CBB Review prepares you for every conference tournament leading up to Selection Sunday on Mar. 15. Up next: The Big Ten Tournament.
Big Ten basketball had another season for the storybooks, and this year it was led by some of the best scorers in the nation. As of Tuesday, 35 college basketball players are averaging over 20 PPG, and five of them come from the Big Ten. That’s a testament to the level of competition in this conference.
Michigan didn’t have any 20 PPG scorers – or even any 15 PPG scorers – because the Wolverines’ depth proved to be far too much for anyone standing on the same court as them. Yaxel Lendeborg led Michigan to a 29-2 record in the regular season, but the full roster of guys, including Morez Johnson, Aday Mara, Elliot Cadeau, Nimari Burnett, Roddy Gayle, and more, made it tough for any team to match up against them.
While Michigan won the Big Ten regular season outright, plenty of teams would like to have a say in the Big Ten Tournament.
Nebraska got a double-bye, with Fred Hoiberg putting on a potential National Coach of the Year show. Illinois and Michigan State have looked Final Four good, and you can never rule out a Braden Smith-led Purdue Boilermakers squad.
From top to bottom, the Big Ten has a lot of teams, and obviously, not everyone had seasons to remember, but the depth of the conference proved to be as strong as ever, as they look for their first National Champion since Michigan State in 2000.
2026 Big Ten Awards
Player of the Year: Braden Smith, Purdue
Freshman of the Year: Keaton Wagler, Illinois
Transfer of the Year: Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
Coach of the Year: Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska
First Team:
- G: Braden Smith, Purdue (14.9 PPG, 8.7 APG, 3.6 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 38.8 3P%)
- G: Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State (15.5 PPG, 9.1 APG, 2.4 RPG, 1.3 SPG)
- G: Bruce Thornton, Ohio State (20.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.2 SPG, 55.8 FG%, 39.7 3P%)
- G: Keaton Wagler, Illinois (17.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, 41.0 3P%)
- F: Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan (14.7 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.4 BPG, 1.2 SPG, 50.8 FG%)
Second Team:
- G: Donovan Dent, UCLA (13.6 PPG, 7.5 APG, 2.6 RPG, 1.6 SPG)
- G: Nick Boyd, Wisconsin (20.1 PPG, 4.0 APG, 3.7 RPG, 35.4 3P%)
- G: Lamar Wilkerson, Indiana (21.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.0 SPG, 38.3 3P%)
- G: Bennett Stirtz, Iowa (20.2 PPG, 4.4 APG, 2.5 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 38.2 3P%)
- F: Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska (17.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 40.1 3P%)
2026 Big Ten Tournament Simulation
First Round – Tuesday, Mar. 10
16. Oregon (12-19, 5-15) vs. 17. Maryland (11-20, 4-16) – 5 p.m. on Peacock/NBCSN
Without Jackson Shelstad, Oregon just hasn’t been the same, and now he can’t go shot-for-shot with Diggy Coit. With that being said, the Ducks have won three of five, including a game over Wisconsin.
Mat’s pick: 16. Oregon
15. Northwestern (13-18, 5-5) vs. 18. Penn State (12-19, 3-17) – 7:30 p.m. on Peacock/NBCSN
Penn State has been atrocious all season long, and with a defense allowing nearly 80 PPG, defending Nick Martinelli may be impossible.
Mat’s pick: 15. Northwestern
Second Round – Wednesday, Mar. 11
9. Iowa (20-11, 10-10) vs. 16. Oregon – Noon on Peacock/NBCSN
Iowa is already a lock for the NCAA Tournament, and Oregon would need to go on the craziest Champ Week run of all time to make it. While I could see Nate Bittle having a big game, slowing down Bennett Stirtz and Tavion Banks would be a heck of a challenge to complete for the Ducks.
Mat’s pick: 9. Iowa
12. Washington (15-16, 7-13) vs. 13. USC (18-13, 7-13) – 2:30 p.m. on Peacock/NBCSN
Without Chad Baker-Mazara, USC’s offense will be limited to a promising yet inefficient Alijah Arenas and Ezra Ausar. Meanwhile, let’s look at Washington’s Hannes Steinbach recently: 26 points and 13 boards against Oregon, 22 and 24 against USC, 22 and 11 against Wisconsin, and 24 and 16 at Rutgers. Is this the greatest stretch of four games in college basketball no one’s talking about? And those numbers against USC should have the Trojans very afraid on Wednesday.
Mat’s pick: 12. Washington
10. Indiana (18-13, 9-11) vs. 15. Northwestern – 6:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network
Indiana is in need of one win, maybe two, to feel good about its chances on Selection Sunday. And in this potential matchup, the fans in Chicago would get treated to Nick Martinelli and Lamar Wilkerson in an absolute scoring battle. This is where I can see Tucker DeVries being the difference maker, against a Wildcats team allowing teams to hit 36% of their threes in Big Ten play.
Mat’s pick: 10. Indiana
11. Minnesota (15-16, 8-12) vs. 14. Rutgers (13-18, 6-14) – 9 p.m. on Big Ten Network
Neither team is even dreaming about playing in the big dance, both needing five wins in five days to get there. But one team will still move on, and I can’t even reason a way it’ll be Rutgers. Just take this for example – the Scarlet Knights average the most two-point attempts in the conference, but have the worst 2P%. Golden Gophers by a mile.
Mat’s pick: 11. Minnesota
Third Round – Thursday, Mar. 12
8. Ohio State (20-11, 12-8) vs. 9. Iowa – Noon on Big Ten Network
Bruce Thornton and Bennett Stirtz. Two players made for March Madness. But which team will get a lift from another player to help move on to the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals? Back on Feb. 25, it was Alvaro Folguerias, who came off the bench for Iowa and poured in 20 points. Can he do it again? Possibly, but I also can’t see Thornton being held in check to just 10 points again. Give me the Buckeyes this time around.
Mat’s pick: 8. Ohio State
5. Wisconsin (22-9, 14-6) vs. 12. Washington – 2:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network
The Badgers have a pair of elite scorers in Nick Boyd and John Blackwell, and as a team barely turn the ball over at fewer than eight times per game in Big Ten play. While Zoom Diallo could be a guy to watch for Washington, I just don’t think they have the firepower to pull off the upset.
Mat’s pick: 5. Wisconsin
7. Purdue (23-8, 13-7) vs. 10. Indiana – 6:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network
How the heck did Purdue get the 7 seed? Well, they haven’t been great, losing four of six heading into the Big Ten Tournament. But the Hoosiers also haven’t been good at all, and Braden Smith has a 5-2 all-time record in this tournament, always winning at least one game.
Mat’s pick: 7. Purdue
6. UCLA (21-10, 13-7) vs. 11. Minnesota – 9 p.m. on Big Ten Network
Two teams that don’t rebound well should make for a game where second-chance points prove critical, because someone’s going to have to wind up with the ball after a miss. Minnesota actually won this matchup a few weeks ago on Feb. 28, but can they do it again? I’m actually going to say yes. They may not be at home, which is where they’ve played their best hoops, but for a UCLA team that seems to have given Mick Cronin a headache all year long, I’ll say he gets another after a loss here.
Mat’s pick: 11. Minnesota
Quarterfinals – Friday, Mar. 13
1. Michigan (29-2, 19-1) vs. 8. Ohio State – Noon on Big Ten Network
Bruce Thornton is ONE guy. Michigan has like fifteen guys. Of course, that’s an exageration, but if very few teams have cracked the code against the Wolverines, I can’t see Ohio State doing it.
Mat’s pick: 1. Michigan
4. Illinois (24-7, 15-5) vs. 5. Wisconsin – 2:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network
Wisconsin’s guard play against Illinois’ paint presence (plus Keaton Wagler of course)! Two opposite styles could go head-to-head in my favorite potential quarterfinals game. Nolan Winter is the key here – and efficiency needed from the Badgers as a whole. And you know what? For how much I love this Illinois team, I’ll take a small upset!
Mat’s pick: 5. Wisconsin
2. Nebraska (26-5, 15-5) vs. 7. Purdue – 6:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network
The last time these teams played, it ended in a wild fashion, with Cornhuskers’ guard Jamarcus Lawrence slipping on the floor, sealing a close win for the Boilermakers. Hopefully the court at the Big Ten Tournament doesn’t have the same issues, but even then, I’m taking Purdue, as Braden Smith looks to break Bobby Hurley’s all-time assist record. He’ll need a few wins in Chicago to potentially break it in the NCAA Tournament, and I like the chances against Nebraska.
Mat’s pick: 7. Purdue
3. Michigan State (25-6, 15-5) vs. 11. Minnesota – 9 p.m. on Big Ten Network
If we get a Michigan State against Minnesota quarterfinals game, it would be interesting, considering the Spartans were one of the many teams to fall victim in The Barn. But this is the big city, and with the lights on these two teams, I’m taking Tom Izzo 9 times out of 10.
Mat’s pick: 3. Michigan State
Semifinals – Saturday, Mar. 14
1. Michigan vs. 5. Wisconsin – 1 p.m. on CBS
Nothing beating the Big Ten Tournament on the Saturday and Sunday before the NCAA Tournament, and how classic would it be if it were these teams? Wisconsin found a way to beat the Wolverines in the regular season, but it was during the only rough patch in the U of M’s season. Michigan’s looked back to peak form lately, so they get this re-match.
Mat’s pick: 1. Michigan
3. Michigan State vs. 7. Purdue – 3:30 p.m. on CBS
Can Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and Trey Kaufman-Renn put one more run together and move on to the Big Ten Tournament finals? While recent play wouldn’t suggest so, something about the three seniors knowing it’s their last chance has me siding with them. It should be a fantastic potential game, so give me big-play Braden.
Mat’s pick: 7. Purdue
Championship – Sunday, Mar. 15
1. Michigan vs. 7. Purdue – 3:30 p.m. on CBS
What more could you ask for in the final game of Champ Week? Could Purdue go out with a bang and into the NCAA Tournament on a roll? While it’d be a nice story, it isn’t the smart pick. I think they can make things interesting, but Michigan is a juggernaut.
Mat’s pick: 1. Michigan