Big Ten basketball preview heading into the 2026-27 season.
For the first time since Michigan State’s national championship win in 2000, the Big Ten brought home the title. With a 37-3 finish in the 2025-26 season, the Michigan Wolverines took down UConn in the national championship game in a 69-63 thriller. But they weren’t the only Big Ten team to find success in the Big Dance. Also standing with them in the Final Four was a strong Illinois team, which was ultimately knocked out by UConn just before the championship. There were nine Big Ten teams in the NCAA Tournament last year:
- 1-seed Michigan
- 2-seed Purdue
- 3-seed Michigan State
- 3-seed Illinois
- 4-seed Nebraska
- 5-seed Wisconsin
- 7-seed UCLA
- 8-seed Ohio State
- 9-seed Iowa
The Big Ten Conference showed grit last season. Besides Michigan winning the national title, there were special moments for other teams as well. The Iowa Hawkeyes reached their first Elite Eight since 1987, while Nebraska earned its first NCAA Tournament win in program history and advanced to the Sweet 16. The Purdue Boilermakers didn’t come out of the NCAA Tournament with a trophy; however, they were successful at the United Center in Chicago, where they beat the Wolverines in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. So yes, Michigan dominated during the regular season and overall; however, it couldn’t follow up its 2025 Big Ten Tournament win the following year against Purdue.
The upcoming season brings some changes to the Big Ten. To start, there are some new head coaches in the conference to recognize. First, and the one with the biggest storyline, is Michigan’s new head coach Mike Boynton Jr. In a surprise announcement, coach Dusty May disclosed that he was leaving the Wolverines for the Dallas Mavericks, promoting Boynton from interim head coach in July.
In early October, Oregon announced its new head coach, Tony Stubblefield, who replaced the now-retired Dana Altman. While a surprise to both fans and players, Stubblefield is taking on the role knowing that he still has Altman as a resource going into the season.
And due to a recent cancer diagnosis requiring treatment, Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell is taking a step back until further notice. He still holds his title; however, Brandin Knight is the current head of the program.
On the court this season, there will be lots of new faces. A big trend in modern-day college basketball is the transfer portal, which the Big Ten clearly took advantage of. Big Ten programs added more than 80 college transfers this offseason. Some teams, like Illinois, Michigan State, and Purdue, brought in just one player from the portal. Other teams like Indiana, Maryland, Northwestern, Oregon, and USC needed many players to help with rebuilding. According to 247 Sports, the Indiana Hoosiers rank 8th nationally for their transfer portal class (1st in the Big Ten). Not far behind for portal rankings are No. 14 Michigan, then No. 26 USC, No. 31 Maryland, and No. 33 UCLA.
In a conference that is known for its competitiveness and aggressiveness on the court, it comes as a surprise to many that it’s taken 26 years for one of these teams to win the national title. In college basketball history, the Big Ten has never had a team from the conference win the title in consecutive years. There have, however, been three conferences to do so: the Big East (UConn in 2023 & 2024), the SEC (Florida in 2006 & 2007), and the ACC (Duke in 1991 & 1992). Will this season be the year that the Big Ten makes college basketball history?
Big Ten Basketball Projected Standings
1. Illinois Fighting Illini
The Fighting Illini are a consistent favorite at the top of the Big Ten. Last season, they reached their first Final Four since 2005 before falling to UConn. Kylan Boswell and Keaton Wagler, now both in the NBA, are glaring losses going into this season. Brad Underwood, however, chose not to completely rebuild this offseason, but rather do what he does best: bring in a tall player who nobody in the Big Ten wants to guard. Illinois one transfer comes from Providence: Stefan Vaaks. With one of the best scores in the Big East his first year, Vaaks has a lightning-quick release and a comfortable jumper that stands out. Along with this, Illinois will benefit from his fast catch-and-shoot ability and jumper that should open up the floor nicely. In the starting lineup with him, of course, are Andrej Stojakovic, David Mirkovic (Jack Davis will start if Mirkovic is out), Tomislav Ivišić, and Quentin Coleman. This offense will make Big Ten defenses want to run. Underwood has clearly steered towards international additions, which should certainly serve them well this season. Final Four potential is definitely in the conversation for the Illini.
2. Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State is also a very popular pick at the top of the Big Ten. It’s no surprise, after all; they return the Blue Ribbon preseason National Player of the Year and the media Big Ten preseason Player of the Year, Jeremy Fears Jr. Last season, the Spartans’ season ended with a Sweet 16 loss to UConn and a 27-8 record. While yes, Fears is essentially the face of the program this season, Izzo brings back a strong supporting cast with a national title in mind. These notable returners include Coen Carr, Kur Teng, Jordan Scott, and Cam Ward.
In August, Jaxon Kholer entered the transfer portal and announced his commitment to BYU after playing for Michigan State for four seasons (2022-2026). Carson Cooper also departed from the team, except he made his way to the Memphis Grizzlies. Two key players for Michigan State, however, are Izzo’s lone transfer, Anton Bonke from Charlotte, who comes in with promising potential. As the tallest player in program history, Bonke’s skill set includes physicality on the glass when bringing the ball down, a soft touch around the rim, and enough mobility to run the floor well. But the Spartans don’t just have upperclassmen; they actually bring in one of the nation’s best first-year classes, headlined by five-star 7-footer Ethan Taylor.
3. Michigan Wolverines
The national champions. Their second national title, their first being their 80-79 overtime win against Seton Hall in 1989. Back to 2026– this Michigan team was unmatched all season. Essentially, they spent the entire season wearing down teams with their size, rebounding, and elite defense. In March, they were winning their tournament games by an average of nearly 21 points. Besides their big change of losing May to the NBA, Michigan also lost three of its key big men to the NBA: Aday Mara, Morez Johnson Jr., and Yaxel Lendeborg. These three players are tough for Michigan to replace; however, they still brought in some key players from the transfer portal. This includes Mustapha Thiam from Cincinnati, J.P. Estrella from Tennessee, Jalen Reed from LSU, and Kenny Noland from Columbia. But Michigan didn’t lose everyone; in fact, they returned key pieces: Elliot Cadeau, Roddy Gayne Jr., and Trey McKenney. Incoming freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. was set to play solid minutes; however, an ACL tear in Michigan’s final exhibition game over the summer sidelined him for the season. So, can this year’s Michigan team compete with last year’s? Likely not of the same caliber due to the size of the losses. There’s a chance the defense won’t be as elite as it was; they had some of the best second-half defenses in the country, limiting opponents to just 38% from the field. This is not to say, though, that they won’t be contenders and at the top of the Big Ten; however, following up a national championship-winning team while losing your three best players and head coach is difficult, to say the least.
4. UCLA Bruins
UCLA’s season ended with a second-round exit in the NCAA Tournament; however, this West Coast team has the tools to be very successful this time around. It’s no surprise that Mick Cronin has high expectations for his team– as it is, this is a guy who has high expectations in all aspects of the game (even the media). In starter spots, the Bruins return Trent Perry, Eric Dailey Jr. and Xavier Booker. Also joining them out on the court at tipoff is transfer Jaylen Petty from Texas Tech in the backcourt and Nikola Kusturica, a freshman from Serbia and rising prospect. So, this UCLA roster brings back some reliable players, a sharpshooter, and a promising international first-year student. Without injuries, this is a great lineup. But that’s the key. If one of their reliable starters gets hurt, they could suddenly be looking at a different result than they want.
5. Nebraska Cornhuskers
It was an exciting season for Nebraska fans as the team won its first two NCAA Tournament games in program history. Their 28-win season came to an end with a loss to Iowa in the Sweet 16. This season was a major turning point for the Cornhuskers. While they lost four starters, Pryce Sandfort, their best player and a top sharpshooter, returns. Braden Frager, the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year, also returns this season. Transferring into the program are Sam Orme, Boden Kapke, Treven Leonhardt, Taj DeGoreville, Damon Wilkinson, and Kayden Betts. The most notable of these players is Orme, coming from Belmont, as he is likely to take over in the frontcourt. Fred Hoiberg put together a team last season that ranked eighth in defensive efficiency on KenPom. This new team certainly has talent and should fare well in the Big Ten if they can lean on their older players to replace the offensive production lost with Rienk Mast and Sam Hoiberg.
6. Purdue Boilermakers
Finishing with a 30-9 record, the Boilermakers took home the Big Ten Tournament trophy; however, their national title dreams were cut short by a loss to No. 1 Arizona in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. Matt Painter has had a low roster turnover rate; however, this offseason he suffered several big hits. The iconic Braden Smith-Trey Kaufman-Renn-Fletcher Loyer trio, after playing 147 games together at Purdue, are no longer on the roster. That’s not to say that this team doesn’t have some returning talent, however. Returning for the upcoming season is Omer Mayer, who will likely take over at point guard. C.J. Cox will also take on a larger role at the 2. Jack Benter and Raleigh Burgess both return, and either could take the starting 4 spot. And as the big man, Daniel Jacobsen. Coming from Princeton is Caden Pierce, who is a solid starting option at the 3. Some incoming first-years worth noting are Antoine West and Luke Ertl, who should each see minutes this season. For the Boilermakers, the key this season will be how they handle offensive rebounding. Last season, they had the height and talent to outrebound opponents by 6.6 rebounds per game, averaging 35.2 rebounds per game. They also battled hard in the paint, bringing down 36.4% of available offensive rebounds. Viewers should especially keep their eyes on Jacobsen at center, as he has very big shoes to fill; however, if there’s a coach who could help bring out talent in their players, it’s Painter.
7. USC Trojans
Eric Musselman enters his third season as USC’s head coach with a strong set of returners. The Trojans didn’t see the postseason last year, and a big part of that was likely the injuries and inconsistency that followed. This season, Rodney Rice and Elijah Arenas will be back, two key players to keep an eye on. Musselman had a nice go at the portal this season, ranking 26th among portal classes according to 247Sports. KJ Lewis headlines this from Georgetown and Eric Reibe from UConn. Even though USC is only entering its third season in the Big Ten, they have a pretty decent outlook and should be expected to make some noise this season, especially when hosting teams from the Midwest on the West Coast.
8. Indiana Hoosiers
In modern-day basketball, some say the Hoosiers are still considered a “blue-blood” of college basketball. Others, however, argue that this team hasn’t been the same Indiana team for what seems like forever. And it’s true: in recent years, Indiana has seen way more downs than ups, and in a place where people go around saying “In 49 states, it’s just basketball… but this is Indiana,” this lack of success in this particular basketball program means more. Last season, in Darian DeVries’ first year with the program, the Hoosiers had some good moments; however, they ultimately didn’t have a talented enough roster to get anywhere. The Hoosiers missed out on the Big Dance for the third consecutive year and finished with an 18-14 record. This season, no one should underestimate this team. With nearly a full roster turnover, DeVries enters his second season with the Hoosiers, bringing in power-conference talent—Markus Burton from Notre Dame and Aiden Sherrell from Alabama headline the top-10 portal class. Duke’s Darren Harris and Georgia Tech’s Jaeden Mustaf also join the starting lineup, with Bryce Lindsay from Vilinova as a likely valuable sixth man. And what the Hoosiers have been longing for for some time, at the starting center spot, is 7-2 Samet Yigitoglu from SMU. The reason this Indiana team will be more successful than last season is that they finally have valuable frontcourt height with Sherrell and Yigitoglu. Along with this, they have multiple guards who can facilitate, rather than just relying on one player to shoot from beyond the arc, as they did with Lamar Wilkerson last season. This will be a very different Hoosier team that Indiana natives should be very excited about.
9. Ohio State Buckeyes
The Buckeyes just lost the face of their offense, Bruce Thornton, the program’s all-time leading scorer. This is after going 12-8 in the Big Ten and getting bounced by TCU in the first round in March. Jake Diebler returns John Mobley, who should serve as the top option on both ends this season. Transferring in from Cal is Justin Pippen, son of NBA Champ Scottie Pippen. Anthony Thompson, a 5-star prospect, has professional potential and will likely serve as one of the five starters. Last year’s standout freshman, now a sophomore, Amare Bynum should also be a full-time starter and take a big step forward this year. And if he can stay healthy, Josh Ojanwuna as the big man is the ideal player to round out the starters. The Buckeyes don’t ease into the action this season as they take on the national title runner-ups, UConn, after just a few home games. If Mobley and Pippen can replace Thornton’s scoring, they will be an interesting team to watch.
10. Iowa Hawkeyes
In just his first year with the Hawkeyes, Ben McCollum made this team a clear story during last year’s NCAA Tournament. As the No. 9 seed, they had three upsets against No. 8 Clemson, No. 1 Florida, and Big Ten foe No. 4 Nebraska before falling to No. 3 Illinois in the NCAA Tournament. It’s difficult to imagine them getting back here in back-to-back years right now, especially as they just lost standout guard Bennett Stirtz to the NBA. Even so, there was very little roster turnover during the offseason for this team. Kael Combs, Tate Sage, Cooper Koch, Cam Manyawa, and Andrew McKeever are the projected starters for the Hawkeyes this season. How much success this team can achieve will depend on Combs and Sage in the backcourt. They’ve proven that they know the system and could make for a consistent next season, so time will tell if the pieces fit together.
11. Wisconsin Badgers
This Wisconsin team had the talent to make a run in the NCAA Tournament last season, yet unexpectedly suffered a devastating first-round upset to High Point. They did, however, record one of Michigan’s three losses on the season. For the past three seasons, the Badgers have been a No. 5 seed in March, but Greg Gard lost his two best players/guard combo in John Blackwell and Nick Boyd. Wisconsin lost eight of its 14 players heading into this season, but Gard added Eian Elmer, Tray Autry, and Victory Onuetu from the portal. Elmer and Autry are projected starters, along with returners Owen Foxwell at the 1, Austin Rapp at the 4, and Nolan Winter at the 5. Offensive presence and rhythm, especially during the non-conference season, will be key for this team. Once Big Ten play starts, they need to have a rhythm going with their offense. Wisconsin may not be an immediate threat in the conference as they were last season, but they should still win a decent number of games.
12. Maryland Terrapins
Buzz Williams couldn’t sustain the momentum generated by Kevin Willard’s 2025 Sweet Sixteen run. Overall, this year’s roster looks to have more talent than last year’s. D.J. Wagner comes in from Arkansas and will bring the scoring ability he’s gained under John Calipari for three years to Maryland. More will be seen this year from Andre Mills and now-healthy Pharrel Payne in the starting lineup. Maryland should have a more successful season this year so long as injury doesn’t overtake them– Payne’s leg injury last season cut his season short after just ten games, a huge hit for the Terps. Their backcourt with Wagner, Mills, and Boswell will be one to watch.
13. Oregon Ducks
This is an interesting one. On Oct. 7, just one day before Big Ten Basketball Media Day, Dana Altman announced his retirement. He won 382 games with the Ducks and led them to nine NCAA Tournament appearances and a 2017 Final Four appearance. After 16 seasons under Altman, Tony Stubblefield takes over. After a poor 5-15 season last year along with a 10-game Big Ten losing streak, the Ducks don’t have much to lose. It was also Altman’s first losing season with Oregon. Jackson Shelstad and Nate Bittle are gone; however, both suffered injuries last season, limiting their contributions anyway. For Oregon to improve on last season, the key will be interior defense. There’s less room for mistakes when defending from the perimeter. They’ve got scoring options, but there are plenty of question marks about this team, especially now that they have a new head coach.
14. Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Golden Gophers have returners on their side. An 11th-place finish last season wasn’t impressive, but in modern basketball, keeping players in a program is difficult. Minnesota, however, has double-digit scorers Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, Issac Asuma, and Bobby Durkin, who will be heavy contributors. Niko Medved brought in five transfers, each from power-conference teams; however, each averaged fewer than five points at their previous schools. Depth-wise, Minnesota has a better foundation this year; however, can Medved awaken the potential he saw in these bench players if starters get injured?
15. Washington Huskies
It’s been a six-year NCAA Tournament drought for the Huskies. Their biggest returner is Wesley Yates III, who started all but two games and put up double figures. Overall, Danny Sprinkle has a lot to prove if he wants to keep his position. When looking at Washington’s schedule, they have a better conference home slate than last season, meaning they could take a step up from their 7-13 Big Ten record last season, but a successful season for the Huskies this season probably means ending about .500.
16. Northwestern Wildcats
The headline for Northwestern is Nick Martinelli’s departure. Along with this, a handful of players hit the portal, leaving Chris Collins to bring in some new talent. The Wildcats don’t have a favorable home-and-home schedule, and they play both Illinois and Indiana twice. Their other home-and-home game is Minnesota, which should be a pretty even matchup. The benefit of losing Martinetti is that the team has to be more balanced and less reliant on one guy; however, if they can’t score, it will be a long season for the Wildcats.
17. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Brandin Knight is overseeing the program while Pikiell is out with a recent cancer diagnosis. Rutgers has been a struggling Big Ten program for a while now, and Pikiell had his worst season last year, finishing 14-20 (14th in the Big Ten). Likely to play the largest role on this Rutgers team will be Tiriq Francis, the team’s lone double-digit scorer last season. Christian Gurdak, a transfer from Virginia Tech, has the potential to be a second double-digit scorer for the Scarlet Knights. Depending on how you look at it, the good news is that they take on Houston in the non-conference season, giving them a chance to play a tough team before they have to showcase themselves in the Big Ten.
18. Penn State Nittany Lions
Mike Rhodes has expressed that with limited resources, you have to do the best with what you are given. Only three players returned for the season. Rhodes added six players from the portal, two from overseas, and a lone high school commit. Not a super deep team, but Rhodes told the media that he wants to prioritize toughness this season, that it was an area of struggle last season, and that they needed more grit to compete in the Big Ten. Ivan Jurić, a 7-footer who averaged 10.2 points last season, will be a key for Penn State. They need to establish a solid interior presence first. Other than that, Rhodes going from 9 Big Ten wins to six to three is concerning.
CBB Review Preseason Big Ten Basketball Player of the Year
Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State
Fears is already decorated with awards before the season. He was just named a Preseason All-American by the Associated Press, the Preseason National Player of the Year by Blue Ribbon College Basketball, the Big Ten Conference’s Preseason Player of the Year, and a unanimous selection to the CBS Sports Preseason All-America First Team. Safe to say, his talent goes anything but unnoticed. Averaging 15.2 points per game and leading the nation in assists per game (9.4), he can put up numbers that many can’t hit. He will be the lead creator and scoring threat. The production he’ll give the team will go way beyond him and open up opportunities for teammates like Coen Carr, Jordan Scott and Kur Teng.
CBB Review Preseason Big Ten Basketball Coach of the Year
Brad Underwood, Illinois
Underwood followed up his Final Four run with losing leading scorer Keaton Wagler. He, however, handled this with ease, returning the rest of his core in Mirkovic, Stojakovic, and Ivisic, and bringing in Vaaks, who was highly targeted. It’s no secret Underwood develops the next stars of college basketball.
CBB Review Preseason Big Ten Basketball Freshman of the Year
Nikola Kusturica, UCLA
Kusturica comes in with impressive performances against experienced international competition, already giving him the edge the Big Ten requires for success. He averaged 24.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists for Serbia at the 2026 U17 World Cup. Against the United States, he put up 37 points in the championship. But Kusturica is solid on both ends, having been named the tournament’s Best Defensive Player. He has extreme upside for Cronin and the Bruins this season and is likely to fare much better against aggressive Big Ten competition compared to other incoming freshmen.
CBB Review Preseason Big Ten Basketball Transfer of the Year
Stefan Vaaks, Illinois
Vaaks comes from Providence, and as just a freshman last season, he put up leading numbers from beyond the arc. With 91 made threes at 35% from beyond the arc, he led the Big East in threes. From the field, he hit double digits, averaging 15.8 PPG and 3.2 APG. Along with this, he’s a two-way player who should step into Wagner’s open role nicely. The reason Vaaks is such a valuable transfer is that his production can further bolster an already stacked team. This is proven potential paired with Illinois’ stars, so opportunities provided by Vaaks will just allow the rest of the roster to broaden their already broad skill set and stellar chemistry.
CBB Review Preseason Big Ten Basketball First Team
- G: Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State
- G: Elliot Cadeau, Michigan
- F: Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska
- F: David Mirkovic, Illinois
- F: Nolan Winter, Wisconsin
CBB Review Preseason Big Ten Basketball Second Team
- G: John Mobley Jr., Ohio State
- G: Rodney Rice, USC
- G: Trey McKenney, Michigan
- G: Andrej Stojakovic, Illinois
- C: Pharrell Payne, Maryland
CBB Review Preseason Big Ten Basketball Third Team
- G: Markus Burton, Indiana
- G: Trent Perry, UCLA
- G: Stefan Vaaks, Illinois
- F: Aiden Sherrell, Indiana
- C: Tomislav Ivisic, Illinois