The Big Ten delivered even more chaos and statement wins this week, with heavyweight moments on both the men’s and women’s sides as teams started to feel the pressure of March. On the men’s side, Michigan made a statement in Mackey Arena while Washington’s Hannes Steinbach continued to rise on NBA draft boards. On the women’s side, Maryland’s historic comeback win over Ohio State could have serious implications for the Big Ten tournament picture.
Here’s what you need to know:
Men’s basketball
Game of the week: No.
1 Michigan defeats No. 7 Purdue, 91-80
Michigan headed to Mackey Arena Tuesday night for a top-10 showdown with major implications for the Big Ten title. After going back and forth in the opening minutes, the Wolverines blew the game open with a 16-0 run that Purdue was never able to recover from.
With a balanced attack that featured six players reaching double figures and elite 3-point shooting, Michigan added to its already impressive resume, proving it can win in one of the toughest environments in college basketball.
Player of the week: Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan)
One of the most sought-after transfers of the offseason has helped lead the Wolverines to their first AP No. 1 ranking since 2013 under John Beilein.
This week was all business for Michigan, which went 2-0 with a 16-point comeback over Northwestern in Evanston — where Lendeborg had 15 points and 12 rebounds on 6-for-12 shooting — and then a 17-point, eight-rebound performance at home against UCLA.
Team of the week: Michigan Wolverines
In addition to their win over No. 7 Purdue, the Wolverines continued to show why they’ve climbed to the No. 1 seed. Last Wednesday, Michigan had a big scare in Evanston, falling behind by 16 points before coming back to win, then dominating UCLA in a home victory.
Freshman of the week: Hannes Steinbach (Washington)
The German freshman continues to be one of the least-talked-about players in the country producing some of the biggest impact. In back-to-back games for the Huskies, Steinbach had 19 points and 14 rebounds in a narrow 63-60 loss to Penn State, then followed it up with a monster 26-point, nine-rebound performance on 12-for-17 shooting in a 69-57 win over Minnesota.
Clutch performance of the week: Bruce Thornton (Ohio State)
Thornton finished with 21 points last Wednesday against USC. In the victory, the senior also went a perfect 11-for-11 from the free-throw line and scored the Buckeyes’ final nine points in the last 1:34, turning a one-point game into a comfortable finish.
Women’s basketball
Game of the week: No. 14 Maryland defeats No. 10 Ohio State, 76-75
Down 19 and in enemy territory, the Terrapins fought from behind to secure a massive win over Ohio State. In the final 13 minutes, Maryland went on a 35-11 run.
The win tied the record for the program’s biggest comeback and marked its first top-10 road win since 2022.
Player of the week: Kiyomi McMiller (Penn State)
Despite splitting its two games this week, guard Kiyomi McMiller put together two excellent outings. She started with 30 points at Maryland, hitting nine 3-pointers, and carried that performance into Sunday, posting 32 points and 12 rebounds in Penn State’s win over Northwestern.
Team of the week: Maryland Terrapins
I’m going back to the Terps for this one. They had the terrific win over Ohio State mentioned above and beat Penn State by 20. Maryland continues to build a strong resume for March, jumping up six spots in the latest AP poll.
Freshman of the week: Maya Makalusky (Indiana)
Despite two losses this week for the Hoosiers, Makalusky put together a really solid stretch. The highlight performance for the forward came in Los Angeles against USC, where she had a career-high 29 points on 9-for-18 shooting, including five 3-pointers.
Clutch performance of the week: Addi Mack (Maryland)
The freshman was crucial in Maryland’s comeback in Columbus. She scored 11 of her 14 points after halftime, including a 3-pointer that gave the Terrapins their first lead of the night.
Mack continues to impress in her first year of college basketball, showing poise as she takes and makes clutch shots in a tough Buckeyes environment.
