- The Big Ten possesses a 37-2 overall record through Monday’s contests. Institutions went 34-1 on their home courts during the first full week of the 2025-26 season. The Big Ten’s .949 win percentage ranks second among Division I conferences, only behind the SEC (39-2, .951).
- The second week of play tipped Monday with a top-10 battle that featured No. 3/4 UCLA defeating No. 6/7 Oklahoma, 73-59. Four more ranked showdowns are on the agenda for the Big Ten, starting Thursday when No. 3/4 UCLA takes on No. 11/8 North Carolina in Las Vegas as part of the WBCA Challenge. The game will air live on ESPN2 at 9 p.m. ET.
- Actions continues Saturday at 4 p.m. ET on NBC with No. 14/15 Michigan facing No. 18/17 Notre Dame in the Shamrock Classic. The evening concludes with the battle of The Real SC as No. 8/10 USC challenges No. 2 South Carolina. Tipoff is slated for 9 p.m. ET on FOX. RV/25 Ohio State will square off with its first ranked opponent of the season when it visits to No. 1 UConn for a 12 p.m. ET Sunday outing on Peacock.
- The Big Ten Conference had seven programs featured in this week’s Associated Press (AP) Top 25 poll. UCLA stayed steady at No. 3, followed by No. 8 USC, No. 9 Maryland, No. 14 Michigan, No. 21 Iowa, No. 24 Michigan State and No. 25 Washington. Ohio State, Minnesota and Nebraska received votes.
- Seven programs also made an appearance in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA)/USA Today Top 25 poll – No. 4 UCLA, No. 7 Maryland, No. 10 USC, No. 15 Michigan, No. 23 Iowa, No. 24 Michigan State and No. 25 Ohio State. Washington, Minnesota and Nebraska garnered votes.
- USC’s Jazzy Davidson was named the Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Week, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) announced Tuesday. Davidson averaged 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists through two games for the Trojans. Her career-high 21 points, five blocks, four assists and three steals helped USC upset No. 9 NC State. Davidson went on to score the game-winning basket with eight second remaining in the contest. She was also recognized as the Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week for her efforts.
- The Big Ten recognized its first weekly award winners of the 2025-26 season on Monday. Davidson shared Freshman of the Week laurels with Purdue’s Hila Karsh. Karsh tallied 12 points with five boards, two assists, one block and one steal in her collegiate debut versus FDU. She dropped 24 points, went 5-for-7 from behind the arc, pulled down seven rebounds and dished four assists against Eastern Illinois. Karsh became the first Purdue freshman with a 20-point, five-three-pointer, five-rebound effort since the 2010-11 season.
- Indiana’s Shay Ciezki was tabbed as the Big Ten Player of the Week. She averaged 28.5 points while shooting 52.6 percent from the floor and 56.3 percent from beyond the arc during Indiana’s 2-0 start. Ciezki chipped in 22 points, five rebounds and three assists against Lipscomb before she set a new career high with 35 points on 12-for-21 shooting and connected on seven three-pointers versus UIC.
- Maryland opened the 2025-26 campaign with an 80-26 win over Loyola. The 26 points tied for the program’s second fewest under head coach Brenda Frese and the program’s third fewest allowed ever.
- Michigan defeated Canisius, 100-40, in its season opener and tallied 25 steals, the sixth-highest total in Wolverine history. The mark also ranks ninth all-time in the Big Ten record book.
- Michigan State broke its school record with 125 points in its victory over Mercyhurst. The tally checked in fifth among the Big Ten’s record for the most points scored in game. The Spartans’ 86-point margin of victory topped the previous school record (66), and their 24 steals tied the program record for the third time in school history.
- Minnesota’s 99-36 win over Manhattan was the second largest margin of victory in program history.
- Nebraska took down Northwestern State, 103-46. The Huskers’ 59 points were the most ever scored in the first half of a season opener, while the 32 first-quarter points were the most ever scored by the Big Red in an opening period since the quarter system was put in place in 2015-16.
- The 2025-26 season will be the final ride for storied Northwestern head coach Joe McKeown, who announced on March 24 that he intends to retire at the conclusion of season. McKeown is the longest-tenured and winningest head women’s basketball coach in Northwestern history. This is his 18th season in Evanston and his 40th season overall as a head coach.
- Each Big Ten institution will play an 18-game conference schedule for the seventh time in eight seasons. The conference season tips off on Saturday, Dec. 6, with three games, while the remaining 12 teams open conference action on Sunday, Dec. 7. The league slate pauses for the holidays and resumes on Sunday, Dec. 28 with a four-game lineup. During the conference season, each program will play one school both home and away, while facing 16 teams once. Of the single-play opponents, institutions will face eight at home and eight on the road.
- The 2026 Allstate Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament is set for March 4-8 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, marking the 27th time the tournament will be played in Circle City. Fifteen teams will qualify for the tournament, with three first-round games slated for Wednesday, March 4. The top four teams will receive first- and second-round byes and advance to the quarterfinals on Friday, March 6.