With the non-conference slate coming to a close in the coming weeks, it is time to start previewing conference play for Big Ten basketball. Several interesting matchups litter the two-and-a-half months of Big Ten regular-season conference play. We have sorted through the pile of games and have found 5 Big Ten men’s basketball can’t-miss conference games. We not only tried to pick games that featured the conference’s top teams, but we also tried to find games that have some narratives behind them and feature a relatively even level of competition. All of the rankings in this post are rankings from when the post was made, unless talking about a previous game. Those rankings come from when the game took place.
1 No.2 Michigan @ No.5 Purdue, 2/17
This game could very well be the Big Ten championship game before the Big Ten championship game. Both Michigan and Purdue have set themselves apart as the two most dominant teams on the hardwood in all of college basketball, not just the Big Ten. Both teams are littered with future NBA talents like Braden Smith and Yaxel Landeborg. The Wolverines have crushed everyone in their path so far. Purdue faltered against No.3 Iowa State and will be looking for a signature win. All of these reasons combined to make a cataclysmic showdown in West Lafayette.
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2 No.9 Michigan State @ No.2 Michigan, 3/8
From an in-state rival’s point of view, the Spartans would like nothing more than to beat Michigan when they are at the top of their game. Tom Izzo is trying to get his team back to the top of the Big Ten, and a signature win like this would go a long way toward doing just that. On top of that, the Wolverines would love to find another way to prove their in-state superiority against a school that they believe is their “little brother.” Like Michigan, Michigan State has talent that is at the top of the college world. They have wins over No.14 Arkansas, No.12 Kentucky, and No.16 UNC. This game will be a clash of two top-tier basketball teams with the added flavor of a rivalry mixed in.
3 No.9 Michigan State @ No.13 Nebraska, 1/2
Nebraska is the only Power Five school without an NCAA tournament win. If they can pull off a win versus Michigan State in a few weeks, they will provide a reason to believe that this team can go far in the NCAA tournament for the first time. They do have a ranked win over No.13 Illinois, 83-80. As mentioned before, the Spartans are a team trying to climb back up the ladder to the top of the Big Ten. If the Cornhuskers can beat them, that would be another step up the same ladder for them. Nebraska has been averaging more points per game, but Michigan State has been playing better on defense. That combination should provide a thrilling game of basketball between two top teams.
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4 No.20 Illinois @ No. 24 USC, 2/18
Illinois has been solid this season, beating several top teams like Texas Tech and Tennessee, but also losing those types of games against teams like Alabama and UConn. USC has one loss on the season so far, but has been relatively untested in terms of ranked opponents. They do have upcoming games against Michigan and Michigan State, where they might struggle, before they dip back down in competition and play a few unranked teams. This should be a battle between two similarly ranked teams to see which one moves ahead of the other. USC does have two players averaging 20 points per game, Rodney Rice and Chad Baker-Mazara, but they have not played the same tier of schedule that the Illini have. When it all shakes out, this game should be a battle between two even teams, with the slight advantage going to the Trojans due to the time difference.
5 No. 24 USC @ No. 25 Iowa, 1/28
This game has a similar appeal to the Illinois vs USC game, as it is supposed to be two quality opponents that are on the same tier battling each other. Iowa has shown an ability to hang tough with good teams, as they only lost to No.4 Iowa State by 4. This will be another clash of styles of play, as Iowa is a very strong team defensively, and USC is a team that focuses on getting hot offensively. It will be interesting to see what style of play comes out on top in this game.
If there are any other games you are particularly interested in watching, let us know in the comments below!
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