Michigan State Falls, Nebraska Resurrected

Welcome back to the Big Ten Basketball Weekend Rundown.

In this edition of the Weekend Rundown, we will review the results from Thursday to Sunday and examine where each team stands as February is upon us. Which teams won big, and which ones came up short?

UCLA 78, No. 16 Oregon 52

UCLA dominated No. 16 Oregon from start to finish in a 78-52 rout on Thursday night, extending their winning streak to five games. Eric Dailey Jr. was nearly unstoppable, scoring 21 points on 8-of-9 shooting, while Dylan Andrews and Tyler Bilodeau each contributed 15 for the Bruins.

UCLA’s victory marked their fourth over a ranked team this season and completed a season sweep of the Ducks. Oregon struggled offensively, with Nate Bittle leading the way with just 13 points. They have now dropped two straight, while UCLA looks like a team gaining momentum at the right time.

Nebraska 80, No. 18 Illinois 74

Nebraska snapped a six-game losing streak in dramatic fashion, taking down No. 18 Illinois 80-74 in overtime on Thursday night. Brice Williams was the hero, scoring eight of his game-high 27 points in the extra period to help the Huskers secure their third win over a ranked opponent this season—a feat they hadn’t accomplished since 2013-14.

The Illini saw their dominance over Nebraska come to an end despite a balanced effort led by Kasparas Jakucionis’ 18 points. Williams took over in overtime, hitting clutch shots to put Nebraska in control, while Illinois could not keep pace down the stretch.

Ohio State 83, Penn State 64

Ohio State kept its momentum rolling with an impressive 83-64 road win over Penn State on Thursday night, powered by freshman John Mobley Jr.’s all-around performance. Mobley filled the stat sheet with 19 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, while Bruce Thornton caught fire from deep, hitting five threes on his way to 17 points.

The Buckeyes have now won three straight and looked in control throughout. Meanwhile, Penn State continued its struggles, dropping its seventh game in the last eight despite Yanic Konan Niederhauser’s 21-point effort. The Nittany Lions couldn’t slow down Ohio State’s efficient offense, and their own inconsistency on both ends made it tough to mount a comeback.

No. 10 Purdue 81, Indiana 76

Purdue pulled out a hard-fought 81-76 win over rival Indiana on Friday night, thanks to Braden Smith’s season-high 24 points and a clutch go-ahead shot from Trey Kaufman-Renn with 11 seconds remaining.

Indiana’s Mackenzie Mgbako led all scorers with 25 points. However, the Hoosiers couldn’t hold on late, dropping their sixth in the last seven games. The game saw six lead changes in the final four minutes before Kaufman-Renn’s hook shot gave Purdue the lead for good at 77-76.

USC 70, No. 7 Michigan State 64

USC pulled off a major upset Saturday afternoon, taking down No. 7 Michigan State 70-64 and snapping the Spartans’ 13-game winning streak. Desmond Claude led the Trojans with 19 points and USC never trailed in the game.

Michigan State had a chance to close the gap late but was called for a shot clock violation with 39.3 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, USC’s Saint Thomas found Yates for a cross-court pass and dunk, sealing the win and the biggest upset of Big Ten play so far.

No. 17 Wisconsin 75, Northwestern 69

John Tonje exploded for 27 points as No. 17 Wisconsin rallied in the second half to defeat Northwestern 75-69 on Saturday.

Trailing late, the Badgers responded with a crucial 14-3 run to seize control. Carter Gilmore was instrumental in that stretch, scoring seven of his 15 points. Jalen Leach paced Northwestern with 23 points and seven assists, but the Wildcats struggled late, making just one field goal during the Badgers’ decisive run.

Washington 71, Minnesota 68

Tyler Harris led Washington with 23 points and the Huskies held off Minnesota 71-68 on Saturday. Washington snapped a six-game losing streak and picked up just its second win over a power conference opponent this season.

Minnesota’s Dawson led a furious comeback and tied the game at 64 with a free throw late in the second half, but Great Osobor responded with a key three-point sequence to push Washington ahead. Garcia scored again to cut the deficit to 67-66 with 12 seconds remaining, but Washington sank free throws in the closing moments to secure the Huskies’ victory.

Michigan 66, Rutgers 63

Danny Wolf led Michigan with 16 points and 14 rebounds as the Wolverines held off Rutgers 66-63 on Saturday for their second straight win. Rutgers relied heavily on its bench, with Jamichael Davis scoring a game-high 20 points and Tyson Acuff adding 14.

Rutgers made multiple pushes in the second half, cutting it to 46-44 on a Zach Martini triple with under eight minutes left. Michigan answered with key free throws, extending the lead to 57-50 after two from Goldin. Davis drained a late three to get Rutgers within four, but Michigan’s defense held in the final moments to secure the victory.

Nebraska 77, No. 16 Oregon 71

Brice Williams led Nebraska with 28 points, seven rebounds, and six assists as the Huskers upset No. 16 Oregon 77-71 on Sunday night. Juwan Gary added 23 points as Nebraska earned its fourth win over a ranked opponent this season. The Cornhuskers controlled most of the game, using key defensive stops and efficient shooting to fend off Oregon’s comeback attempt.

The Ducks trailed by double digits in the second half but clawed back, cutting the deficit to five with just over six minutes remaining. TJ Bamba’s three-point play made it a four-point game in the final minute, but Nebraska sealed the win with clutch free throws from Williams and Gary. It was a monster victory from the Huskers, whose season may be turning around.

No. 18 Illinois 87, Ohio State 79

Will Riley scored 20 of his 24 points in the second half as No. 18 Illinois erased an 11-point deficit to defeat Ohio State 87-79 on Sunday. The Illini surged ahead with a decisive 15-0 run late in the second half. Morez Johnson Jr. contributed a double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds, while Kylan Boswell added 14 points.

Ohio State saw its three-game winning streak snapped despite a dominant first half from Devin Royal, who finished with 29 points, including 19 before halftime. Illinois tightened up defensively in the second half, limiting Ohio State’s offense while capitalizing on transition opportunities to complete the comeback.

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