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Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings: Race for No. 2 spot heats up
By Adam Spencer
Published:
The Big Ten conference is a gauntlet that continues to produce chaos as we move toward the final weeks of February. Following a week where No. 1 Michigan traveled to West Lafayette and Los Angeles, and several bubble teams traded massive blows, the hierarchy of the league has seen another significant shakeup.
With the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago looming in just a couple of weeks, here is our updated look at how all 18 squads stack up, starting from the bottom and working our way to the top spot:
18. Penn State (11-17 overall, 2-15 in Big Ten)
Previous: 17
The Penn State Nittany Lions’ slide continues as they’ve now lost 3 straight. Mike Rhoades’ squad is struggling to find any consistency on the defensive end, allowing conference opponents to dictate the pace. With a 2-15 league record, Penn State is firmly entrenched in the Wednesday opening-round slot for the conference tournament.
17. Northwestern (11-16, 3-13)
Previous: 18
Northwestern managed to snap its 5-game losing streak with a win over Maryland this week, providing a rare moment of relief in what has been a grueling February. While the win keeps them from the absolute cellar for now, the Wildcats still lack the offensive firepower to compete with the top half of the league on a nightly basis.
16. Rutgers (11-16, 4-12)
Previous: 13
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights haven’t traveled well lately. After a brief spark against Maryland, the Scarlet Knights fell back into old habits this week. Their lack of perimeter shooting remains a glaring issue, making it difficult for Steve Pikiell’s group to climb out of the bottom tier of these rankings.
15. Oregon (10-17, 3-13)
Previous: 16
The Oregon Ducks salvaged their week with a gritty 1-point win over USC, showing that they still have some fight left in a season that has largely gone off the rails. However, a blowout loss to Minnesota earlier in the week reminds everyone just how far Oregon has to go to find stability in the Big Ten.
14. Washington (13-14, 5-11)
Previous: 12
It was a step backward for the Washington Huskies, who dropped a close one to Maryland. At just under .500 overall, Washington is essentially playing for seeding and pride at this point. Danny Sprinkle has some pieces to build on, but the lack of consistency is holding them back.
13. Maryland (11-16, 4-12)
Previous: 14
A narrow victory over Washington bumps the Maryland Terrapins up a spot. Maryland’s defense is still respectable, but until the offense finds a rhythm, the Terps will remain in the bottom tier.
12. USC (18-9, 7-9)
Previous: 11
The USC Trojans are currently on a 3-game losing streak, including a heartbreaker to Oregon this past weekend. Eric Musselman’s squad is seeing its NCAA Tournament hopes evaporate in real-time. The Trojans have the talent of a top-25 team, but the execution down the stretch of games has been disastrous.
Will USC make the NCAA Tournament? Here’s the Kalshi market for some of the B1G bubble teams as we approach Selection Sunday:
11. Minnesota (13-14, 6-10)
Previous: 15
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are the biggest risers in the bottom half of the league after winning 2 straight. A convincing win over Oregon and another solid performance in a win over Rutgers have Ben Johnson’s team playing its best basketball of the month. The Gophers are no longer a gimme win on anyone’s schedule.
10. Indiana (17-10, 8-8)
Previous: 10
The Indiana Hoosiers are treading water. A loss to Purdue in West Lafayette was expected, but it doesn’t help an Indiana team that is sliding toward the bubble. Lamar Wilkerson continues to carry the scoring load, but the supporting cast needs to provide more help if the Hoosiers want to secure an at-large bid.
9. Ohio State (17-10, 9-7)
Previous: 8
It was a split week for Jake Diebler’s Ohio State Buckeyes. They looked dominant in a win over Wisconsin but couldn’t keep that momentum going against a red-hot Michigan State team. Ohio State is likely safe for the Big Dance for now, but the remaining schedule offers very little room for error. Wednesday night’s trip to Iowa is absolutely massive for both squads. Speaking of the Hawkeyes…
8. Iowa (19-8, 9-7)
Previous: 9
The Iowa Hawkeyes earned a big résumé win by taking down Nebraska in a low-scoring slugfest, but followed it up with a loss to Wisconsin. Bennett Stirtz is still an All-Big Ten caliber player, but Iowa’s inability to win consistently on the road remains its Achilles’ heel.
7. UCLA (18-9, 10-6)
Previous: 7
The UCLA Bruins make a statement! After being humbled by Michigan, UCLA responded by knocking off No. 10 Illinois in a 95-94 OT thriller. The Bruins can beat anyone in the country when their shots are falling. This win likely cements UCLA’s spot in the field of 68.
6. Wisconsin (19-8, 11-5)
Previous: 5
Wisconsin continues its roller-coaster February. After being blown out by Ohio State, the Badgers rebounded with a double-digit win over Iowa. Nick Boyd continues to play like a star, but Greg Gard needs more consistency from his bench as the rotation tightens up heading into March.
5. Nebraska (23-4, 12-4)
Previous: 4
The Nebraska Cornhuskers took a tough road loss at Iowa but managed to stay in the thick of the Big Ten title race with a bounce-back win later in the week against Penn State. Pryce Sandfort is still perhaps the most dangerous shooter in the league, and Nebraska’s defense remains top-tier. The Huskers are a lock for a high seed in the tournament.
4. Purdue (22-5, 12-4)
Previous: 3
The Purdue Boilermakers couldn’t solve the Michigan puzzle at home, losing 91-80, but they maintained their composure to beat rival Indiana on Friday. Braden Smith is doing everything he can to keep Purdue in the hunt for a double-bye, but the Boilermakers need to find an answer for the athletic wings of the league’s elite.
3. Illinois (22-6, 13-4)
Previous: 2
A heartbreaking 1-point loss at UCLA in overtime is the only blemish on what was otherwise a solid week for Illinois. Keaton Wagler is a superstar in the making, and the return of Kylan Boswell makes the Illini a nightmare to guard. They still have a path to a share of the Big Ten title if they can take care of business against Michigan on February 27, but they’ll need some help in the form of more Michigan losses.
2. Michigan State (22-5, 12-4)
Previous: 6
Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans are getting hot at the right time (what else is new?). Michigan State notched 2 huge wins this week over UCLA and Ohio State, surging into a tie for third place in the standings, 3 games behind rival Michigan. Speaking of the Wolverines…
1. Michigan (25-2, 15-1)
Previous: 1
Michigan stays at No. 1 despite a nonconference loss to No. 3 Duke on Saturday. In the Big Ten, the Wolverines remain the gold standard, having handled Purdue on the road earlier in the week. Dusty May has this team playing with incredible confidence, and with a 2-game lead in the loss column over Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue and Nebraska, the Big Ten regular-season trophy is nearly headed to Ann Arbor.
A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam is the news editor across all Saturday Football brands.