A look at the upcoming week around the Big Ten Conference:
GAME OF THE WEEKEND:
No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 3 Iowa, at Sioux Falls, South Dakota. If you like offense, this is your game. Iowa and Gonzaga are the top two teams in the Kenpom.com offensive rankings, with the Hawkeyes averaging 118.9 points per 100 possessions and the Zags 117.7. Iowa’s Luka Garza will go against Drew Timme in a matchup of the nation’s top big men. It will be interesting to see how Gonzaga comes out of a long layoff. The Zags have had five games called off since Dec. 2 because of COVID-19 issues, including a 1-2 matchup with Baylor.
LOOKING AHEAD:
No. 19 Rutgers passed its biggest test to date Monday with its first road win against Maryland since joining the Big Ten in 2014. The Scarlet Knights are 5-0 for the first time since 1934-35, and they have star power in Geo Baker, Ron Harper Jr. and Myles Johnson. Their next two games will be telling, at home against No. 13 Illinois on Sunday and at No. 20 Ohio State next Wednesday.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis continues to build on his outstanding freshman season. The 6-foot-9, 245-pound sophomore forward has upped his scoring average to 21 points through six games, and he’s pulling down almost nine rebounds per game and creating lots of second-chance opportunities. Davis will be challenged Saturday in the Hoosiers’ Crossroads Classic game against a Butler lineup featuring lots of bulk.
