Illinois, Iowa, and Michigan State Score Men’s Basketball Weekly Honors
Hawkeyes’ Stirtz, Spartans’ Fears Jr., and Illini’s Wagler collect weekly laurels
Co-Player of the Week
Bennett Stirtz, Iowa
G – Sr. – 6-6 – Liberty, Mo. – Liberty
- Averaged 26 points, 4.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 rebounds, while shooting 66.7 percent from the floor, 60 percent from three-point range and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line
- Opened the week with 20 points, three steals, three rebounds, and two assists in a 73-72 win over USC. Stirtz went 6-of-6 from the free throw line, including the game-winning free throws with 4.6 seconds to play
- Led the Hawkeyes to an 84-66 win at Oregon with a career-high 32 points, seven assists and two steals with no turnovers
- Claims his first Player of the Week award
- Last Iowa Player of the Week: Payton Sandfort (January 13, 2025)
Co-Player of the Week
Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State
G –So. – 6-2 – Joliet, Ill. – Joliet West
- Averaged 30.0 points and 8.0 assists with 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals in a 1-1 week for the Spartans
- Scored a career-high 29 points, including 27 in the second half and overtime, to go with nine assists and four rebounds in an 88-79 win at Rutgers
- Set a new career-best with 31 points with seven assists and five boards in an 83-71 loss to Michigan
- Earns second consecutive Player of the Week honor
- Last Michigan State Player of the Week: Jeremy Fears (January 26, 2026)
Freshman of the Week
Keaton Wagler, Illinois
G – Fr. – 6-6 – Shawnee, Kan. – Shawnee Mission Northwest
- Averaged 25.0 points, 6.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals in a road win at Nebraska and home win over Washington
- Tallied 22 points, eight assists, five boards and two steals in the 75-66 win over Washington
- Recorded 23 of his game-high 28 points in the second half on just six shot attempts in the 78-69 win at Nebraska
- Garners his fifth Freshman of the Week honor
- Last Illinois Player of the Week: Keaton Wagler (February 26, 2026)
2025-26 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Players of the Week
Feb. 2
P: Bennett Stirtz, IOWA
R: Jeremy Fears Jr., PUR
F: Keaton Wagler, ILL
Jan. 26
P: Keaton Wagler, ILL
P: Jeremy Fears, MSU
F: Keaton Wagler, ILL
Jan. 19
P: Diggy Coit, MD
P: John Blackwell, WIS
F: Braden Frager, NEB
Jan. 12
P: Braden Smith, PUR
P: Nick Boyd, WIS
F: Keaton Wagler, ILL
Jan. 5
P: Morez Johnson Jr., MICH
P: Braden Smith, PUR
F: Keaton Wagler, ILL
F: Hannes Steinbach, WASH
Dec. 22
P: Tariq Francis, RUT
P: Skyy Clark, UCLA
F: Braden Frager, NEB
Dec. 15
P: Lamar Wilkerson, IND
P: Pryce Sandfort, NEB
F: Keaton Wagler, ILL
Dec. 8
P: John Blackwell, WIS
F: Hannes Steinbach, WASH
Dec. 1
P: Yaxel Lendeborg, MICH
F: Kayden Mingo, PSU
Nov. 24
P: Diggy Coit, MD
F: Braden Frager, NEB
Nov. 17
P: Braden Smith, PUR
F: David Mirkovic, ILL
Nov. 10
P: Tucker DeVries, IND
P: Bruce Thornton, OSU
F: David Mirkovic, ILL