It's a new year and Big Ten basketball is back. It was quite a weekend, with a record-setting performance by Purdue's Braden Smith, more greatness from unbeaten Nebraska and more. Here's our weekend roundup, plus the full schedule for the coming week, with game times and TV information.
Purdue's Braden Smith has been the best point guard in the Big Ten for a couple of years now, and he's the preseason national player of the year on many lists this season. And there's a good reason why. He knows how to run an offense.
Smith, a senior from Westfield, Ind., had 14 points and 12 assists on Saturday night in the Boilermakers' 89-73 win over Wisconsin in Madison. He now has 893 career assists, which pushed him past Michigan State's Cassius Winston for the most in Big Ten history.
He moved into 18th place on the NCAA career assists list, now needing 184 assists to set the NCAA career record set by Bobby Hurley (1,076). Smith recorded his 31st career game of 10 or more assists, tied for the seventh most in NCAA history. He also recorded his 22nd career double-double.
Here's the top-20 list of Big Ten assists leaders.
Big Ten Assists Leaders All-Time
1. Braden Smith, Purdue (2022-present) — 893
2. Cassius Winston, Michigan State (2017-20) — 890
3. Mateen Cleaves, Michigan State (1997-2000) — 816
4. Bruce Douglas, Illinois (1983-85) — 765
5. Demetri McCarney, Illinois (2008-11) — 733
6. Gary Grant, Michigan (1985-88) — 731
7. Jordan Bohannon, Iowa (2017-22) — 704
8. Bryant McIntosh, Northwestern (2015-18) — 700
9. Aaron Craft, Ohio State (2011-14) — 694
10. Dee Brown, Illinois (2003-06) — 674
11. Zavier Simpson, Michigan (2017-20) — 667
12. Scott Skiles, Michigan State (1982-86) — 645
13. Tim Frazier, Penn State (2010-14) — 641
14. Denzel Valentine, Michigan State (2013-16) — 639
15. Yogi Ferrell, Indiana (2012-16) — 633
16. Boo Buie, Northwestern (2020-24) — 618
17. Jeff Horner, Iowa (2003-06) — 612
18. A.J. Hoggard, Michigan State (2021-24) — 609
19. Eric Snow, Michigan State (1992-95) — 599
20. Deron Williams, Illinois (2003-05) — 594
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It was an excellent first weekend in January around the league. Outside of Smith's record-setting heroics, Nebraska also remained unbeaten with a thrilling home win over Michigan State that led to a court-storming.
Nebraska is now 14-0 — and that's a first in school history for a team that's never even won an NCAA Tournament game — and the Cornhuskers are one of three remaining unbeatens in the league, along with Michigan and Purdue.
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo has a lot of respect for Hoiberg, and appreciated Lincoln's reaction to the win over a top-10 team, which some are calling the best win in school history.
“He told me after the game, ‘I’m really happy for you. I’m proud of you. I’m happy for you,’” Hoiberg said during his postgame press conference. “That’s great to hear something like that from a Hall of Famer, one of the best that’s ever done it.”
Izzo concurred.
“If I had to lose to somebody, losing to him is a good thing,” Izzo said of Sam Hoiberg’s late heroics in Nebraska’s win. “Fans were great. It’s just the way it was. We played one of the better teams in the Big Ten. We learned something. They’re just a better team all the way around. Fans are better. Everybody’s better.”
Friday's results
* No. 2 Michigan Wolverines defeated No. 24 USC Trojans 96-66 at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. Records: Michigan is 13-0 and 3-0 in the Big Ten. USC is 12-2, and 1-2.
* Oregon Ducks defeated Maryland Terrapins 64-54 at Xfinity Center in College Park, Md. Records: Oregon is 8-6 and 1-2 in the Big Ten. Maryland is 7-7 and 0-3.
* Ohio State defeated Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Jersey Mike's Arena in Piscataway, N.J Records: Ohio State is 10-3 and 2-1 in the Big Ten. Rutgers is 7-7 and 0-3.
* No. 13 Nebraska Cornhuskers defeated No. 9 Michigan State Spartans 58-56 at Pinacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb. Records: Nebraska is 14-0 and 3-0 in the Big Ten. Michigan State is 12-2 and 2-1.
Saturday's results
* Minnesota Golden Gophers defeated Northwestern Wildcats 84-78 at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill. Records: Minnesota is 8-6 and 2-1 in the Big Ten. Northwestern is 8-6 and 0-3.
* No. 25 Iowa Hawkeyes defeated UCLA Bruins 74-61 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. Records: Iowa is 12-2 and 2-1 in the Big Ten. UCLA is 10-4 and 2-1.
* No. 20 Illinois Fighting Illini defeated Penn State Nittany Lions 73-65 at Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pa. Records: Illinois is 11-3 and 2-1 in the Big Ten. Penn State is 9-5 and 0-3.
* No. 5 Purdue Boilermakers defeated Wisconsin Badgers 89-73 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. Records: Purdue is 13-1 and 3-0 in the Big Ten. Wisconsin is 9-5 and 1-2.
Sunday's result
* Indiana Hoosiers defeated Washington Huskies 90-80 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind. Records: Indiana is 11-3 and 2-1 in the Big Ten. Washington is 9-5 and 1-2.
Big Ten standings
Thru Sunday, Jan. 4
This week's schedule
Monday's games
* Nebraska at Ohio State, 6:30 p.m. ET. TV: FOX Sports 1
* USC at Michigan State, 8:30 p.m. ET. TV: FOX Sports 1
Tuesday's games
* Michigan at Penn State, 7 p.m. ET. TV: FOX Sports 1
* Iowa at Minnesota, 8 p.m. ET. TV: Big Ten Network
* UCLA at Wisconsin, 9 p.m. ET. TV/Streaming: Peacock
Wednesday's games
* Indiana at Maryland, 6:30 p.m. ET. TV: Big Ten Network
*Washington at Purdue, 8:30 p.m. ET. TV: Big Ten Network
Thursday's games
* Northwestern at Michigan State, 6:30 p.m. ET. TV: Big Ten Network
* Rutgers at Illinois, 8:30 p.m. ET. TV: Big Ten Network
* Ohio State at Oregon, 10:30 p.m. ET. TV: Big Ten Network
Friday's games
* USC at Minnesota, 8:30 p.m. ET. TV: Big Ten Network
Saturday's games
* Nebraska at Indiana, Noon ET. TV: Big Ten Network
* Penn State at Purdue, 2 p.m. ET. TV: Big Ten Network
* Maryland at UCLA, 8 p.m. ET. TV: FOX
* Wisconsin at Michigan, TBA. TV: CBS
Sunday's games
* Illinois at Iowa, TBA TV: FOX
* Northwestern at Rutgers, 5 p.m. ET. TV/Streaming: Peacock
* Ohio State at Washington, 6 p.m. ET. TV/Streaming: Peacock