B1G Basketball Power Rankings, Jan. 27: Nebraska stays hot, Illini on the rise

Can anyone actually stop the Big Red machine in Lincoln?

Fred Hoiberg’s squad is still perfect, but the rest of the league is a total blender. We saw a 46-point explosion in West Lafayette, a 43-point blowout in East Lansing, and a certain preseason No. 1 finally hitting a mid-winter wall.

As we head into the final days of January, the bracketology picture is sharpening, but the power rankings are a chaotic mess of road upsets and hot streaks.

Here is how the 18 Big Ten teams stack up as of Tuesday, Jan. 27:

18. Penn State (9-10 overall, 0-8 in the Big Ten)

The Penn State Nittany Lions are still searching for that elusive first conference win. With an 8-game slide hanging over their heads, Mike Rhoades has to find a way to get this group to buy in before February or this season will become a total letdown.

17. Maryland (8-12, 1-8)

Yes, the Maryland Terrapins got absolutely dismantled by 43 points at Michigan State this past weekend. That was ugly. But a midweek win against Penn State provided a rare bright spot. That keeps the Terps out of the cellar for now.

16. Oregon (8-11, 1-8)

The Oregon Ducks are in a tailspin, dropping 5 straight. Getting nearly doubled up by Nebraska (90-55) earlier this month seemed to break something in the psyche of this squad. Dana Altman usually finds a way to get his teams humming by February, but right now, the ball movement is stagnant and the defense is porous.

15. Northwestern (9-11, 1-8)

The Wildcats move up a spot by default after a week where they at least looked competitive. Nick Martinelli (20 points vs. UCLA) continues to be a warrior, but he needs help. Northwestern’s offense is currently a “wait and see if the 3 falls” strategy, and in this league, that’s a recipe for a long winter.

14. Rutgers (9-11, 2-7)

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are struggling to find an identity. They’ve lost 3 straight, including a double-digit defeat to Michigan State where they simply couldn’t get stops. Steve Pikiell’s defense, usually the program’s calling card, has surrendered 80+ points far too often this month.

13. Minnesota (10-10, 3-6)

The Gophers are in a free fall, losing 5 in a row. They hung around with undefeated Nebraska for a half on Saturday before the talent gap eventually took over. The Barn needs to become a fortress again if Minnesota wants to climb back to .500 in conference play.

12. Washington (11-9, 3-6)

The Washington Huskies are struggling to find their footing in their new Midwestern reality. A 3-game skid has them reeling, and the defense was picked apart in recent outings. The talent is there, but the “connectedness” Fred Hoiberg talks about in Lincoln (more on Nebraska later) is exactly what’s missing in Seattle right now.

11. USC (15-5, 4-5)

Eric Musselman’s USC Trojans took a dip this week. While the overall record still looks like a tournament team’s, they’ve dropped 2 straight and are hovering around .500 in the league. Chad Baker-Mazara is doing the heavy lifting, but the Trojans need more interior presence to survive the Big Ten gauntlet.

10. Indiana (13-7, 4-5)

The Indiana Hoosiers are the definition of a Jekyll and Hyde team. One week they look like world-beaters at Assembly Hall, the next they are struggling to find rhythm on the road. Lamar Wilkerson is the engine, but the defense occasionally goes on hiatus. They are a tough out for sure, but not yet a title (or NCAA Tournament) contender. At least the football team won the title, right?

9. Iowa (14-5, 4-4)

The Ben McCollum era is off to a scorching start overall, but the Iowa Hawkeyes hit a speed bump with recent losses to Minnesota and Illinois. Bennett Stirtz is still one of the most efficient playmakers in the country, but when he gets into foul trouble, the Iowa offense loses its compass.

8. Ohio State (13-6, 5-4)

The Ohio State Buckeyes are hovering. They have the talent to beat anyone—as shown by their win over Rutgers—but a loss to Nebraska showed they aren’t quite ready for the top tier yet. Jake Diebler has this team in the NCAA Tournament conversation, but it will need a signature win this week to solidify a spot.

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7. UCLA (14-6, 6-3)

Mick Cronin has the UCLA Bruins playing grind-it-out basketball that translates well to the Big Ten. Tyler Bilodeau (18 points vs. Northwestern) is becoming a force. They haven’t quite notched that statement win yet (though beating Purdue was a start), but they are winning the games they’re supposed to win.

6. Wisconsin (14-6, 6-3)

The Wisconsin Badgers are the ultimate “don’t count us out” team. Just when you think they’re fading, they go into Ann Arbor and pull off an upset. Greg Gard has a veteran group that doesn’t beat itself, though Wisconsin lacks the explosive scoring of the teams currently ranked above it.

5. Purdue (17-3, 7-2)

Life at the top was short-lived for the Purdue Boilermakers. After being the preseason No. 1, Matt Painter’s squad has hit a 2-game skid, including a home loss to Illinois where it simply couldn’t contain the perimeter. The defense is a major red flag right now — giving up 85+ points isn’t the Purdue way. The Boilermakers need to find their grit again, and fast.

4. Michigan (18-1, 8-1)

Don’t look now, but Dusty May has the Michigan Wolverines playing some of the most aesthetic basketball in the country. They bounced back from their lone loss with 4-straight wins. Nimari Burnett and Morez Johnson Jr. are a lethal combo, but they slide slightly this week only because the teams above them have been even hotter against tougher recent schedules.

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3. Michigan State (18-2, 8-1)

Tom Izzo has the Michigan State Spartans humming. They’ve won 6 straight, and their 91-48 demolition of Maryland on Saturday was a message sent to the rest of the league. Jeremy Fears Jr. has emerged as the elite floor general Izzo has craved, and the defense is currently ranked in the top 5 of KenPom’s efficiency ratings (with the No. 1-rated defense). The Spartans are peak-Izzo right now.

2. Illinois (17-3, 8-1)

Welcome to the elite tier, Illinois. Brad Underwood’s guys are officially the most dangerous team in the conference not named Nebraska. The Illini have won 9 straight, headlined by a massive road win at Purdue where Keaton Wagler went nuclear for 46 points. When the Illini shoot the ball like that, they aren’t just a Big Ten contender — they’re a Final Four threat.

1. Nebraska (20-0, 9-0)

Stop rubbing your eyes. The Nebraska Cornhuskers are actually this good. At 20-0, Fred Hoiberg has engineered a masterpiece in Lincoln. They took care of business against Minnesota this weekend and continue to lead the conference in scoring defense. Braden Frager (the 3-time Freshman of the Week) is a superstar in the making. The road to the Big Ten title officially runs through the Vault. Put some respect on the Big Red.