The two biggest girls’s basketball packages are going head-to-head. There are a pair of rivalries in East Lansing. The prime groups in the Big Ten in males’s and ladies’s faculty basketball are going through off.
The huge faculty basketball video games this weekend will affect convention standings and NCAA Tournament seeding.
There are prime groups in males’s and ladies’s hoops going at it, and we’re right here that can assist you put together for the motion.
Men’s Basketball
No. 3 Michigan at No. 7 Michigan State (Friday 8 p.m. ET on FOX)
Key Michigan gamers: Yaxel Lendeborg (Senior, Forward), Morez Johnson Jr. (Sophomore, Forward), Elliott Cadeau (Junior, Guard)
Key Michigan State gamers: Jeremy Fears Jr. (Sophomore, Guard), Jaxon Kohler (Senior, Forward) Carson Cooper (Senior, Center)
Michigan’s final sport: 75-72 win in opposition to No. 5 Nebraska
Michigan State’s final sport: 88-79 OT win in opposition to Rutgers
What’s at stake: Michigan hasn’t defeated Michigan State in the Breslin Center since 2018, when John Beilein was the Wolverines’ head coach. Michigan is on its second coach since Beilein, whereas Tom Izzo nonetheless resides over the Spartans. This Michigan State crew performs his model of basketball — robust, rugged — and is the No. 1 ranked protection on KenPom. Michigan, in its second season beneath Dusty May, is the No. 2 ranked protection. This is a rivalry, and a rubber match of two groups who win with protection and measurement.
Ohio State @ Wisconsin (Saturday 2 p.m. ET on FOX)
Key Ohio State gamers: Bruce Thornton (Senior, Guard), John Mobley Jr. (Sophomore, Guard), Devin Royal (Junior, Forward)
Key Wisconsin gamers: Nick Boyd (Senior, Guard), John Blackwell (Junior, Guard), Nolan Winter (Junior, Forward)
Ohio State’s final sport: 84-78 win in opposition to Penn State
Wisconsin’s final sport: 67-63 win in opposition to Minnesota
What’s at stake: Wisconsin and Ohio State are each in search of a first-round bye in the Big Ten Tournament. The Badgers solidified their NCAA Tournament case once they ended Michigan’s undefeated season. Ohio State is firmly on the bubble and must stack wins in opposition to tournament-caliber opponents. There’s no lack of guard expertise on this sport, with Bruce Thornton and Nick Boyd each amongst the prime 5 in scoring in the Big Ten.
No. 2 UConn @ Creighton (Saturday 8 p.m. ET on FOX)
Key UConn gamers: Solo Ball (Junior, Guard), Alex Karaban (Senior, Forward), Tarris Reed Jr. (Senior, Center)
Key Creighton gamers: Josh Dix (Senior, Guard), Jasen Green (Junior, Forward), Austin Swartz (Sophomore, Guard)
UConn’s final sport: 87-81 win in opposition to Providence
Creighton’s final sport: 86-62 loss to Marquette
What’s at stake: UConn is ideal in the Big East however has performed its final 4 opponents shut. Any slip-up in a convention that has a most of three NCAA Tournament groups would vastly threaten the Huskies’ bid for a 1-seed in March. After a 24-point loss to Marquette, Creighton can solely hope to play spoiler transferring ahead. The Bluejays have extra expertise than the current groups the Huskies have toyed with, so they may pull off the upset.
No. 8 Iowa State @ Kansas State (Sunday 2 p.m. ET on FOX)
Key Iowa State gamers: Joshua Jefferson (Senior, Forward), Milan Momcilovic (Junior, Forward), Tamin Lipsey (Senior, Guard)
Key Kansas State gamers: PJ Haggerty (Junior, Guard), Abdi Bashir Jr. (Junior, Guard), Nate Johnson (Senior, Guard)
Iowa State’s final sport: 97-67 win in opposition to Colorado
Kansas State’s final sport: 59-54 loss to West Virginia
What’s at stake: If the season ended at this time, Iowa State would not have a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament. That’s shocking given the Cyclones began the season 16-0. They’re additionally eyeing a top-seed in the NCAA Tournament, however a loss to Cincinnati (eightieth in NET) blemished their résumé. A defeat to Kansas State (89th in NET) would destroy it. The Wildcats are 1-7 in opposition to Quad 1 opponents and have misplaced seven of their final eight video games.
No. 9 Illinois @ No. 5 Nebraska (Sunday 4 p.m. ET on FS1)
Key Illinois gamers: Keaton Wagler (Freshman, Guard), Andrej Stojakovic (Junior, Guard), David Mirkovic (Freshman, Forward)
Key Nebraska gamers: Rienk Mast (Senior, Forward), Pryce Sandfort (Junior, Guard), Sam Hoiberg (Senior, Guard)
Illinois’s final sport: 75-66 win in opposition to Washington
Nebraska’s final sport: 75-72 loss to Michigan
What’s at stake: The Big Ten schedule-makers are both fortunate or extraordinarily good. There’s a four-way tie at the prime of the convention, and every of these groups play each other this weekend. Michigan and Michigan State had been straightforward to foretell, however the Fighting Illini and Cornhuskers have been two of the larger success tales this faculty basketball season. The Illini are led by Wagler, a freshman who was ranked exterior the prime 250 gamers in the 2025 class. The Huskers went 20-0 for the first time in program historical past earlier than shedding to Michigan earlier this week.
Women’s Basketball
No. 15 Tennessee @ No. 1 UConn (Sunday midday ET on FOX)
Key Tennessee gamers: Talaysia Cooper (Junior, Guard), Janiah Barker (Senior, Forward), Zee Speerman (Senior, Forward)
Key UConn gamers: Sarah Strong (Sophomore, Forward), Azzi Fudd (Senior, Guard), KK Arnold (Senior, Guard)
Tennessee’s final sport: 77-62 loss to Mississippi State
UConn’s final sport: 97-39 win in opposition to Xavier
What’s at stake: UConn is 22-0 and has gained its previous 38 video games, however the Huskies’ final loss got here in opposition to Tennessee in Knoxville in January 2025. Tennessee has misplaced all three of its non-conference video games in opposition to ranked opponents, however the Volunteers had an eight-game win streak with a pair of victories over SEC groups inside the AP Top 25 earlier than being upset by Mississippi State. This is the sixth time in the previous seven years that UConn and Tennessee have taken a pause from convention play for his or her historic matchup. The Huskies had gained 4 in a row till final season.
No. 9 Michigan @ No. 13 Michigan State (Sunday midday ET on FS1)
Key Michigan gamers: Olivia Olson (Sophomore, Guard), Syla Swords (Sophomore, Guard), Te’Yala Delfosse (Sophomore, Forward)
Key Michigan State gamers: Grace VanSlooten (Senior, Forward), Kennedy Blair (Sophomore, Guard), Rashunda Jones (Junior, Guard)
Michigan’s final sport: 95-67 win in opposition to Indiana
Michigan State’s final sport: 86-65 win in opposition to Purdue
What’s at stake: Michigan basketball followers may as effectively take residence in East Lansing this weekend. Catch the males’s rivalry in motion on Friday night time, then take a day to relaxation and discover the metropolis earlier than locking in for the girls’s battle on Sunday.
No. 12 TCU @ No. 21 Texas Tech (Sunday 2 p.m. ET on FS1)
Key TCU gamers: Olivia Miles (Senior, Guard), Marta Suarez (Senior, Forward), Clara Silva (Sophomore, Center)
Key Texas Tech gamers: Bailey Maupin (Senior, Guard), Snudda Collins (Senior, Guard), Jalynn Bristow (Junior, Forward)
TCU’s final sport: 79-77 win in opposition to Kansas
Texas Tech’s final sport: 84-70 loss to Iowa State
What’s at stake: TCU is on the heels of Baylor for the prime spot in the Big 12. Texas Tech has dropped three of its previous 4 convention video games. TCU and Texas Tech every solely have one win in opposition to a ranked opponent this season and will use one other to assist increase their résumés.
No. 8 Iowa @ No. 2 UCLA (Sunday 4 p.m. ET on FOX)
Key Iowa gamers: Ava Heiden (Sophomore, Guard), Hannah Stuelke (Senior, Forward), Chazadi Wright (Sophomore, Guard)
Key UCLA gamers: Kiki Rice (Senior, Guard), Lauren Betts (Senior, Center), Gabriela Jacquez (Senior, Guard)
Iowa’s final sport: 81-69 loss to USC
UCLA’s final sport: 80-67 win in opposition to Illinois
What’s at stake: UCLA is the lone remaining undefeated crew in Big Ten play, following Iowa’s loss to USC on Thursday. The Hawkeyes are only one sport again now, and will get again right into a tie for first with a W right here. Iowa State hasn’t crushed the Bruins since they joined the convention final season, nevertheless.
