Big Ten Basketball News

May 13, 2026, 17:45
USSports

Introduction

The Big Ten group announced the basketball games for the 2026-27 season.

Main Body

The group has 18 teams. Each team plays 20 games. Some teams play the same opponent two times. Wisconsin plays Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota twice. Maryland had a bad year before. Now they play Indiana, Michigan State, and Rutgers two times. They also travel to Washington and Oregon. Other sports have news too. Nebraska baseball is now number 21. Maryland has new players in football and lacrosse. Two Maryland gymnasts won national awards.

Conclusion

The basketball schedule is ready. Other sports teams are also changing their players.

Learning

The Power of "Now"

In the story, we see a shift from the past to the present. This is a key skill for A2 learners: moving from what was to what is.

The Pattern:

  • Past: Maryland had a bad year.
  • Present: Now they play Indiana.

How to use it: Use the word Now to signal a change in time. It acts like a bridge.

  • I was tired →\rightarrow Now I am awake.
  • It was raining →\rightarrow Now it is sunny.

Counting Things

Notice how the text describes groups. When we talk about a total, we use a simple number + noun.

  • 18 teams
  • 20 games
  • Two gymnasts

Tip: In English, we often write small numbers (like two) as words, and larger numbers (like 21) as digits.

Vocabulary Learning

group
A set of people or things that are together.
Example:The group of friends went to the park.
team
A group of people working together for a common goal.
Example:Our team won the match.
play
To participate in a game or sport.
Example:They play basketball every Sunday.
game
An activity that people do for enjoyment or competition.
Example:The football game was exciting.
season
A period of the year with particular weather or activities.
Example:Winter is a cold season.
year
Twelve months of time.
Example:It takes a year to learn a new skill.
travel
To go from one place to another.
Example:She likes to travel to new cities.
news
Information about recent events.
Example:The news says the storm is coming.
number
A symbol or word that represents a quantity.
Example:The number 7 is my lucky number.
player
A person who plays a game or sport.
Example:He is a good basketball player.
schedule
A plan that lists times for events.
Example:The class schedule is on the board.
ready
Prepared and able to start.
Example:I am ready for the test.
bad
Not good; unpleasant.
Example:The soup tasted bad.