Saturday delivered multiple lopsided victories and even clearer evidence of which teams should be viewed as top contenders in the Big Ten. Ohio State and Iowa have reason for concern after their losses Saturday. Iowa is in a better position to make the NCAA Tournament than OSU, but given how hot and cold the Hawkeyes are, they look primed for an early exit.
Here are the scores and the rest of my analysis from the Saturday games in Big Ten basketball:
No. 2 Michigan 86-56 vs UCLA
Michigan takes care of business, beating the Bruins with ease by 30 points. The Wolverines get their 10th straight win, and with an Arizona Wildcats loss, they are now in a great position to be the #1 team in the country. Yaxel Lendeborg led the Wolverines to victory with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Lendeborg was a big reason for this game getting out of hand after a respectable first half. Lendeborg got hot, knocking down 9 shots, including 3 3-pointers in a row. That ultimately was too much for the Bruins to come back from. The Bruins were on a run, winning 5 of the last 6 games, and this loss puts a halt to all the momentum they had building.
No. 7 Nebraska 68-49 vs Northwestern
Nebraska was another contender that took care of business on Saturday, getting a blowout win in conference. Pryce Sandfort banged 6 3 pointers in this game and had a game high 29 points, and 6 rebounds. On the other side, Wildcats star player Nick Martinelli could not combat that production as he only finished with 11 points in this one. The Cornhuskers in total shot 45% from the field and an impressive 44% from 3. The Cornhuskers also dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Wildcats 37-19. This is the Nebraska team that dominated every opponent in their way to start the season. This is the version of the Nebraska team that needs to show up to make a deep run when it comes time for the Big Ten tournament and the tournament in March.
Oregon 83-72 vs Penn State
The Ducks’ stars showed up in this one, as Nate Bittle and Takai Simpkins both had 22 points. Bittle shot 2-3 from 3, and Simpkins topped that, shooting 4-5 from 3. Those two led the Ducks from beyond the arc, but as a whole, Oregon shot a whopping 51.9% from 3. Penn State, on the other hand, shot 28.6% from 3. The Ducks proved to be the better team out of the two worst teams in the conference. Oregon capitalized on each of Penn State’s mistakes, and with their lights-out shooting from beyond the arc, they made a close game a double-digit victory. Thanks to this matchup, the Ducks get their second conference win this season.
No. 13 Purdue 78-57 vs Iowa
Purdue continues to ride the high after their win vs Nebraska and blows out the Iowa Hawkeyes. It did not take a star performance from any Boilermaker; it was a collection of production from everyone. 5 Boilermakers reached double figures, and Purdue won the rebound battle 36-28. Iowa is usually the hot-shooting team in the majority of its matchups; this game was flipped. Iowa could not buy a bucket from beyond the arc, and the Boilermakers shot 40% from 3. Purdue has now won 4 straight games and will head to its biggest test of the season on Tuesday vs. the Wolverines.
No. 15 Virginia 70-66 vs Ohio State
Since their win over Minnesota, the Buckeyes have failed to get a winning streak going. Each win for Ohio State has been followed by a momentum-losing loss. This time it was a loss out of conference to a ranked Virginia Cavaliers. It was a hard-fought battle, and Bruce Thornton was the best player on the court, as he chipped in an efficient 28 points. The Buckeyes’ bench, however, was outscored 28-4, and the Cavaliers also outmatched the Buckeyes on the glass. Winning that battle 36-24. Losing John Mobley Jr. was a big loss for the Buckeyes, as they could have used his scoring output. Virginia made all the plays needed to pull this game out late, clutch free throws and timely baskets. Virginia’s winning streak moves to 6 games, and Ohio State’s inconsistencies continue to be its downfall.
Washington 69-57 vs Minnesota
Hannes Steinbach led the Huskies to a much-needed victory to end their 3-game losing streak. Steinbach put up 26 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. Zoom Diallo did his best Robin impression with 17 points, only missing 1 shot, and 4 assists. Cade Tyson had a great performance with 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 steals. The Huskies won this game without shooting well from 3, as they dominated inside the paint. It was the way the Huskies ended the first half, going on a 14-0 run, giving them a comfortable lead heading into the second. The Huskies never let up, as their two top guys kept them ahead in this game. Huskies now move to 500 and will look to end the season on a high note. Minnesota returns to form after their big upset against Michigan State, losing 2 straight games since.
Overview
The top teams in the Big Ten prove their status with blowout wins and wins that keep the momentum high for each squad. Ohio State falls to a contending non-conference squad while Washington and Oregon try to finish the season off on the right track. The Hawkeyes prove to be a team that lives and dies by how well they shoot behind the arc, which spells trouble for them as the games get more and more meaningful.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Big Ten men’s basketball report for February 14 – Michigan over UCLA
Reporting by Micah Huff, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
