2020–21 Big Ten Conference men's basketball season
Sports season
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The 2020–21 Big Ten men's basketball season began with practices in October 2020, followed by the start of the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November 2020. The regular season ended in March 2021.
| 2020–21 Big Ten Conference men's basketball season | |
|---|---|
| |
| League | NCAA Division I |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Teams | 14 |
| TV partner(s) | Big Ten Network, ESPN, Fox, FS1, CBS |
| 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season | |
| Regular season champions | Michigan |
| Season MVP | Luka Garza, Iowa |
| Top scorer | Luka Garza, Iowa |
| Tournament | |
| Venue | Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana[a] |
| Champions | Illinois |
| Runners-up | Ohio State |
| Finals MVP | Ayo Dosunmu |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | PCT | W | L | PCT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4 Michigan | 14 | – | 3 | .824 | 23 | – | 5 | .821 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 2 Illinois † | 16 | – | 4 | .800 | 24 | – | 7 | .774 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 8 Iowa | 14 | – | 6 | .700 | 22 | – | 9 | .710 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 20 Purdue | 13 | – | 6 | .684 | 18 | – | 10 | .643 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 7 Ohio State | 12 | – | 8 | .600 | 21 | – | 10 | .677 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 10 | – | 10 | .500 | 18 | – | 13 | .581 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rutgers | 10 | – | 10 | .500 | 16 | – | 12 | .571 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maryland | 9 | – | 11 | .450 | 17 | – | 14 | .548 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan State | 9 | – | 11 | .450 | 15 | – | 13 | .536 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 7 | – | 12 | .368 | 12 | – | 15 | .444 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Penn State | 7 | – | 12 | .368 | 11 | – | 14 | .440 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 6 | – | 13 | .316 | 9 | – | 15 | .375 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 6 | – | 14 | .300 | 14 | – | 15 | .483 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nebraska | 3 | – | 16 | .158 | 7 | – | 20 | .259 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| † Conference tournament winner Rankings from AP poll | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Big Ten announced the season schedule on November 18, 2020 with games starting on December 13 and featuring games played on December 25 and 26. The schedule had built-in collapsible byes to attempt to make up for expected COVID-19 issues.[1] The conference played the highest percentage of scheduled conference games in the nation, having only four games that could not be played.
With a win over rival Michigan State on March 4, 2021, Michigan won the Big Ten regular season championship based on winning percentage as the Wolverines did not play a full 20-game schedule due to COVID-19 issues.
The Big Ten tournament was originally to be held at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois from March 10–14, 2021. However, on February 9, the conference announced the tournament would be played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana to better deal with testing concerns raised by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[2] Illinois defeated Ohio State in the championship game to win the Big Ten tournament and receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
Iowa big man Luka Garza was named Big Ten Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. Michigan coach Juwan Howard was named Big Ten Coach of the Year. Garza and Illinois point guard Ayo Dosunmu were consensus first-team All-Americans.
In addition to Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Rutgers, and Wisconsin received bids to the NCAA tournament. The nine bids to the tournament marked a conference record.
Head coaches
Coaching changes
Penn State
On October 21, 2020, Pat Chambers resigned after an internal investigation by the school into inappropriate conduct by Chambers.[3] It had been reported in July that former player Rasir Bolton had left the program due to comments to him by Chambers.[4] New allegations involving Chambers surfaced after the school's investigation.[3] Assistant coach Jim Ferry served as interim coach for the 2020–21 season.[5]
Coaches
| Team | Head coach | Previous job | Years at school | Overall record | Big Ten record | Big Ten titles | Big Ten tournament titles | NCAA tournaments | NCAA Final Fours | NCAA Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | Brad Underwood | Oklahoma State | 4 | 47–49 | 24–34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Indiana | Archie Miller | Dayton | 4 | 55–43 | 28–32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Iowa | Fran McCaffery | Siena | 11 | 196–143 | 89–95 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Maryland | Mark Turgeon | Texas A&M | 10 | 204–99 | 76–43* | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Michigan | Juwan Howard | Miami Heat (Asst.) | 2 | 19–12 | 10–10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Michigan State | Tom Izzo | Michigan State (Asst.) | 26 | 628–241 | 299–132 | 10 | 6 | 22 | 8 | 1 |
| Minnesota | Richard Pitino | FIU | 8 | 127–108 | 48–82 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Nebraska | Fred Hoiberg | Chicago Bulls | 2 | 7–25 | 2–18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Northwestern | Chris Collins | Duke (Asst.) | 8 | 109–119 | 43–85 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ohio State | Chris Holtmann | Butler | 4 | 66–29 | 34–24 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Penn State | Jim Ferry (interim) | Penn State (Asst.) | 1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Purdue | Matt Painter | Purdue (Assoc.) | 16 | 337–174 | 167–103 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Rutgers | Steve Pikiell | Stony Brook | 5 | 64–65 | 24–32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wisconsin | Greg Gard | Wisconsin (Assoc.) | 6 | 101–57 | 56–35 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Notes:
- All records, appearances, titles, etc. are from time with current school only.
- Year at school includes 2020–21 season.
- Overall and Big Ten records are from time at current school and are through the beginning of the season.
- Turgeon's ACC conference record excluded since Maryland began Big Ten Conference play in 2014–15.
- Source:[6]
Preseason
Preseason All-Big Ten
On November 8, 2020, a panel of conference media selected a 10-member preseason All-Big Ten Team and Player of the Year.[7]
| Honor | Recipient | |
|---|---|---|
| Preseason Player of the Year | Luka Garza*, Iowa | |
| Preseason All-Big Ten Team | Kofi Cockburn, Illinois | |
| Ayo Dosunmu*, Illinois | ||
| Luka Garza*, Iowa | ||
| Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana | ||
| Joe Wieskamp, Iowa | ||
| Aaron Henry, Michigan State | ||
| Marcus Carr, Minnesota | ||
| Trevion Williams, Purdue | ||
| Geo Baker, Rutgers | ||
| Nate Reuvers, Wisconsin | ||
| *Unanimous selections | ||
Preseason national polls
| AP[8] | Athlon Sports[9] |
Blue Ribbon Yearbook[10] |
CBS Sports[11] | Coaches | ESPN[12] | Lindy's Sports[13] |
Sports Illustrated[14] | |
| Illinois | 8 | 9 | 11 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 25 | |||||||
| Iowa | 4 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 6 |
| Maryland | ||||||||
| Michigan | 25 | 17 | ||||||
| Michigan State | 13 | 13 | 19 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 20 | 14 |
| Minnesota | ||||||||
| Nebraska | ||||||||
| Northwestern | ||||||||
| Ohio State | 23 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 21 | |
| Penn State | ||||||||
| Purdue | ||||||||
| Rutgers | 24 | 19 | 24 | 23 | ||||
| Wisconsin | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 16 |
Regular season
2020 ACC–Big Ten Challenge (Big Ten 7–5)
| Date | Time | ACC team | B1G team | Score | Location | Television | Attendance | Challenge leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 8 | 5:00 p.m. | Miami | Purdue | 58–54 | Watsco Center • Coral Gables, Florida | ESPN2 | 0 | ACC 1–0 |
| 7:00 p.m. | Boston College | Minnesota | 80–85OT | Williams Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota | ESPNU | 0 | Tied 1–1 | |
| 7:30 p.m. | No. 16 North Carolina | No. 3 Iowa | 80–93 | Carver–Hawkeye Arena • Iowa City, Iowa | ESPN | 583 | B1G 2–1 | |
| 7:30 p.m. | Notre Dame | No. 22 Ohio State | 85–90 | Edmund P. Joyce Center • South Bend, Indiana | ESPN2 | 156 | B1G 3–1 | |
| 9:00 p.m. | No. 15 Virginia Tech | Penn State | 55–75 | Cassell Coliseum • Blacksburg, Virginia | ESPNU | 250 | B1G 4–1 | |
| 9:30 p.m. | No. 10 Duke | No. 6 Illinois | 68–83 | Cameron Indoor Stadium • Durham, North Carolina | ESPN | 0 | B1G 5–1 | |
| 9:30 p.m. | Syracuse | No. 21 Rutgers | 69–79 | Rutgers Athletic Center • Piscataway, New Jersey | ESPN2 | 0 | B1G 6–1 | |
| Dec 9 | 5:00 p.m. | Clemson | Maryland | 67–51 | Littlejohn Coliseum • Clemson, South Carolina | ESPN2 | 1,876 | B1G 6–2 |
| Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | |||||
| 7:15 p.m. | Georgia Tech | Nebraska | 75–64 | Pinnacle Bank Arena • Lincoln, Nebraska | ESPNU | 0 | B1G 6–3 | |
| 7:15 p.m. | No. 20 Florida State | Indiana | 69–67OT | Donald L. Tucker Civic Center • Tallahassee, Florida | ESPN | 2,956 | B1G 6–4 | |
| Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | Canceled | |||||
| 9:15 p.m. | Pittsburgh | Northwestern | 71–70 | Welsh-Ryan Arena • Evanston, Illinois | ESPNU | 0 | B1G 6–5 | |
| Dec 19 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 23 Louisville | No. 12 Wisconsin | 48–85 | Kohl Center • Madison, Wisconsin | ESPN2 | 0 | B1G 7–5 |
| Winners are in bold Game times in EST Wake Forest did not play due to the ACC having one more team than the B1G. The NC State/Michigan, and Virginia/Michigan State games were canceled due to positive COVID-19 tests for NC State, and Virginia.[15][16] The Louisville/Wisconsin game was postponed due to COVID-19 issues at Louisville, but the game was eventually played on December 19.[17][18] | ||||||||
2020 Gavitt Tipoff Games (Cancelled)
Plans announced in May 2020 called for Butler, Creighton, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John's, Villanova, and Xavier to represent the Big East and Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan State, Purdue, Rutgers, and Wisconsin the Big Ten in the 2020 Gavitt Tipoff Games,[21] which were scheduled for November 16–20, 2020.[22] After the NCAA delayed the start of the 2020–21 season from November 10 to November 25 due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[23] however, the Big East and Big Ten jointly announced on October 28, 2020, that the 2020 Gavitt Tipoff Games were cancelled and the series would be on hiatus for a year.[22] In their statement, the two conferences also announced their intention to resume the games during the 2021–22 season.[22]
Rankings
| Improvement in ranking | ||
| Drop in ranking | ||
| Not ranked previous week | ||
| RV | Received votes but were not ranked in Top 25 of poll | |
| (Italics) | Number of first place votes |
| Pre/ Wk 1 | Wk 2 | Wk 3 | Wk 4 | Wk 5 | Wk 6 | Wk 7 | Wk 8 | Wk 9 | Wk 10 | Wk 11 | Wk 12 | Wk 13 | Wk 14 | Wk 15 | Wk 16 | Wk 17 | Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | AP | 8 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 22 | 19 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | |
| C | 10 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 13 | 24 | 22 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 8 | |
| Indiana | AP | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | ||||||||||
| C | RV | RV | RV | RV | |||||||||||||||
| Iowa | AP | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 (1) | 4 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 8 | |
| C | 6 | 6 | 3 (1) | 3 (2) | 5 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 13 | |
| Maryland | AP | RV | RV | RV | |||||||||||||||
| C | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | ||||||||||||||
| Michigan | AP | 25 | RV | RV | 25 | 19 | 16 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 (4) | 4 | 4 | |
| C | RV | RV | RV | 24 | 19 | 15 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 (1) | 2 (1) | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| Michigan State | AP | 13 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 17 | 23 | RV | RV | RV | ||||||||
| C | 12 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 18 | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | |||||||
| Minnesota | AP | RV | RV | 21 | 16 | 23 | 17 | 21 | RV | RV | |||||||||
| C | RV | 24 | 17 | 19 | 17 | 20 | RV | RV | |||||||||||
| Nebraska | AP | ||||||||||||||||||
| C | |||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | AP | 19 | RV | RV | |||||||||||||||
| C | 22 | RV | |||||||||||||||||
| Ohio State | AP | 23 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 23 | 25 | RV | 21 | 15 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 7 | |
| C | 24 | 24 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 21 | RV | RV | 18 | 15 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 15 | |
| Penn State | AP | ||||||||||||||||||
| C | RV | ||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | AP | RV | RV | RV | 24 | 24 | RV | RV | 23 | 20 | 20 | ||||||||
| C | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 25 | RV | RV | 23 | 19 | 20 | RV | ||||||
| Rutgers | AP | 24 | 24 | 21 | 19 | 11 | 14 | 15 | RV | RV | 25 | RV | |||||||
| C | 23 | 23 | 22 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 14 | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | |||||
| Wisconsin | AP | 7 | 4 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 14 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 25 | RV | RV | |
| C | 7 | 7 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 24 | RV | RV | RV |
- AP does not release a post-tournament poll.
Player of the week
Throughout the conference regular season, the Big Ten offices named one or two players of the week and one or two freshmen of the week each Monday.
| Week | Player of the week | Freshman of the week |
|---|---|---|
| November 30, 2020[24] | Luka Garza, Iowa | Zach Edey, Purdue |
| Adam Miller, Illinois | ||
| December 7, 2020[25] | Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana | Hunter Dickinson, Michigan |
| December 14, 2020[26] | Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois | Hunter Dickinson (2), Michigan |
| Luka Garza (2), Iowa | ||
| December 21, 2020[27] | Boo Buie, Northwestern | Mason Gillis, Purdue |
| December 28, 2020[28] | Marcus Carr, Minnesota | Hunter Dickinson (3), Michigan |
| Ayo Dosunmu (2), Illinois | ||
| January 3, 2021[29] | Liam Robbins, Minnesota | Hunter Dickinson (4), Michigan |
| January 11, 2021[30] | Trayce Jackson-Davis (2), Indiana | Hunter Dickinson (5), Michigan |
| Jordan Bohannon, Iowa | ||
| January 18, 2021[31] | Liam Robbins (2), Minnesota | Brandon Newman, Purdue |
| Trevion Williams, Purdue | ||
| January 25, 2021[32] | Isaiah Livers, Michigan | Jaden Ivey, Purdue |
| February 1, 2021[33] | Ayo Dosunmu (3), Illinois | Brandon Newman (2), Purdue |
| February 8, 2021[34] | Ayo Dosunmu (4), Illinois | Jaden Ivey (2), Purdue |
| February 15, 2021[35] | Joe Wieskamp, Iowa | Hunter Dickinson (6), Michigan |
| February 22, 2021[36] | Luka Garza (3), Iowa | Hunter Dickinson (7), Michigan |
| Duane Washington Jr., Ohio State | ||
| March 1, 2021[37] | Geo Baker, Rutgers | André Curbelo, Illinois |
| March 8, 2021[38] | Aaron Henry, Michigan State | Zach Edey (2), Purdue |
Conference matrix
This table summarizes the head-to-head results between teams in conference play. Each team was scheduled to play 20 conference games, and at least one game against each opponent. However, due to COVID-19 pandemic protocols some games were cancelled, officially declared as "no contest".
| Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Maryland | Michigan | Michigan St | Minnesota | Nebraska | Northwestern | Ohio St | Penn St | Purdue | Rutgers | Wisconsin | |
| vs. Illinois | – | 0−2 | 0–1 | 1−0 | 0−1 | 1−0 | 0−2 | 0−2 | 0−2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vs. Indiana | 2–0 | – | 0−2 | 0−1 | 1−0 | 2−0 | 0−1 | 0−1 | 1−1 | 1–0 | 0−1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| vs. Iowa | 1–0 | 2−0 | – | 0−1 | 1−0 | 0−2 | 1–1 | 0−1 | 0−2 | 1–1 | 0−1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 |
| vs. Maryland | 0–1 | 1−0 | 1−0 | – | 2−0 | 0−1 | 0−2 | 0−2 | 1−0 | 1–0 | 2−0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 |
| vs. Michigan | 1–0 | 0−1 | 0−1 | 0−2 | – | 1−1 | 1−1 | 0−1 | 0−1 | 0–1 | 0−1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 |
| vs. Michigan St | 0–1 | 0−2 | 2–0 | 1−0 | 1−1 | – | 1−0 | 0−2 | 1−0 | 1–1 | 0−1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| vs. Minnesota | 2–0 | 1−0 | 1−1 | 2−0 | 1−1 | 0−1 | – | 1−1 | 1−0 | 0–1 | 1−0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| vs. Nebraska | 2–0 | 1−0 | 1−0 | 2−0 | 1−0 | 2−0 | 1−1 | – | 1−0 | 1–0 | 1−1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 |
| vs. Northwestern | 2–0 | 1−1 | 2−0 | 0−1 | 1−0 | 0−1 | 0−1 | 0−1 | – | 1–1 | 1−0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 |
| vs. Ohio State | 1–1 | 0−1 | 1−1 | 0−1 | 1−0 | 1−1 | 1−0 | 0−1 | 1−1 | – | 0−2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 |
| vs. Penn State | 2–0 | 1−0 | 1−0 | 0−2 | 1−0 | 1−0 | 0−1 | 1−1 | 0−1 | 2–0 | – | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| vs. Purdue | 1–0 | 0−2 | 1−0 | 1−1 | 1−0 | 0−2 | 1−1 | 0−1 | 0−1 | 0–2 | 0−2 | – | 1–0 | 0–1 |
| vs. Rutgers | 0–1 | 0−2 | 2−0 | 1−1 | 1−0 | 1−1 | 0−2 | 1−0 | 0−2 | 2–0 | 1−0 | 0–1 | – | 1–0 |
| vs. Wisconsin | 2–0 | 0−1 | 2−0 | 1−1 | 2−0 | 0−1 | 0−1 | 0−2 | 0−2 | 1–0 | 1−1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | – |
| Total | 16–4 | 7–12 | 14–6 | 9–11 | 14–3 | 9–11 | 6–14 | 3–16 | 6–13 | 12–8 | 7–12 | 13–6 | 10–10 | 10–10 |
Honors and awards
All-Big Ten awards and teams
On March 9, 2021, the Big Ten announced most of its conference awards.[39]
| Honor | Coaches | Media |
|---|---|---|
| Player of the Year | Luka Garza, Iowa | Luka Garza, Iowa |
| Coach of the Year | Juwan Howard, Michigan | Juwan Howard, Michigan |
| Freshman of the Year | Hunter Dickinson, Michigan | Hunter Dickinson, Michigan |
| Defensive Player of the Year | Darryl Morsell, Maryland | Not Selected |
| Sixth Man of the Year | André Curbelo, Illinois | Not Selected |
| All-Big Ten First Team | Kofi Cockburn, Illinois | Kofi Cockburn, Illinois |
| Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois | Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois | |
| Luka Garza, Iowa | Luka Garza, Iowa | |
| E. J. Liddell, Ohio State | Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana | |
| Trevion Williams, Purdue | Hunter Dickinson, Michigan | |
| All-Big Ten Second Team | Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana | E. J. Liddell, Ohio State |
| Joe Wieskamp, Iowa | Joe Wieskamp, Iowa | |
| Hunter Dickinson, Michigan | Marcus Carr, Minnesota | |
| Isaiah Livers, Michigan | Isaiah Livers, Michigan | |
| Franz Wagner, Michigan | Trevion Williams, Purdue | |
| All-Big Ten Third Team | Marcus Carr, Minnesota | Franz Wagner, Michigan |
| Aaron Henry, Michigan State | Aaron Henry, Michigan State | |
| Duane Washington Jr., Ohio State | Duane Washington Jr., Ohio State | |
| Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers | Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers | |
| D'Mitrik Trice, Wisconsin | D'Mitrik Trice, Wisconsin | |
| All-Big Ten Honorable Mention | Trent Frazier, Illinois | Trent Frazier, Illinois |
| Jordan Bohannon, Iowa | Jordan Bohannon, Iowa | |
| Eric Ayala, Maryland | Eric Ayala, Maryland | |
| Aaron Wiggins, Maryland | Aaron Wiggins, Maryland | |
| Geo Baker, Rutgers | CJ Fredrick, Iowa | |
| Not Selected | Darryl Morsell, Maryland | |
| Teddy Allen, Nebraska | ||
| John Harrar, Penn State | ||
| Myreon Jones, Penn State | ||
| Myles Johnson, Rutgers | ||
| Jacob Young, Rutgers | ||
| All-Freshman Team | Andre Curbelo, Illinois | Not Selected |
| Keegan Murray, Iowa | ||
| Hunter Dickinson, Michigan | ||
| Zach Edey, Purdue | ||
| Jaden Ivey, Purdue | ||
| All-Defensive Team | Trent Frazier, Illinois | Not Selected |
| Darryl Morsell, Maryland | ||
| Aaron Henry, Michigan State | ||
| Jamari Wheeler, Penn State | ||
| Myles Johnson, Rutgers |
Postseason
Big Ten tournament
| First round Wednesday, March 10 BTN[40] | Second round Thursday, March 11 BTN | Quarterfinals Friday, March 12 BTN | Semifinals Saturday, March 13 CBS | Championship Sunday, March 14 CBS | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Michigan | 79 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Maryland | 68 | 8 | Maryland | 66 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Michigan State | 57 | 1 | Michigan | 67 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Ohio State | 68 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Purdue | 78 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Ohio State | 79 | 5 | Ohio State | 87* | ||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Northwestern | 46 | 13 | Minnesota | 75 | 5 | Ohio State | 88 | |||||||||||||||
| 13 | Minnesota | 51 | 2 | Illinois | 91* | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Illinois | 90 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Rutgers | 61 | 7 | Rutgers | 68 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Indiana | 50 | 2 | Illinois | 82 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Iowa | 71 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Iowa | 62 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Wisconsin | 75 | 6 | Wisconsin | 57 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Penn State | 72 | 11 | Penn State | 74 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Nebraska | 66 | |||||||||||||||||||||
* denotes overtime period
NCAA tournament
The winner of the Big Ten tournament, Illinois, received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Nine Big Ten teams received bids to the NCAA tournament, the most of any conference in the tournament and the most in the conference's history.
| Seed | Region | School | First Four | First Round | Second Round | Sweet Sixteen | Elite Eight | Final Four | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Midwest | Illinois | N/A | defeated (16) Drexel 78–49 | lost to (8) Loyola–Chicago 58–71 | ||||
| 1 | East | Michigan | N/A | defeated (16) Texas Southern 82–66 | defeated (8) LSU 86–78 | defeated (4) Florida State 76–58 | lost to (11) UCLA 49–51 | ||
| 2 | South | Ohio State | N/A | lost to (15) Oral Roberts 72–75OT | |||||
| 2 | West | Iowa | N/A | defeated (15) Grand Canyon 86–74 | lost to (7) Oregon 80–95 | ||||
| 4 | South | Purdue | N/A | lost to (13) North Texas 69–78OT | |||||
| 9 | South | Wisconsin | N/A | defeated (8) North Carolina 85–62 | lost to (1) Baylor 63–76 | ||||
| 10 | Midwest | Rutgers | N/A | defeated (7) Clemson 60–56 | lost to (2) Houston 60–63 | ||||
| 10 | East | Maryland | N/A | defeated (7) UConn 63–54 | lost to (2) Alabama 77–96 | ||||
| 11 | East | Michigan State | lost to (11) UCLA 80–86OT | ||||||
| W–L (%): | 0–1 (.000) | 6–2 (.750) | 1–5 (.167) | 1–0 (1.000) | 0–1 (.000) | 0–0 (–) | 0–0 (–) Total: 8–9 (.471) |
2021 NBA draft
Seven Big Ten athletes were selected in the 2021 NBA draft.[41][42]
| Rnd. | Pick | Player | Pos. | Nationality[n 1] | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | Franz Wagner | SF |  Germany |
Orlando Magic (from Chicago)[A] | Michigan (So.) |
| 2 | 38 | Ayo Dosunmu | PG |  United States |
Chicago Bulls (from New Orleans)[B] | Illinois (Jr.) |
| 2 | 41 | Joe Wieskamp | SF | United States |
San Antonio Spurs | Iowa (Jr.) |
| 2 | 42 | Isaiah Livers | SF | United States |
Detroit Pistons (from Charlotte via New York)[C] | Michigan (Sr.) |
| 2 | 46 | Dalano Banton | PG |  Canada |
Toronto Raptors (from Memphis via Sacramento)[D] | Nebraska (So.) |
| 2 | 52 | Luka Garza | C | United States |
Detroit Pistons (from LA Lakers via Detroit to Houston to Sacramento)[E] | Iowa (Sr.) |
| 2 | 55 | Aaron Wiggins | SG | United States |
Oklahoma City Thunder (from Denver via Philadelphia to Golden State)[F][clarification needed] | Maryland (Jr.) |
Pre-draft trades
Prior to the draft, the following trades were made and resulted in exchanges of draft picks between teams.
- March 25, 2021: Chicago Bulls to Orlando Magic[43]
- Orlando acquired Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter Jr., 2021 and 2023 first-round picks
- Chicago acquired Nikola Vučević, and Al-Farouq Aminu
- February 1, 2018: New Orleans Pelicans to Chicago Bulls[44]
- Chicago acquired Ömer Aşık, Tony Allen, Jameer Nelson, a 2018 first-round pick, and the option to swap a 2021 second-round pick with New Orleans
- New Orleans Pelicans acquired Nikola Mirotić and a 2018 second-round pick
- February 7, 2018: Charlotte Hornets to New York Knicks[45]
- New York acquired Johnny O'Bryant III, a 2020 second-round pick, and a 2021 second-round pick
- Charlotte acquired Willy Hernangómez
- Detroit acquired Dennis Smith Jr. and a 2021 second-round pick
- New York acquired Derrick Rose
- July 17, 2018: Memphis Grizzlies to Sacramento Kings[47]
- Sacramento acquired Ben McLemore, Deyonta Davis, a 2021 second-round pick, and cash considerations
- Memphis acquired Garrett Temple
- Toronto acquired a 2021 second-round pick
- Sacramento acquired Terence Davis
- February 6, 2019: Los Angeles Lakers to Detroit Pistons[49]
- Detroit acquired Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, and a 2021 second-round pick
- LA Lakers acquired Reggie Bullock
- Houston acquired Christian Wood, a conditional first-round pick, and a 2021 second-round pick
- Detroit acquired Trevor Ariza, the draft rights to Isaiah Stewart, a 2027 second-round pick, and cash considerations
- Sacramento acquired a 2021 second-round pick and cash considerations
- Houston acquired the draft rights to Kenyon Martin Jr.
- Detroit acquired Cory Joseph, 2021and 2024 second-round picks
- Sacramento acquired Delon Wright
- July 6, 2018: Denver Nuggets to Philadelphia 76ers[53]
- Philadelphia acquired Wilson Chandler and a 2021 second round pick
- Denver acquired cash considerations
- Golden State acquired 2020, 2021, and 2022 second-round picks
- Philadelphia acquired Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III
Notes
- The tournament was originally planned to be held at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.