NO. 2 UCLA VISITS WISCONSIN IN BIG TEN WOMEN'S BASKETBALL THIS WED., FEB. 26, AT 8 P.M. ET EXCLUSIVELY ON PEACOCK, HIGHLIGHTING 12 GAMES ACROSS NBC SPORTS PLATFORMS THIS WEEK
Peacock-Exclusive Big Ten Men's Basketball Doubleheader Tomorrow, Feb. 25, Features Northwestern vs. Minnesota (7 p.m. ET) and Washington vs. No. 11 Wisconsin (9 p.m. ET); Coverage Begins with Big Ten College Countdown at 6:30 p.m. ET on Peacock
Three Ranked Teams Highlight Peacock's Exclusive Men's Schedule this Week: Washington vs. No. 11 Wisconsin (Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET), Rutgers vs. No 15 Michigan (Thursday at 9 p.m. ET) and No. 21 Marquette vs. Georgetown (Saturday at 8 p.m. ET)
Eligible Students Can Sign-Up to Receive
Special Peacock Student Discount Offer for $2.99/Month
STAMFORD, Conn. – Feb. 24, 2025 – In the final week of the regular season, the No. 2 UCLA Bruins visit the Wisconsin Badgers in a Big Ten women's basketball matchup this Wed., Feb. 26, at 8 p.m. ET exclusively on Peacock, headlining college basketball coverage across NBC Sports platforms this week.
UCLA (26-1) defeated Iowa, 67-65, yesterday as center Lauren Betts tallied a 22-point, 12-rebound double-double and guard Elina Aarnisalo hit a pair of go-ahead free throws with 3.8 seconds left in the fourth quarter to seal the win. The Bruins have won three consecutive games since suffering their first and only loss of the season to USC on Feb. 13. Wisconsin (13-14) beat Northwestern, 73-68, on Sunday behind a double-double from center Carter McCray (22 points, 12 rebounds). Zora Stephenson (play-by-play) and Kim Adams (analyst) will call the game live from the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisc.
Also on Wednesday, Peacock streams exclusive coverage of the men's Atlantic 10 matchup between St. Bonaventure and Saint Joseph's (7 p.m. ET) and a BIG EAST showdown as Creighton hosts DePaul (9 p.m. ET).
This week's college basketball coverage on Peacock begins tomorrow night, Feb. 25, with a men's Big Ten doubleheader featuring Northwestern (14-13) visiting Minnesota (14-13) at 7 p.m. ET and No. 11 Wisconsin (21-6) hosting Washington (13-14) at 9 p.m. ET. Wisconsin has won five of their past six games and are in third place in the Big Ten. Noah Eagle (play-by-play) and Austin Rivers (analyst) will call Wisconsin-Washington live from the Kohl Center. Tomorrow night's coverage begins with Big Ten College Countdown at 6:30 p.m. ET on Peacock featuring Ahmed Fareed, Jordan Cornette, Josh Pastner, and Vaughn Dalzell.
On Thursday, Peacock's exclusive coverage begins with Big Ten College Countdown at 6:30 p.m. ET, leading into a Big Ten women's matchup between Indiana (17-10) and No. 19 Maryland (21-6). Maryland, in fourth place in the Big Ten, topped Northwestern, 85-79, last Thursday. Indiana fell to then-No. 22 Michigan State, 73-65, yesterday. Sloane Martin (play-by-play) and Nikki Cardano-Hillary (analyst) will call the game live from Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind.
Following Maryland-Indiana on Thursday is No. 15 Michigan (20-6) hosting Rutgers (14-14) in a men's showdown at 9 p.m. ET. Michigan lost to then-No. 14 Michigan State, 75-62, on Friday, snapping a six-game winning streak. Rutgers topped USC, 95-85, yesterday as forward Dylan Harper scored 25 points. Paul Burmeister (play-by-play) and Jalen Rose (analyst) will call the game live from the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. As a member of Michigan's famed Fab Five, Rose helped lead the Wolverines to back-to-back National Championship game appearances in 1992 and 1993 as a freshman and sophomore.
This weekend's basketball coverage is headlined by a Peacock-exclusive BIG EAST men's matchup between No. 21 Marquette and Georgetown on Saturday, March 1, at 8 p.m. ET. On Sunday, March 2, Peacock streams a Big Ten women's doubleheader featuring Indiana visiting Purdue at 2 p.m. ET and Iowa hosting Wisconsin at 4 p.m. ET.
This week's men's college basketball schedule exclusively on Peacock (all times ET):
This week's women's college basketball schedule exclusively on Peacock (all times ET):
GOT NEXT WITH MEGHAN & ZORA
On the most recent episode of Got Next with Meghan & Zora, hosted by NBC Sports commentators and former college basketball players Zora Stephenson and Meghan McKeown, the hosts discuss UConn upsetting South Carolina, and more.
Got Next with Meghan & Zora sees the duo talk all things women's basketball, ranging from college to WNBA, on a weekly basis. Tune in for their analysis, news, and top stories, joined by guests to break it all down and share some laughs. Click here for more.
NBC SPORTS' 2024-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL COVERAGE
NBC Sports' 2024-25 college basketball season schedule features a record 150-plus games from the Big Ten (men's and women's), BIG EAST (men's), and Atlantic 10 (men's and women's) live on Peacock, NBC, and USA Network. Throughout the season, Peacock will exclusively stream more than 120 games live. Click here for more.
Eligible students can sign-up for Peacock's Student Discount offer, available for $2.99/month. For more information and to sign-up, click here.
Peacock's expansive sports programming features live coverage including Big Ten Football and Basketball, Sunday Night Football, Notre Dame Football, Big East men's basketball, Olympic and Paralympic Games, Premier League, NASCAR, golf, NBA and WNBA coming in 2025-26, and much more. Peacock also offers daily sports programming on the NBC Sports channel.
– NBC Sports –
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
![2025 Mallorca Championships: Moutet [83rd] vs. Altmaier [59th] Prediction, Odds and Match Preview](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gannett-cdn.com%2Fauthoring%2Fimages%2FDataSkriveSportsbookWire%2F2025%2F04%2F16%2FSSBK%2F83117401007-16686351.jpeg%3Fauto%3Dwebp%26crop%3D1199%2C675%2Cx0%2Cy0%26format%3Dpjpg%26width%3D1200&w=3840&q=100)
![2025 Mallorca Championships: Moutet [83rd] vs. Altmaier [59th] Prediction, Odds and Match Preview](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fusatoday.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
2025 Mallorca Championships: Moutet [83rd] vs. Altmaier [59th] Prediction, Odds and Match Preview
On Wednesday, Daniel Altmaier (No. 59 in the world) faces Corentin Moutet (No. 83) in the Round of 16 at the Mallorca Championships. Moutet is the favorite against Altmaier for this match, with -210 odds against the the underdog's +160. Tennis odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Wednesday at 6:35 AM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. Corentin Moutet vs. Daniel Altmaier matchup info Watch the Tennis Channel and more sports on Fubo! Moutet vs. Altmaier Prediction Based on the implied probility from the moneyline, Moutet has a 67.7% to win. Moutet vs. Altmaier Betting Odds Moutet vs. Altmaier matchup performance & stats
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
SEC quarterback rankings: Arch Manning headlines loaded list
The SEC features the nation's best batch of college football quarterbacks, with Arch Manning, Garrett Nussmeier and DJ Lagway included in the top tier. How good is this crop of SEC quarterbacks? Consider, the quarterback ranked last on this list owns a victory as a starter against Nick Saban's Alabama. And the No. 1 quarterback on my list? Well, he requires no introduction. The SEC became the nation's best conference because of its superiority at the line of scrimmage, punishing running backs and speed on the perimeter. Somewhere along the way, though, this conference began attracting the best quarterback talent, too. That's especially reflected this season. Consider this list as a collection of tiers. The top five quarterbacks compromise the top tier, and each would rank highly on a national list of quarterbacks. The middle tier offers stability and parity, and the quarterbacks ranked Nos. 6 through 9 could be scrambled into a different order. Five projected starters transferred to their new schools this past offseason. Some schools, including Alabama, Georgia, Missouri and Tennessee, have not named a starter. The quarterbacks listed reflect our best estimation of the team's starter. Here's how I rank this impressive batch of SEC quarterbacks: 1. Arch Manning (Texas) Manning is far from the most proven quarterback on this list, even if he's got the most famous surname. This ranking is based on Manning's potential for a lofty ceiling after he looked the part of budding star in two spot starts and backup opportunities last season. He should be ready to break out in Year 3 playing for Steve Sarkisian, one of the nation's top quarterback developers. Manning's arm is sharp, and his mobility and size are an X-factor, although he must improve his internal clock of knowing when to scramble when under duress. 2. Garrett Nussmeier (LSU) If you want to know what scouts mean when they say a quarterback has a 'live arm,' watch Nussmeier sling a pass toward the sideline. He's got zip. He needs to reduce his throws into impossible windows and stop telegraphing to the defense where he's going with the ball. His 12 interceptions tied for the most in the SEC, but his 29 touchdown passes ranked just two off the conference lead. He's an established veteran with a big arm, and he's the SEC's returning leader in passing yards. Plus, he's surrounded by a talented receivers. PLAYOFF TALKS: As Big Ten, SEC squabble, the College Football Playoff wins SO, THERE'S A CHANCE?: Five college football sleepers that could contend for national championship 3. LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina) Sellers steadily improved throughout his redshirt freshman season, to the point that he threw for 353 yards and five touchdowns in a November triumph over Missouri. He's an excellent runner, too. Ask Clemson about that. His quarterback efficiency rating in conference games leads all SEC returning quarterbacks. He's accurate, but he needs to improve his processing time. Ball security is his other area for improvement after he fumbled 11 times. If he speeds up his decision-making, he should see those fumble numbers reduce. 4. DJ Lagway (Florida) Lagway is a big play waiting to happen. He throws a good deep ball and averaged 10 yards per pass attempt as a true freshman. He should make more plays with his legs, too, after a hamstring injury slowed him last season. Injuries are a concern. A throwing shoulder injury limited his spring practice participation. By May, though, he was throwing three times per week. Along with his health, he needs to improve his midrange accuracy and reduce interceptions. He threw nine picks in 192 pass attempts last year, but he oozes upside. 5. John Mateer (Oklahoma) Mateer produced awesome stat lines last season at Washington State. He passed for more than 3,100 yards and rushed for more than 800. He's efficient, as well as tough, strong and incredibly athletic. He can throw on the move and from multiple arm angles. He's got plenty of tools in his belt. Why not rank him higher? He's unproven against SEC competition. Two of his worst passing performances last year came in his two games against Power Four competition. 6. Austin Simmons (Mississippi) Rebels coach Lane Kiffin describes Simmons as a 'really talented thrower' with 'a high ceiling." You'd likely hear no argument from Kirby Smart. Simmons looked the part in a relief appearance against Georgia that resulted in a touchdown drive. He threw just 32 passes as a backup last season but looked good doing so. He played college baseball before opting to focus exclusively on football. On the mound, he fired fastballs that topped 90 mph. Is he ready to be the guy in a system that asks a lot of the quarterback? That's the question he must answer. 7. Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt) Vanderbilt's Tasmanian Devil of a quarterback runs on moxie, and he's at his best when facing the state of Alabama. This cocksure sixth-year senior spurred Vanderbilt's upsets of Alabama and Auburn, and he previously beat the Tigers while quarterbacking New Mexico State. Pavia values possession, throwing only four interceptions last year. He's a good runner, but the hits he absorbed took a toll. Pavia passed for fewer than 190 yards in each of his final six games. He lacks top-end arm strength, but he has a nose for playmaking. 8. Marcel Reed (Texas A&M) Would the real Reed please stand up? The Aggie ignited in September after giving the offensive keys to Reed but fizzled in November, as Reed threw six interceptions in his final five games. The quick-footed Reed showed an ability to extend plays and knife through defenses. He'll need to improve his consistency from the pocket and polish his deep ball. Texas A&M returned a lot of production. As Reed goes (or doesn't go), so will the Aggies. 9. Taylen Green (Arkansas) Green is a mobile, hard-nosed runner with a strong arm. He can challenge defenses with downfield strikes. He became more accurate as the season progressed and flourished in an October upset of Tennessee, despite the Vols boasting one of the SEC's top defenses. His next steps are to improve decision-making, navigating through his progressions and sharpening his midrange throws. 10. Gunner Stockton (Georgia) The Bulldogs rallied around Stockton after he took the reins midway through the SEC Championship. It's easy to picture him becoming Georgia's heartbeat. He doesn't match predecessor Carsen Beck's arm talent, but he's more mobile, and there's a certain "Je ne sais quoi" about him that appeals to his teammates. He flashed accuracy when his line protected him, and he's skilled in play-action. Whether he'll stretch defenses downfield remains a question. 11. Ty Simpson (Alabama) Simpson hasn't proven himself yet. A former five-star recruit, he's entering Year 4 at Alabama and he's thrown just 50 career passes, with a 58% completion clip. A natural pocket passer, he possesses some mobility, too, and improvisational skills. Coach Kalen DeBoer desires more consistency from Simpson, the quarterback who's first in line to replace predecessor Jalen Milroe. 12. Blake Shapen (Mississippi State) Shapen looked sharp as Mississippi State's quarterback for four games last September before a shoulder injury shelved him for the rest of the season. He's back for a sixth season, and the former Baylor quarterback grasps coach Jeff Lebby's offense. Shapen's return offers the Bulldogs reason for optimism, considering he completed 68.5% of his passes before the injury. 13. Jackson Arnold (Auburn) Arnold struggled as Oklahoma's starter, losing his job before regaining it and starting in the Sooners' upset of Alabama. That result must give Auburn hope that the junior shouldn't be written off after a rough season playing behind a porous Oklahoma offensive line. Arnold struggled to connect consistently on throws beyond about 10 yards. Arm strength and mobility are assets. Maybe, this former five-star recruit will regain his confidence at Auburn, where he'll have a better offensive line and receivers. 14. Beau Pribula (Missouri) In Pribula's most extensive playing time as a Penn State backup, he showed a steady hand in relief of injured Drew Allar in a win against Wisconsin. He's a quality pickup for Missouri, which needed to replace starter Brady Cook. Pribula hasn't been named for the job, but he seems like he'd be the front-runner in a competition with Sam Horn, Missouri's seldom-used backup. Pribula is an electrifying runner who pairs athleticism with toughness. His running ability provided Penn State with an effective wrinkle to its system. To become a starter, he must prove himself as a consistent pocket passer. 15. Joey Aguilar (Tennessee) Aguilar showed a fearless streak while starting at Appalachian State. A best-case scenario for Tennessee is that he develops into something like what Pavia became for Vanderbilt. Aguilar can extend plays outside the pocket. Fearless can't mean reckless, though. He led the nation in interceptions at App State. Aguilar previously transferred to UCLA, but he left for Tennessee on the backside of the Bruins plundering Nico Iamaleava from the Vols. Aguilar's preseason checklist must include improving pocket poise, ball security and learning a new offense at warp speed. 16. Zach Calzada (Kentucky) Calzada started in Texas A&M's upset of Alabama, way back in 2021, and he now prepares for his seventh season with his fourth program. Calzada never developed enough midrange accuracy at Texas A&M, but he threw a good deep ball, and he's coming off a monster season with Incarnate Word of the Championship Subdivision. He's more intriguing than plenty of past Kentucky quarterbacks. Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@ and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Why Big Ten will regret bullying SEC on its college football schedule
If the Big Ten strong-arms the SEC into reducing its number of cupcake games and beefing up its schedule, that will be a win for college football. Just not a win for the Big Ten. The SEC speeds too much of its football schedule on easy street. That's the Big Ten's stance, as articulated recently by Illinois coach Bret Bielema. Bielema conveyed the mood of his conference when he called on the SEC to play a ninth conference game. If the Big Ten successfully strong-arms the SEC into reducing its number of cupcake opponents, that will be a win for college football. The stubborn persistence of non-conference pushover games remains one of this sport's lamest elements, and no conference plays more patsies than the SEC. The surest way to reduce the number of cupcakes would be to increase the number of conference games. It's not the only way, but it's the firmest path. Left to their own devices, some schools will pursue the greatest number of non-conference cakewalks. So, I wish the Big Ten luck in its mission to bend the SEC toward nine conference games, a figure that would match the number played by the Big Ten and Big 12. And yet, I wonder whether the Big Ten will come to regret trying to bully the SEC on its schedule. Because, I see this ending one of two ways. Possibility 1: The SEC will dig in its heels, rebuff the Big Ten, and remain at eight conference games. If this occurs, it will show that the Big Ten doesn't possess the power it must think it has to influence other conferences. Wouldn't be the first time this happened, either. Remember when the Big Ten chose to cancel its 2020 season amid the pandemic. How'd that turn out? The SEC decided it would play in 2020, and the Big Ten came crawling back to play a truncated season, revealing itself a follower in 2020, not a leader. More recently, the Big Ten supported a playoff format rigged with a stacked deck of auto bids. When the SEC soured on the plan, the Big Ten's idea withered on the vine. Possibility 2: The SEC will accept the Big Ten's challenge to play a ninth conference game and reap the reward by building strength of schedule metrics that dwarf most of the Big Ten. The SEC repeatedly has proven itself too chicken to add a ninth conference game. The reasons change, but the result remains the same: Eight conference games. The SEC's reluctance to add another conference game amounts to an irrational fear of the boogeyman. If it ever takes the plunge, it would learn that the rewards offset outweigh the risks. The SEC waged an offseason propaganda campaign claiming that the College Football Playoff selection committee does not value its schedule strength. That's hogwash. In truth, the CFP committee has repeatedly valued the SEC's schedule strength. If the playoff had included 16 teams last season, the SEC would have qualified three 9-3 teams and six teams total, while no other conference supplied a three-loss team. The SEC wishes for the selection process to evolve so that strength of schedule metrics are weighted even more in the future, when determining at-large playoff bids. If it achieves that mission and also beefs up its schedule with another conference game, while the playoff expands to 16 teams, look out, Big Ten. The runway would be greased for a cavalcade of 9-3 playoff teams from the SEC. Plus, adding another conference game would help distinguish the SEC's wheat from its chaff, helping ensure that the best SEC teams made the playoff. As it is, the Big Ten owns one upper-hand on the SEC in the rhetoric wars that surround at-large bids: Its membership plays one extra conference game, and most of its members play 10 Power Four opponents, while most SEC teams play nine Power Four foes. If the SEC adds a ninth conference game, the Big Ten would surrender that upper-hand. By trying to persuade the SEC to expand its conference schedule, though, the Big Ten must believe another potential outcome exists. Such as: Possibility 3: A ninth SEC game would cause the conference to buckle under the weight of its collective strength, losses will mount, thereby reducing the number of SEC teams with playoff résumés and allowing more access for the Big Ten. Is this possible? Yes. Probable? No. The committee already values strength of schedule, and the SEC's scheduling would be beyond reproach if it added another conference game. Vanderbilt shocking Alabama and Kentucky upsetting a top-five opponent on the road are exceptions in the SEC, not rules. Despite those results in 2024, Alabama and Mississippi would have qualified for a 16-team playoff as three-loss teams. Now, imagine if Alabama and Ole Miss had inserted another win against an SEC opponent in place of a blowout against Championship Subdivision roadkill. That would have enhanced each team's credentials, and yet, that's what the Big Ten seems to want. It calls on the SEC to enhance its collective strength of schedule, at an inflection point when strength of schedule could be valued more than ever in the playoff selection process. Careful what you wish for, Big Ten. In 2020, when teams played conference-only schedules, the SEC put four teams in the top nine of the final CFP rankings. Playing more SEC games sure didn't hamper the league that year. If the Big Ten gets its way, and the SEC adds another conference game in place of a cupcake, that would buoy college football. Just don't think it helps the Big Ten. Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@ and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.
