Big Ten basketball opened the 2026-27 season with the league doing plenty of the heavy lifting on a night full of high-major matchups. The conference put three top-25 opponents from other leagues on the schedule, and while two Big Ten teams came up short, there was also a top-5 win in the mix. Just as important, nobody took a damaging loss, which made for a clean start overall.
The biggest statement came from UCLA, which stayed in control long enough to beat No. 5 Arizona, 84-75.
The Bruins leaned on their backcourt to get it done, with Trent Perry and Jaylen Petty combining for 34 points and 12 assists. Perry led the way with 21 points, and UCLA got a balanced scoring night behind him as seven players finished with at least seven points.
That came even with freshman forward Nikola Kusturica struggling to find his shot, finishing 3-for-11 from the field. Of all the teams in the league on opening night, UCLA walked away with the clearest signature win.
Purdue also had reason to feel encouraged despite a loss, hanging around for 40 minutes before falling 78-72 to No. 15 Gonzaga.
The Boilermakers looked far more competitive than an unranked team usually does in that spot, and Daniel Jacobsen was the reason they stayed in the fight. He turned in a career-high 22 points and added seven rebounds while shooting 9-for-11 from the floor.
Purdue’s guard play could have been better, and that likely would have changed the outcome, but Jacobsen’s showing against Gonzaga’s frontcourt stood out as the kind of performance that could mean something bigger for both him and the Boilermakers.
Ohio State’s opener ended in a 94-83 loss to No. 25 BYU, and the Buckeyes’ defense had no answer in the second half, when they allowed 60 points.
Even so, Amare Bynum gave them a real offensive lift with 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting. After a strong preseason, he looks like he’s becoming the centerpiece of Ohio State’s frontcourt.
The defense needs work, no question, but the Buckeyes may not have an offense problem if Bynum keeps producing like this.
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UCLA Just Got An Early Reason To Believe Again
UCLA opened the season with a win over Arizona, and the early signs were encouraging in a way the Bruins have been hoping to see. The victory came with real contributions from across the lineup, including Jaylen Pettys all-around effort and Sergej Macuras steady minutes, giving the Bruins a little more than just an opening-night result to point to as they settle into the year.
Trent Perry was the one who gave the performance its late-game edge, finishing with 21 points and handling the pressure at the line when it mattered most. For a team trying to establish confidence right away, the way UCLA closed out an 84-75 win offered a useful glimpse of what this group can be when its young pieces start to click. [Read more 🡒]
UCLAs Playoff Push Faces A Minnesota Test That Could Get Ugly
UCLAs unbeaten run has put the Bruins squarely in the College Football Playoff conversation, but the next hurdle looks like the kind that can expose any flaw. At 8-0 and ranked No. 5 nationally, the Bruins have earned the right to think bigger, yet Minnesota arrives with the kind of defense that has made life difficult for ranked opponents and can turn a Saturday into a slog if an offense gets out of rhythm.
Ty Dieffenbach and the UCLA offense will have to be sharp from the start, because the Bruins cannot afford a sloppy performance against a team built to squeeze possessions and force mistakes. Minnesotas recent success against top competition has made this a real test of whether UCLA can keep its momentum intact, and if the Bruins want to stay perfect, they may need one of their cleaner offensive outings of the season. [Read more 🡒]
UCLAs Opener Showed Why Mick Cronin Fans Should Be Encouraged
UCLAs season-opening win over Arizona offered an early reminder of what Mick Cronin teams are supposed to look like when the shots are not falling. The Bruins still found a way to handle a dangerous opponent, leaning on physical defense and work on the glass to come away with an 84-75 victory even while shooting below 40 percent overall.
Arizonas Ivan Kharchenkov made sure it was anything but comfortable, pouring in 38 points and keeping the game close deep into the night. But UCLAs effort level never dipped, and that kind of response in a tight opener is the sort of sign Cronin fans have been waiting to see as the Bruins start to settle into the season. [Read more 🡒]