College Basketball Games of the Week: Historic Women’s Clash, Huge Rivalries

The two greatest women’s basketball programs are going head-to-head. There are a pair of rivalries in East Lansing. The top teams in the Big Ten in men’s and women’s college basketball are facing off. The big college basketball games this weekend will impact conference standings and NCAA Tournament seeding. There are top teams in men’s and women’s hoops going at it, and we’re here to help you prepare for the action. Men’s Basketball No. 3 Michigan at No. 7 Michigan State (Friday 8 p.m. ET on FOX) Key Michigan players: Yaxel Lendeborg (Senior, Forward), Morez Johnson Jr. (Sophomore, Forward), Elliott Cadeau (Junior, Guard) Key Michigan State players: Jeremy Fears Jr. (Sophomore, Guard), Jaxon Kohler (Senior, Forward) Carson Cooper (Senior, Center) Michigan’s last game: 75-72 win against No. 5 Nebraska Michigan State’s last game: 88-79 OT win against Rutgers What’s at stake: Michigan hasn’t defeated Michigan State in the Breslin Center since 2018, when John Beilein was the Wolverines’ head coach. Michigan is on its second coach since Beilein, while Tom Izzo still resides over the Spartans. This Michigan State team plays his brand of basketball — tough, rugged — and is the No. 1 ranked defense on KenPom. Michigan, in its second season under Dusty May, is the No. 2 ranked defense. This is a rivalry, and a rubber match of two teams who win with defense and size. Ohio State @ Wisconsin (Saturday 2 p.m. ET on FOX) Key Ohio State players: Bruce Thornton (Senior, Guard), John Mobley Jr. (Sophomore, Guard), Devin Royal (Junior, Forward) Key Wisconsin players: Nick Boyd (Senior, Guard), John Blackwell (Junior, Guard), Nolan Winter (Junior, Forward) Ohio State’s last game: 84-78 win against Penn State Wisconsin’s last game: 67-63 win against Minnesota What’s at stake: Wisconsin and Ohio State are both seeking a first-round bye in the Big Ten Tournament. The Badgers solidified their NCAA Tournament case when they ended Michigan’s undefeated season. Ohio State is firmly on the bubble and needs to stack wins against tournament-caliber opponents. There’s no lack of guard talent in this game, with Bruce Thornton and Nick Boyd both among the top five in scoring in the Big Ten. No. 2 UConn @ Creighton (Saturday 8 p.m. ET on FOX) Key UConn players: Solo Ball (Junior, Guard), Alex Karaban (Senior, Forward), Tarris Reed Jr. (Senior, Center) Key Creighton players: Josh Dix (Senior, Guard), Jasen Green (Junior, Forward), Austin Swartz (Sophomore, Guard) UConn’s last game: 87-81 win against Providence Creighton’s last game: 86-62 loss to Marquette What’s at stake: UConn is perfect in the Big East but has played its last four opponents close. Any slip-up in a conference that has a maximum of three NCAA Tournament teams would greatly threaten the Huskies’ bid for a 1-seed in March. After a 24-point loss to Marquette, Creighton can only hope to play spoiler moving forward. The Bluejays have more talent than the recent teams the Huskies have toyed with, so they could pull off the upset. No. 8 Iowa State @ Kansas State (Sunday 2 p.m. ET on FOX) Key Iowa State players: Joshua Jefferson (Senior, Forward), Milan Momcilovic (Junior, Forward), Tamin Lipsey (Senior, Guard) Key Kansas State players: PJ Haggerty (Junior, Guard), Abdi Bashir Jr. (Junior, Guard), Nate Johnson (Senior, Guard) Iowa State’s last game: 97-67 win against Colorado Kansas State’s last game: 59-54 loss to West Virginia What’s at stake: If the season ended today, Iowa State wouldn’t have a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament. That’s surprising given the Cyclones started the season 16-0. They’re also eyeing a top-seed in the NCAA Tournament, but a loss to Cincinnati (80th in NET) blemished their résumé. A defeat to Kansas State (89th in NET) would destroy it. The Wildcats are 1-7 against Quad 1 opponents and have lost seven of their last eight games. No. 9 Illinois @ No. 5 Nebraska (Sunday 4 p.m. ET on FS1) Key Illinois players: Keaton Wagler (Freshman, Guard), Andrej Stojakovic (Junior, Guard), David Mirkovic (Freshman, Forward) Key Nebraska players: Rienk Mast (Senior, Forward), Pryce Sandfort (Junior, Guard), Sam Hoiberg (Senior, Guard) Illinois’s last game: 75-66 win against Washington Nebraska’s last game: 75-72 loss to Michigan What’s at stake: The Big Ten schedule-makers are either lucky or extremely smart. There’s a four-way tie at the top of the conference, and each of those teams play one another this weekend. Michigan and Michigan State were easy to predict, but the Fighting Illini and Cornhuskers have been two of the greater success stories this college basketball season. The Illini are led by Wagler, a freshman who was ranked outside the top 250 players in the 2025 class. The Huskers went 20-0 for the first time in program history before losing to Michigan earlier this week. Women’s Basketball No. 15 Tennessee @ No. 1 UConn (Sunday noon ET on FOX) Key Tennessee players: Talaysia Cooper (Junior, Guard), Janiah Barker (Senior, Forward), Zee Speerman (Senior, Forward) Key UConn players: Sarah Strong (Sophomore, Forward), Azzi Fudd (Senior, Guard), KK Arnold (Senior, Guard) Tennessee’s last game: 77-62 loss to Mississippi State UConn’s last game: 97-39 win against Xavier What’s at stake: UConn is 22-0 and has won its past 38 games, but the Huskies’ last loss came against Tennessee in Knoxville in January 2025. Tennessee has lost all three of its non-conference games against ranked opponents, but the Volunteers had an eight-game win streak with a pair of victories over SEC teams inside the AP Top 25 before being upset by Mississippi State. This is the sixth time in the past seven years that UConn and Tennessee have taken a pause from conference play for their historic matchup. The Huskies had won four in a row until last season. No. 9 Michigan @ No. 13 Michigan State (Sunday noon ET on FS1) Key Michigan players: Olivia Olson (Sophomore, Guard), Syla Swords (Sophomore, Guard), Te’Yala Delfosse (Sophomore, Forward) Key Michigan State players: Grace VanSlooten (Senior, Forward), Kennedy Blair (Sophomore, Guard), Rashunda Jones (Junior, Guard) Michigan’s last game: 95-67 win against Indiana Michigan State’s last game: 86-65 win against Purdue What’s at stake: Michigan basketball fans might as well take residence in East Lansing this weekend. Catch the men’s rivalry in action on Friday night, then take a day to rest and explore the city before locking in for the women’s battle on Sunday. No. 12 TCU @ No. 21 Texas Tech (Sunday 2 p.m. ET on FS1) Key TCU players: Olivia Miles (Senior, Guard), Marta Suarez (Senior, Forward), Clara Silva (Sophomore, Center) Key Texas Tech players: Bailey Maupin (Senior, Guard), Snudda Collins (Senior, Guard), Jalynn Bristow (Junior, Forward) TCU’s last game: 79-77 win against Kansas Texas Tech’s last game: 84-70 loss to Iowa State What’s at stake: TCU is on the heels of Baylor for the top spot in the Big 12. Texas Tech has dropped three of its past four conference games. TCU and Texas Tech each only have one win against a ranked opponent this season and could use another to help boost their résumés. No. 8 Iowa @ No. 2 UCLA (Sunday 4 p.m. ET on FOX) Key Iowa players: Ava Heiden (Sophomore, Guard), Hannah Stuelke (Senior, Forward), Chazadi Wright (Sophomore, Guard) Key UCLA players: Kiki Rice (Senior, Guard), Lauren Betts (Senior, Center), Gabriela Jacquez (Senior, Guard) Iowa’s last game: 81-69 loss to USC UCLA’s last game: 80-67 win against Illinois What’s at stake: UCLA is the lone remaining undefeated team in Big Ten play, following Iowa’s loss to USC on Thursday. The Hawkeyes are just one game back now, and could get back into a tie for first with a W here. Iowa State hasn’t beaten the Bruins since they joined the conference last season, however.