Just three Big Ten teams remain unbeaten in conference play heading into this week’s slate of games. Michigan State and Nebraska are off to 2-0 starts in Big Ten play, while Wisconsin is 1-0. Seven conference teams are 1-1 in Big Ten play after splitting their first two conference games.
• Five conference teams won at least one road game during the opening week of Big Ten play. Nebraska recorded back-to-back road victories at Indiana and Maryland. Three of the first 12 conference games were extended to overtime, including both of Minnesota’s contests.
• Seven different Big Ten teams received votes in Monday’s Associated Press (AP) or USA Today Coaches’ Top 25 polls. Wisconsin leads the way at No. 13/11 (AP/USA Today), followed by No. 20/20 Purdue and No. T25/25 Indiana. Maryland and Minnesota both earned votes in the AP and coaches polls, while Northwestern earned votes in the AP ballot and Nebraska claimed recognition in the coaches poll.
• #13/11 Wisconsin will play a pair of road games against ranked teams this week. The Badgers will travel to #T25/25 Indiana on Tuesday, before playing at #20/20 Purdue on Sunday.
• Michigan head coach John Beilein, who picked up his 750th career win against Furman, enters this week’s homestand with 199 victories as the Wolverines’ mentor. With one more conference win, Beilein would join Michigan State’s Tom Izzo (534), Ohio State’s Thad Matta (330) and Purdue’s Matt Painter (250) as the other active Big Ten head coaches to win at least 200 games at their current schools. Painter won his 250th game at Purdue in the Boilermakers’ conference opener against Iowa.
• Penn State’s Shep Garner heads into Wednesday’s game at Michigan with 985 career points, while Northwestern’s Bryant McIntosh enters Thursday’s contest against Minnesota with 983 career tallies. Ten active Big Ten players have scored at least 1,000 career points.
• Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan has tallied a nation’s-best three 20-rebound performances this season, and Minnesota’s Jordan Murphy grabbed a career-high 21 boards against Michigan State. The duo represents the only two players among the ACC, Big 12, BIG EAST, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC this season to corral at least 20 rebounds in a single-game.
• Tickets for the second annual “Super Saturday – College Hoops & Hockey” doubleheader, which will feature Rutgers taking on Wisconsin in men’s basketball and Ohio State facing the Badgers in ice hockey at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, are now on sale to the general public through Ticketmaster at ticketmaster.com or by calling (866) 858-0008.
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