Big Ten Weekly Men's Basketball Central - Nov. 26-Dec. 2

WEEKLY RELEASE - NOVEMBER 26

Big Ten. Big News.

The Big Ten currently boasts a 89-14 overall record through Monday’s contests, with teams going a combined 78-3 on their home courts. The Big Ten’s .864 win percentage sits behind only the SEC (79-11/.878), while its 89 total wins lead all Div. I conferences. Four of the 34 remaining undefeated teams also reside in the Big Ten, as Indiana, Oregon, Penn State, and Wisconsin remain unblemished.
Eleven Big Ten teams were recognized in this week’s AP and USA Today Coaches Polls, announced on Monday. The AP Top 25 included No. 13 Purdue, No. 14 Indiana, and No. 15 Wisconsin, while the coaches listed the Boilermakers at No. 12, the Hoosiers at No. 15, and the Badgers at 17. Illinois, Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Rutgers, and UCLA also received votes in one or both polls.
Eleven of the Big Ten’s 18 teams rank in the top 40 of the Kenpom Ratings through Monday’s games, with all 18 listing in the top 90. Ohio State leads the way at No. 15, followed by Purdue (#16), Illinois (#21), UCLA (#23), Wisconsin (#27), Michigan (#29), Penn State (#32), Maryland (#34), Oregon (#35), Indiana (#39), and Michigan State (#40). No other conference has more than nine teams in the top 40 (SEC) or more than 16 teams in the top 100 (SEC and Big 12).
On Monday, the Big Ten announced its Player and Freshman of the Week honors. Wisconsin’s John Tonje was named Big Ten Player of the Week for the second consecutive week, while Maryland’s Derik Queen claimed Freshman of the Week honors. Tonje averaged 22.3 points on .526 shooting from the field and .958 from the free throw line to lead the Badgers to a 3-0 week. The grad student earned Greenbrier Tip-Off MVP honors after tallying 33 points and seven rebounds in an 81-75 win over Pitt in the title game, making him the first DI player to score 33 or more against two high major opponents in the month of November over the last 15 years.
Queen posted 16.0 points on .650 shooting from the field and 8.5 rebounds as Maryland claimed a pair of wins. The freshman from Baltimore was named Empire Classic MVP after a 22 point, 11 rebound, five assist performance in a 76-75 comeback win over Villanova. Queen scored 18 points in the victory, including the game-tying and game-winning free throws with 19 seconds to play.
Five players scored in double figures, as Nebraska scored a 74-63 win at then-No. 14 Creighton on Friday. Juwan Gary and Brice Williams had 16 points apiece to lead the Huskers, who earned their second consecutive win in Omaha, the first time that has occurred since winning three straight times in Omaha between 1991 and 1995.
Penn State’s 85-66 win over Fordham on Monday improved the team to 6-0, its first 6-0 start since 1999-2000. The Nittany Lions have scored at least 80 points in six-straight games for the first time in program history. Its 102-89 win over Purdue-Ft. Wayne (11/20) also marked the first time since 1954-55 the Nittany Lions have scored at least 100 points three times in one season.
Maryland topped Canisius 108-37 on Tuesday. In winning by 71 points, it was Maryland’s second largest margin of victory in program history. It is the largest victory since beating North Texas by a school-record 75 points on Dec. 23, 1998.
The Badgers have now started the season 7-0 for the first time since opening the 2014-15 season with seven straight wins. That team went on to reach the 2015 National Championship Game.
Over the last week, Big Ten teams have surrendered 40 or fewer points four times. Ohio State surrendered just 30 points in its win over Evansville (11/19). It was the fewest allowed in a game since holding Samford to just 22 points in November of 2008. That same day, Maryland held Canisius to 37 points. Illinois has allowed just 74 points in its last two outings, topping Maryland-Eastern Shore 87-40 and Arkansas-Little Rock 92-34, matching the lowest opponent point total in State Farm Center history.
In the win over Marshall on Saturday, Purdue’s Braden Smith dished out his 500th career assist in his 80th game, the third-fastest mark to 500 assists in Big Ten history (Mateen Cleaves, Bruce Parkinson).
The 2025 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament will return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 12-16. This will mark the 14th time the tournament has been held in Indianapolis. The tournament will be the first to feature a 15-team field and begin with three games on Wednesday, March 12. Peacock will televise the opening three games of the 2025 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament, with second-round and quarterfinal games on Thursday and Friday slated for Big Ten Network. For the 28th consecutive year, CBS Sports will broadcast the semifinals and championship game on CBS, with those games also streaming live on Paramount+.