Wisconsin and Illinois Claim Men’s Basketball Weekly Laurels

by | Feb 16, 2026 | Basketball, College Sports, Headlines

Wisconsin and Illinois Claim Men’s Basketball Weekly Laurels

Badgers’ Boyd and Illini’s Wagler garner Big Ten weekly honors

Player of the Week
Nick Boyd, Wisconsin

G – Sr. – 6-3 – Garnerville, N.Y. – St. Mary

  • Averaged 27.0 points per game and 4.5 assists per game while leading Wisconsin to a pair of top-10 wins
  • Scored 25 points to go with five assists and no turnovers in the Badgers’ 92-90 overtime win at Illinois
  • Connected on 10-of-17 field goal attempts, including 5-of-7 from three-point range, for 29 points in a 92-71 victory over Michigan State
  • Claims his second Player of the Week award
  • Last Wisconsin Player of the Week: John Blackwell (January 19, 2026)

 

 

 

Freshman of the Week
Keaton Wagler, Illinois

G – Fr. – 6-6 – Shawnee, Kan. – Shawnee Mission Northwest

 

  • Averaged 26.0 points, 5.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals in a pair of games last week on 50% shooting from the field, including 43% from 3-point range
  • Scored a game-high 34 points with seven assists in a 92-90 overtime loss to Wisconsin
  • Paired 18 points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals in a 71-51 win over Indiana
  • Garners his sixth Freshman of the Week honor
  • Last Illinois Player of the Week: Keaton Wagler (February 2, 2026)

 

2025-26 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Players of the Week

Feb. 16

P: Nick Boyd, WIS

F: Keaton Wagler, ILL

 

Feb. 9

P: Lamar Wilkerson, IND

P: Bennett Stirtz, IOWA

F: Alijah Arenas, USC

 

Feb. 2

P: Bennett Stirtz, IOWA

P: Jeremy Fears Jr., MSU

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

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