the Huge Ten preseason media ballot. The Cornhuskers have by no means received greater than 23 video games in a season beneath Hoiberg, who’s partway via his seventh 12 months, and have solely completed above .500 in Huge Ten play 3 times since rejoining the convention forward of the 2011-12 marketing campaign.
However as a result of Nebraska performed so properly for therefore lengthy to start this season, the character of these back-to-back defeats rang significantly hole. Regardless of accidents to 2 of their three main scorers, the Cornhuskers led, 50-48, at halftime on the highway towards Michigan earlier than scoring simply 22 factors within the second half. Then they led, 39-33, towards Illinois at dwelling on Sunday afternoon — this time at full energy — solely to go chilly as soon as extra within the second half, leaving Hoiberg & Co. feeling like they let one other sport slip away.
No one appeared to embody that Jekyll-and-Hyde demeanor greater than sharpshooting ahead Pryce Sandfort, the group’s main scorer at 17.2 factors per sport. Sandfort scored 26 mixed factors on 8-for-16 capturing from past the arc in first halves towards Michigan and Illinois. However within the second halves of these video games, he scored simply 8 factors on 1-for-9 capturing from 3-point vary. Hoiberg informed reporters he believed officiating was a major a part of that equation.
Coach quote: “They’ve obtained to let Pryce run, you recognize?” Hoiberg mentioned in a information convention after his group’s loss to Illinois on Sunday. “He’s getting held, he’s getting grabbed. Our offense, freedom of motion, that’s gotta be enforced, you recognize? We run, I feel, a reasonably aesthetically pleasing offense, you recognize? However whenever you’re being held, you may’t run it. So we’re gonna proceed to attempt to do it — reduce, pressure, do every little thing we will to get these guys open and free them up — but it surely’s robust at occasions whenever you’re on the market.”
[MEN’S HOOPS RANKINGS: Florida, Illinois Climbing; Purdue Falls]
Huge Ten title race: The darkish horse
Purdue
COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND: Purdue’s Braden Smith handles the ball towards Maryland’s Myles Rice on February 01, 2026. (Picture by Greg Fiume/Getty Photographs)
- Record: 18-4 overall, 8-3 Big Ten
- Ratings: No. 9 on KenPom, No. 9 on Torvik, No. 9 on EvanMiya.com
- Best conference wins: Wisconsin, Iowa, Washington, USC
- Worst conference losses: UCLA, Illinois, Indiana
- Remaining SOS: 10th nationally, 1st Big Ten
Coming into a highway sport at UCLA on Jan. 20, the Boilermakers have been comfortably positioned among the many finest groups within the nation. They’d received 9 consecutive video games to enhance to 17-1 total and 7-0 within the Huge Ten with a powerful résumé that included noteworthy non-conference victories over then-No. 8 Alabama, then-No. 15 Texas Tech and then-No. 21 Auburn. At that time, the one group to beat Purdue was then-No. 10 Iowa State, a group now ranked seventh within the newest AP Ballot. Head coach Matt Painter’s group was firmly within the combine for each one other Huge Ten common season title and a No. 1 seed within the NCAA match.
However then got here three consecutive losses in a calendar week by 13 mixed factors — first to UCLA, then to Illinois, lastly to Indiana — and all of a sudden, considerably inexplicably, it appeared just like the West Lafayette sky was falling. It marked simply the second time within the final six seasons that Purdue suffered a dropping streak of three video games or longer, and this one sunk the Boilermakers right into a tie for fifth within the Huge Ten standings. A dominant, 30-point win over lowly Maryland on Sunday vaulted Painter’s group, which nonetheless ranks second nationally in offensive effectivity, again in the appropriate path, however there are a lot extra challenges to return. The Boilermakers’ ending kick consists of video games towards No. 9 Nebraska, Iowa, No. 2 Michigan, No. 10 Michigan State and Wisconsin. It may be troublesome for Purdue to win a 3rd Huge Ten common season title in 4 years given the place Painter’s group presently sits, however the roster actually has sufficient expertise to make a push down the stretch.
Coach quote: “You get your self ready the place you’re 7-0 within the league, and also you’re 17-1, then you definitely lose three straight, and you discover out quite a bit about your guys,” Painter informed reporters following his group’s win over Maryland on Sunday. “And that’s the kind of adversity you’re going to see at occasions. You’ve obtained to have the ability to climate via it and play higher. But in addition, I feel, our focus hasn’t been at a excessive tilt. That’s come out and in. For those who can maintain your focus and have self-discipline and embrace the physicality of the sport and go on the market and compete, you recognize, we’ve been a reasonably good group, proper? In order that’s what now we have to maintain doing and hold constructing off that. You by no means have that found out, however you’re at all times engaged on these areas.”
