Big Ten Basketball Preview

Max Buchanan, Sports Writer

December 3, 2025

Featuring new talent and veteran superstars, the second season of the expanded eighteen-team Big Ten basketball season, which saw eight teams make March Madness last year, is underway. Conference play begins with exciting games right off the bat, including Northwestern at Wisconsin tonight, Dec. 3, Oregon at UCLA Dec. 6, and Illinois at Ohio State Dec. 9. This season, the Big Ten is set to be one of the most competitive and thrilling conferences in all of college basketball.

New Faces in the Conference

This past offseason, a number of talented transfers moved to colleges in the Big Ten, looking for a fresh start and wanting to help lead their new teams advance to the Big Ten Championship. Due to the evolution of the transfer portal and NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) across the country, mostly every team has used the portal. The Indiana Hoosiers lead the Big Ten with 10 transfers. As for the freshman class, each recruiting class in the Big Ten brought in young stars for their team, with Michigan recruiting Trey McKenney, the No. 21 recruit in the class.

Last year at the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB), Yaxel Lendeborg averaged 17.7 points per game, 11.4 rebounds per game, and 1.8 blocks per game. This season, the senior, who was one of the highest ranked transfers in the portal, will be taking his talents to The University of Michigan. His decision to become a Wolverine will be a major benefactor for Michigan propelling to a solid start.

Coming off of leading his team to an upset March Madness win over Missouri in the opening round last year, the former Drake Bulldog, Bennet Stirtz, came to Iowa with his former Drake coach, Ben McCollum. The senior leader averaged 19.2 points and 5.7 assists a game last year, and transferred to Iowa in hopes of reestablishing the Hawkeyes as a competitive team in the conference.

In the state of Indiana, Tucker DeVries and his father and coach Darian Devries came over from West Virginia, aiming to lead Hoosier basketball back to March Madness. Tucker, a tall power forward that averaged 14.9 points in 8 games last year and his season best 21.6 points a game for Drake in 2023-2024, provides the Hoosiers with shooting, spacing, rebounding, and a threat the defense has to focus on.

After a narrow loss to Michigan State in the second round of March Madness last season, the former New Mexico Lobos’ veteran guard Donovan Dent transferred to UCLA to continue his successful career this season. Dent, known for his scoring and facilitating, looks to be the perfect supplement for the Bruin’s bigs, making them a dangerous team that plans on going far.

Coming off last place in the Big Ten a season ago, the Washington Huskies significantly improved their roster by bringing in a talented recruit. Hannes Steinbach, a 6 ‘11 freshman center that averaged 14.5 points and 12.8 rebounds through his first five collegiate games, aims to be the pivotal piece besides Wesley Yates III that can help lead Washington to a better spot in the conference.

Returning Stars

Braden Smith, last year’s Big Ten Player of the Year, returns to Purdue for his senior season as a Boilermaker. The quick, intelligent guard that entered the season as the favorite to win National Player of the Year, got right back to studding the stat sheet, averaging 17.8 points and 8.5 assists per game through his first 4.

Although Northwestern finished in the lower third of the Big Ten last season, one bright spot — Nick Martinelli — is returning for the Wildcats. The forward that averaged 20.5 points per contest last year looks to catapult Northwestern forward in the conference standings this year.

Last year, Ohio State barely missed making March Madness, but were only put in that situation by Bruce Thornton. Thornton, who has been a prominent part of the Ohio State offense since his freshman year, comes back to Columbus for his senior year. The experienced guard that averaged 17.7 points and 4.8 assists a game last season hopes to bring the Buckeyes back to the dance this year.

Awards Predictions

Player of the Year: Braden Smith

Freshman of the Year: Kayden Mingo, Penn State

Defensive Player of the Year: Jacob Cofie, USC

Sixth Man of the Year: Roddy Gayle Jr, Michigan

Coach of the Year: Mick Cronin, UCLA

First-Team All Big Ten:

Braden Smith, Purdue

Donovan Dent, UCLA

Bruce Thornton, Ohio State

Nate Bittle, Oregon

Nick Martinelli, Northwestern