With snow piling up outside, more than 150 million Americans were forced to spend their weekend stuck inside. But thankfully, we have Big Ten basketball to keep us distracted from the cold. From Keaton Wagler’s record-breaking performance in West Lafayette, Iowa women’s basketball’s statement win over Ohio State and Nebraska men’s basketball’s dominant run to 20-0, there was no shortage of entertainment and drama to keep viewers glued to their seats. Here’s what you need to know from a packed week around
the Big Ten.
Men’s Basketball
Game of the Week: No. 9 Illinois beats No. 12 Purdue, 88-82
Big Ten fans couldn’t have asked for a better game Saturday, with a snowstorm affecting more than half of the country. Illinois secured a huge win in West Lafayette, boosting its chances at securing its first Big Ten regular-season title since 2021 and extending Purdue’s losing skid to two games. In a typical game, this would’ve been a strong Boilermaker win, as they scored 82 points on an efficient 56.9% from the floor and committed just three turnovers. However, they had no answer for the Illini freshman who also secured this week’s player of the week.
Player of the Week: Keaton Wagler (Illinois)
It was a week of freshman dominance with three first-year players turning in 40+ point performances across the nation, but none were more impressive than Wagler’s career day against Purdue. The Kansas native set a plethora of records Saturday, including the most points ever in a road win against a top-10 AP opponent with a wildly efficient 46 points, shooting 13-for-17 from the field, 9-for-11 from deep and 11-for-13 at the line. Wagler continues to impress for a guy who received little interest out of high school and now could be on his way to the NBA Draft thanks to dominant performances like this.
Team of the Week: Nebraska Cornhuskers
While the Illini secured the most high-profile win of the week, Nebraska’s ability to remain perfect while outright dominating opponents is good enough to earn it a second-consecutive Team of the Week honor. Just when it looked like their perfect record was in danger down six in Minnesota, the Huskers took full control of their matchup against the Golden Gophers, outscoring them 46-21 in the second en route to their 20th win.
Freshman of the Week: Hannes Steinbach (Washington)
While Wagler would’ve won this award as well, I decided to opt for the next-best freshman, which landed me on Washington’s Hannes Steinbach. The German forward continues to impress in his first year, headlined by a dominant performance in Lincoln. Despite the loss, Steinbach was dominant against the Huskers, finishing with an efficient 21 points on 7-for-12 shooting, getting to the line eight times and bringing 12 boards in 32 minutes.
Clutch Performance of the Week: Tyler Bilodeau (UCLA) vs. Purdue
In an attempt not to say Wagler again, I went with senior forward Bilodeau and his game against Purdue. Down one with eight seconds remaining and the Bruin’s perfect home record on the line, Bilodeau was able to break free from Purdue’s defenders to hit a game-winning three-pointer that won the game 69-67.
Women’s Basketball
Game of the Week: No. 8 Iowa beats No. 11 Ohio State, 91-70
The Hawkeyes kept rolling in Big Ten play Sunday, hosting a high-powered Ohio State team and walking away with a statement win — handing the Buckeyes just their third loss of the season and second in conference. Despite Ohio State knocking down 14 threes, it was the difference in interior efficiency that decided it: Iowa held the Buckeyes to just 10-for-35 (28.6%) on two-point attempts while they shot 37-for-64 (57.8%) inside the arc.
Player of the Week: Gabriela Jaquez (UCLA)
The Bruins jumped up one spot this week in the AP rankings after another dominant week, in large part due to the play of Jaquez. The senior had two ultra-efficient wins this week, starting off with a game against Purdue, where the forward had 25 points on 10-for-11 shooting. She did it again four days later in Evanston, this time with 19 points on 9-for-12 shooting against Northwestern. Her poise from the floor was a huge reason behind UCLA’s 2-0 week, where it won games by 48 and 34, respectively.
Team of the Week: Iowa Hawkeyes
The Hawkeyes continue to impress in the post-Caitlin Clark era, winning their ninth conference game to remain undefeated in Big Ten play. Unlike in years past, when they leaned heavily on a singular star, this group has embraced a win-by-committee approach — a balanced attack that has propelled them into the top ten of the AP poll.
Freshman of the Week: Cearah Parchment (Illinois)
The Illinois freshmen continued to impress across both women’s and men’s basketball, with Parchment earning this week’s award. The forward put up a career-high 25 points and grabbed 11 boards in the Illini’s near loss to Nebraska, which fell out of the top 25 this week. This was the freshman’s sixth double-double of the season.
Clutch Performance of the Week: Kennedy Blair (Michigan State) vs. USC
The Spartan faithful needed a miracle this past Thusday, and they got just that in their 74-68 win over USC. After allowing a 10-0 run from the Trojans in the final moments of the game to bring the visitors within striking distance, redshirt sophomore Kennedy Blair hit a big three to give the No. 13 Spartans a 69-64 lead with 1:57 remaining. From that point on, MSU steadied itself and converted on its free throws, ending a near-disaster in East Lansing.
