With the first week of Big Ten matchups in the books, we can take a look back and see what we learned. The three powerhouses continued their hot start to the season with solid wins over their first Big Ten adversaries. Ohio State remains undefeated after thrashing unranked opponents Purdue and Nebraska. Michigan State is still a potential candidate to win the NCAA Tournament, evidenced by maintaining its dominance over Penn State, improving their record to 31-7 all-time against the Nittany Lions. Wisconsin has also displayed greatness on both sides of the ball.

No. 3 Ohio State at No. 5 Michigan State – January 7, 9:00 p.m.

The Ohio State Buckeyes will have their toughest test of the season as they head into East Lansing, Michigan, to take on the Spartans in what is shaping up to be a monumental contest. With a combined record of 28-1, these two teams are both loaded with talent and the deadly ability to drain the outside shot. With both teams averaging over 75 points, look for this to be a high-scoring affair headlined by Aaron Craft and LaQuinton Ross for the Buckeyes, and Keith Appling and Adreian Payne for the Spartans.

Minnesota at Penn State – January 8, 7:00 p.m.

After narrowly losing to Michigan, the Golden Gophers look to rebound quickly, in order to stay alive in conference play. Minnesota is led by junior Andre Hollins and senior Austin Hollins (not related). They are first and second on the team, respectively, in points per game and field goal attempts. If Penn State wants to keep up scoring with those dynamic guards, the Nittany Lions backcourt duo of DJ Newbill and Tim Frazier have to be just as effective and aggressive as they have been all season, both averaging north of 17 points per game.

Illinois at No. 4 Wisconsin – January 9, 9:00 p.m.

The Wisconsin Badgers have remained undefeated thus far because of stellar defensive play, only allowing more than 70 points twice in 14 games, and none in their last 10 contests. If the Badgers want to keep their spot as a current top seed in the NCAA Tournament, it will be up to the sophomore forward Sam Dekker to be a colossal presence down low and continue to lead the team in both points and rebounds.

Illinois is truly a test for any school in the country, with their only blemishes being close losses to No. 15 Oregon and Georgia Tech. Look for this game to come down to the wire, with a remarkable duo of Tracy Abrams dishing it out to Rayvonte Rice for the Fighting Illini.

Michigan @ Nebraska – January 9, 9:00 p.m.

If Glenn Robinson III, Nik Stauskas, and the rest of the Michigan Wolverines want to get back to the National Championship game, they first need to build some confidence after having a tough non-conference schedule. After losses against No. 10 Duke and No. 1 Arizona, two solid wins over successive opponents Minnesota and Northwestern could be just the spark they need to make a run.

The Cornhuskers of Nebraska have lost three straight games, and all four of their road games this season. They are having a tough time distributing and shooting, averaging just below 70 points per game and only 10 assists a game. If the Wolverines are going to be upset by Nebraska in this contest, the Cornhuskers need the help of their home crowd at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Indiana @ Penn State –January 11, 12:00 p.m.

Reigning Big Ten champions Indiana comes to Happy Valley to play the Penn State Nittany Lions in what looked like, on paper, at the beginning of the season to be a giant mismatch, heavily favored by Indiana. As we get closer to the actual game, they have eerily similar records and Indiana is looking to steal an away game victory at the Bryce Jordan Center. The Hoosiers are led by sophomore guard Yogi Ferrell, who has been shooting the lights out from downtown, averaging over 45% from beyond the arc.

Penn State got off to a tremendous start against Michigan State, leading by seven at the midway point of the game. After halftime, reality set back in and the Spartans kicked back into gear, outscoring the Nittany Lions by 23. If Penn State can limit turning the ball over and find a way to get stronger in the second half, they have a big chance of earning the win against the Hoosiers.

Nicholas Diecidue is a sophomore majoring in Energy Business and Finance. To contact him, email ndiecidue@gmail.com.