 In the January 2 Big Ten Conference opener against Minnesota, Michigan won its fifth consecutive game against Minnesota and its fifth consecutive game at the Williams Arena. After winning two games by a combined 50 points last year, Michigan beat Northwestern 74 – 51 to mark its sixth straight victory over the Wildcats. The team gave Nebraska its first loss in the new Pinnacle Bank Arena on January 9, its first five-game win streak since the 2013 NCAA tournament. By beating Penn State on January 14, Michigan won its first four conference games for the first time since the 2002 – 03 team won its first six games. In the game Stauskas had a game-high 21 points, a team-high five assists and six rebounds. On January 18 Michigan defeated (# 3 AP, # 3 Coaches) Wisconsin at the Kohl Center for the first time since the 1998 – 99 team won on February 27, 1999 against the 1998 – 99 Badgers, ending an 11-game losing streak at Wisconsin. It was the highest-ranked team to lose to Michigan on the road, surpassing a victory over # 5 Duke on December 5, 1964 by the Cazzie Russell-led 1964 – 65 team. After the win, Michigan returned to the national polls (# 21, # T25). On January 21 Stauskas was the Big Ten Conference Player of the Week for the first time, leading the conference in scoring and 20-point games. On January 22 Michigan defeated (# 10, # 10) Iowa, matching the 6 – 0 start of the 2002 – 03 team and the Wolverines'first defeat of consecutive top-10 opponents since the 1996 – 97 team defeated # 10 Duke and # 6 Arizona. It was the first time Michigan defeated consecutive top-10 opponents in consecutive games since the 1992 – 93 team defeated # 5 North Carolina and # 2 Kansas in December 1992. Stauskas tied his career high of 26 points, with five rebounds and five assists. On January 25, ESPN's College GameDay covered the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry game. With Michigan State on an 11-game winning streak (including seven in conference) and Michigan on an eight-game winning streak (including six in conference), the game was the first time in Big Ten history that two teams met who were 6 – 0 or better in conference play. Michigan defeated the (# 3, # 3) Spartans 80 – 75, with Stauskas and Walton contributing 19 points apiece. It was the first time in school history that the team defeated three consecutive AP Poll top-10 opponents, and the first time since the 2006 – 07 Florida Gators that any team — and the first time since the 1986 – 87 Iowa Hawkeyes that a Big Ten team — won three consecutive games against top-10 opponents. It gave the team consecutive road wins against top-five opponents after a 36-game losing streak against them. Michigan's 7 – 0 Big Ten start was its best since the 1976 – 77 Wolverines won their first eight games. Stauskas was the Big Ten and CBS Sports National Player of the Week, and Walton was the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on January 27. Stauskas was also named the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) on January 28. Michigan extended its winning streak to 10 games, tying its 1976 – 77 8 – 0 Big Ten start by beating Purdue. Caris LeVert had his first double-double, with a career-high 11 rebounds.
