Big Ten Basketball Midweek Rundown: Can Anyone Challenge Michigan State?

Welcome back to the Big Ten Basketball Midweek Rundown.
First, a look at where each Big Ten team stands in the latest version of the AP poll, as well as going over the results from Monday through Wednesday in the Big Ten.
Which teams helped their tournament résumés? Which teams need help to get into the tournament?
Big Ten in the AP Poll: Week 13
No. 7 Michigan State
No. 10 Purdue
No. 16 Oregon
No. 17 Wisconsin
No. 18 Illinois
Big Ten Men's Basketball Monday Results:
Michigan 76, Penn State 72
Tre Donaldson took over late, scoring seven of his career-high 21 points in the final minutes as Michigan closed on a 9-0 run to edge Penn State 76-72 on Monday night. The Wolverines trailed 70-67 with just over three minutes left, but Penn State failed to score the rest of the way.
Michigan’s relentless effort on the boards helped them stay in control, including a sequence where they grabbed three offensive rebounds before Rubin Jones buried a 3-pointer to push the lead to 55-47. Down the stretch, Donaldson hit a jumper, then drilled a clutch three to give Michigan the lead. After a key defensive stop, he secured the rebound and iced the game with two free throws.
Ohio State 82, Iowa 65
Micah Parrish scored 18 points as Ohio State pulled away in the second half to beat Iowa 82-65 on Monday. The Buckeyes carried momentum from their upset over Purdue, while Iowa continues to struggle, losing four of their last five.
Ohio State held a slim 30-26 lead at halftime before Parrish and Bruce Thornton (15 points, 8 rebounds) helped stretch the margin. After a back-and-forth first half, Ohio State dominated down the stretch.
UCLA 82, USC 76
Eric Dailey Jr. scored 16 points as UCLA held off USC 82-76 on Monday night. Aday Mara made a big impact with five blocks and his first double-double of the season, finishing with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
UCLA led most of the way, building a double-digit cushion early in the second half. USC closed the gap late but missed key free throws. Mack’s clutch three-pointer and late free throws secured the Bruins’ fourth straight win.
Big Ten Men's Basketball Tuesday Results:
No. 7 Michigan State 73, Minnesota 51
No. 7 Michigan State dominated Minnesota in a 73-51 blowout, extending their winning streak to 13 games. Tre Holloman set the tone early, scoring all 12 of his points in the first half, while Jaden Akins took over after halftime with 10 of his 12.
The Spartans jumped out to a massive 22-point lead in the first half and never looked back, cruising to another Big Ten win. Minnesota, despite coming in with momentum from three straight conference victories, struggled to keep up. Dawson Garcia was their lone bright spot with 21 points, but he got little support as no other Gopher scored more than eight.
Big Ten Men's Basketball Wednesday Results:
Maryland 76, No. 17 Wisconsin 68
Maryland continued its hot streak with a 76-68 win over No. 17 Wisconsin, marking its fourth straight victory. Rodney Rice and Ja’Kobi Gillespie each dropped 16 points, while Julian Reese added 14 to help the Terrapins overcome a second-half deficit.
A decisive 14-2 run flipped the game in Maryland’s favor, and Gillespie’s clutch banked three-pointer sealed the deal. Wisconsin, which had been elite at the free-throw line all season, struggled with an uncharacteristic 15-of-21 performance. The Badgers have now dropped two of their last three, while Maryland has won six of seven and looks like a team gaining serious momentum in the Big Ten race.
Rutgers 79, Northwestern 72
Freshman sensation Ace Bailey put on a show, dropping 37 points—24 of them in the first half—as Rutgers pulled off a rare road win, 79-72, over Northwestern. Bailey was nearly unstoppable, hitting 13 of 20 shots, including a career-best five three-pointers. Even without standout freshman Dylan Harper, the Scarlet Knights found enough offense, with Tyson Acuff chipping in 13 points on efficient shooting.
This was just Rutgers’ second true road win, making it even more impressive against a Northwestern team that had been nearly unbeatable at home the past two seasons. The Wildcats got 23 points from Jalen Leach, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Bailey’s dominance. Rutgers is starting to show flashes of potential, while Northwestern continues to struggle in Big Ten play.
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