Big Ten Basketball: Luka Garza, Minnesota and other takeaways this week

Big Ten Basketball: Luka Garza, Minnesota and other takeaways of the week

By Ryan Kay | Jan 18, 2020

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 15: Kaleb Wesson #34 of the Ohio State Buckeyes handles the ball while being guarded by Xavier Tillman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans in the first half during the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 15, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

3 of 3

EAST LANSING, MI – JANUARY 17: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

Michigan State still the King of the North

After suffering a demoralizing double-digit defeat at Purdue this past weekend, the Spartans bounced back against the Wisconsin Badgers who came into East Lansing having won six of their last seven games. The Spartans ended up defeating the Badgers by 12 and with the victory remained solely atop of the Big Ten. Cassius Winston became the Big Ten’s all-time assist leader with an alley opp pass to Xavier Tillman for a dunk. After the game, the Spartans held an on-court ceremony honoring his achievement.

Michigan State is 6-1 in Big Ten play with their victory this week over the Badgers. Even though Winston didn’t have a dominant game over Wisconsin offensively, his senior leadership is undervalued as younger players like Gabe Brown, Rocket Watts, and Aaron Henry played well against the Badgers. The Spartans showed in their dominant win over Wisconsin this week that they are still king of the north.

Northwestern and Nebraska are destined to finish in the bottom two spots

Even though the Cornhuskers have beaten Iowa and Purdue at home, they also have been inconsistent and unable to win close games in Big Ten Play early in conference play. Northwestern who did beat Nebraska, only has one Big Ten win thus far and has struggled in Big Ten play even when they have lost three conference games by single digits.

The other 12 Big Ten teams have at this point in the season have shown enough in Big Ten play to have hope that they can potentially qualify for postseason play. Northwestern and Nebraska would need to start to win some games this month to change the narrative.

Next. Latest 2020 Bracketology. dark

The Cornhuskers have Indiana this weekend and then travel to play at Wisconsin and then at Rutgers. The Wildcats play at Illinois this weekend and then play Maryland and Ohio State at home and then travels to play at Michigan State. It will be a very difficult task for Nebraska and Northwestern to leapfrog any of the other 12 teams in the Big Ten standings.

Home/Big Ten