With the NFL season now coming to a close, sports fans were treated to an excellent showcase of college basketball, with thrillers across the country in both men’s and women’s play. Packed with ranked matchups and overtime drama, the Big Ten delivered some of the week’s best moments — from Michigan State’s statement win over Illinois on the men’s side to UCLA surviving a road scare in Ann Arbor in women’s action.
Here are the highlights from another week of Big Ten basketball.
Men’s Basketball
Game of the Week: No. 10 Michigan State beats No. 5 Illinois, 85-82 (OT)
In a Saturday filled
with thrillers across the country, none were as thrilling as this top-10 matchup in East Lansing. Coming off two straight losses — to rival Michigan and in an upset against Minnesota — the Spartans couldn’t have asked for a better way to get their season on track. Redshirt sophomore Jeremy Fears Jr. went off in front of the home crowd, scoring 27 points and dishing out 15 assists with just two turnovers in the overtime win.
Player of the Week: Lamar Wilkerson (Indiana)
After opening the week with a loss to USC in Los Angeles, Lamar Wilkerson showed he was every bit a star as Indiana continues to push for better positioning come March. In his first year in Bloomington, the graduate transfer put together an incredible week, averaging 33.0 points. Wilkerson really turned heads with a 41-point performance — which included 10-straight to close out an overtime thriller against Wisconsin.
Team of the Week: Michigan Wolverines
Michigan continues to stack dominant wins on top of each other, winning games this week by an average of 31 points. After dismantling Penn State at home by 41, the Wolverines traveled east to take on rival Ohio State and quickly put any upset to bed, beating the Buckeyes 82-61. Aday Mara headlined the win with a career-high 24 points, while player of the year candidate Yaxel Lendeborg was a workhorse, putting up 14 points of his own and bringing down 14 rebounds.
Freshman of the Week: Alijah Arenas
After a long recovery process following a scary one-car crash in 2024 and a torn meniscus last July, first-year Alijah Arenas has not only worked himself back onto the court for USC, but is starting to emerge as a future star in the conference. The son of NBA legend Gilbert Arenas put together two dominant performances in the Trojans’ two wins this week. First, he had a career-high 29 points against Indiana, followed by a 24-point showing against Penn State, including 11 points in the final four minutes and a game-winner.
Clutch Performance of the Week: Jeremy Fears Jr.
Despite the talk of Fears’ antics in this one, he was instrumental to the win and continues to prove he’s one of the best players in the conference. Fears scored 22 of his 26 points in the second half and overtime. He made most of his impact from the free-throw line, getting to the charity stripe 13 times and making all but one. He also dished out an unreal 15 assists — third-most in a single game in Michigan State history — and committed only two turnovers.
Women’s Basketball
Game of the Week: No. 2 UCLA beats No. 8 Michigan, 69-66
UCLA traveled to Ann Arbor on Sunday in one of the biggest tests of its conference slate, and still came out perfect. The Bruins scraped away with a win over the Wolverines, giving up two late 3-pointers and missing two free throws that would’ve closed the game out. Luckily for them, their defense held strong, and Michigan airballed what would’ve been the game-tying shot to send the game to overtime.
Player of the Week: Shay Ciezki
After what was shaping up to be a disappointing season, senior Shay Ciezki put together a spectacular week that’s turning Indiana’s mood on its head. The guard averaged 30.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists in the Hoosiers’ two wins this week. Against Wisconsin, Ciezki poured in 33 points with a career-high five steals, including a game-flipping four-point play to win it. Four days later, she became the engine for Indiana’s wire-to-wire win over rival Purdue, putting up 29 points with 12 boards and eight assists.
Team of the Week: Maryland Terrapins
The No. 20 Terrapins came alive this week after a brutal stretch. After dropping four straight, Maryland regrouped and ripped off two road wins, beating No. 12 Michigan State and a solid Nebraska team by a combined 34 points — an impressive turnaround away from home. Junior guard Oluchi Okananwa has emerged in these games, scoring 23 in East Lansing and 14 in Lincoln.
Freshman of the Week: Jazzy Davidson (USC)
Davidson was the engine behind USC’s 2-0 week. After going for 21 points, six assists and two steals against Northwestern, the first-year headed south to Champaign and posted a near triple-double with a career-high 27 points, eight rebounds and eight assists at Illinois. Against the Illini, she doubled as a primary creator and a closer, hitting all four free throws in the final two minutes to seal the win for the Trojans.
Clutch Performance of the Week: Avery Howell (Washington)
Howell was unstoppable at home, putting up a career-high 34 points and adding 14 rebounds on top of that — her sixth double-double of the season. She was also pivotal with the game on the line, scoring 13 of her points in the second half and another nine in overtime. Add on six made 3-pointers — including a four-point play — and the sophomore delivered when the Huskies needed her most.
