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Week 14 B1G basketball power rankings: Boilermakers knocked off, but can Purdue maintain its standing at No. 1?
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Purdue was finally knocked off again, as Indiana took down the visiting Boilermakers in one of the most highly anticipated games of the Big Ten season.
But Purdue had built such a big cushion in the conference standings that even with Saturday loss in Bloomington, it still holds a 2-game lead on Rutgers in the loss column and its up 3 games on Indiana and a host of others. Was the Boilermakers’ loss enough to knock them from their perch atop our B1G power rankings?
Let’s take a look at at Week 14:
14. Minnesota
Record: 7-15 overall, 1-11 in the Big Ten | Last week: 14
Minnesota’s past 3 losses have come by margins of 35, 35 and 20 points, a remarkably poor showing even by Golden Gopher standards. The 81-46 loss Saturday to Maryland, Minnesota’s 7th straight, marked the biggest margin ever in a Gopher loss in a Big Ten game. Can the Gophers win another game? Well, maybe at Nebraska on Feb. 25? Otherwise, it’s likely a bleak finish.
13. Ohio State
Record: 11-11, 3-8 | Last week: 12
What’s happened in Ohio State remains a mystery, as the Buckeyes have way, way too much talent to perform this poorly. It’s unlikely to cost Chris Holtmann his job, but anytime an athletic director is forced into a vote of confidence, as Gene Smith was over the weekend after a loss to Wisconsin, then it’s a cause for concern. For OSU, it was the 7th loss in the past 8 games — and Holtmann was ejected from this one — with little reason to think the Buckeyes can expect a turnaround in the 2nd half of the Big Ten.
12. Nebraska
Record: 11-13, 4-9 | Last week: 13
Keisei Tominaga is an absolute joy to watch, and that’s never been more true than on Sunday, when the flashy Cornhuskers’ guard put up 30 points in a 72-63 victory over Penn State in Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tominaga scored in about every way possible, deep 3-pointers, runners in the lane, long jumpers, an all-around impressive performance to help Nebraska snap a 4-game losing streak.
11. Wisconsin
Record: 13-9, 5-7 | Last week: 11
Wisconsin needed a home victory Sunday against Northwestern for a course correction in its quest for an NCAA Tournament bid. Instead, it couldn’t get hold of the game in the final couple minutes, as Chucky Hepburn missed highly contested shots in the lanes, ones that he’s had a knack for making at other times during his career. But if the Badgers are to make a push, they’re going to have to find a way to score more consistently; only once during the Big Ten have they put up more than 70 points.
10. Penn State
Record: 14-9, 5-7 | Last week: 9
Penn State’s NCAA Tournament hopes took a big hit with the Nittany Lions’ loss at Nebraska on Sunday, with the only solace being that they still have time for a makeup game of sorts. But it might mean needing upsets in the last month of the season, like by sweeping Maryland and getting a home victory over Rutgers. If PSU can win 5-of-8, plus get a win (or 2) in the Big Ten Tournament, then maybe it can get itself back on the right side of the bubble.
9. Michigan
Record: 13-10, 7-5 | Last week: 10
Michigan has revived its seemingly dead NCAA Tournament hopes with back-to-back victories against Northwestern and Ohio State, which followed the stunningly bad 22-point loss at Penn State. The Wolverines showed hustle on defense, a characteristic that unfortunately hasn’t been consistent this season. The result is a modest 2-game winning streak, the first UM streak since early January. With home games this week vs. Nebraska and Indiana, maybe Michigan can continue a late-season push.
8. Michigan State
Record: 14-9, 6-6 | Last week: 6
For Michigan State to regain its footing in the Big Ten — the Spartans have lost 5-of-7, including Saturday to Rutgers at Madison Square Garden — then it probably needs more consistency from point guard AJ Hoggard. The veteran, who had been great in the middle of the season, has slipped into a funk lately, including his 5-turnover performance in a 6-point loss to the Scarlet Knights. The Spartans seem to be wearing down late in games; Saturday marked the 4th time during the Big Ten season that MSU led by at least 5 points in the 2nd half but lost.
7. Northwestern
Record: 16-7, 7-5 | Last week: 5
What Northwestern has done since returning from its COVID pause has been impressive, going 4-2 in a 13-day stretch. Following a critical 2-point win Sunday at Wisconsin, in a game that felt like it had NCAA Tournament implications, it at least gets a bit of a break until visiting Ohio State on Thursday. The Wildcats have an extremely difficult stretch to end the season, as 6 of the last 7 are against teams likely to finish in the top-5 of the Big Ten standings.
6. Illinois
Record: 16-7, 7-5 | Last week: 4
Illinois’ 3-game winning streak ended Saturday at Iowa, when the Hawkeyes pulled out a 2-point victory. The Fighting Illini did a lot well, like hitting 50-percent of their shots and winning on the glass, but 14 turnovers were a killer and they couldn’t get stops when they needed to in the closing minutes. Unfortunately, inconsistency has been a major storyline for most of the season for Illinois.
5. Maryland
Record: 16-7, 7-5 | Last week: 8
There might be no hotter team in the Big Ten right now than Maryland — and the Terrapins’ social media team sure isn’t shy about letting people know about it — as its won 4 straight and 5 of its past 6. And the Terps might be able to keep that going too, with a road game at Michigan State on Tuesday, then a home date with Penn State Saturday, all before a rematch vs. Purdue on Feb. 16. Maryland has virtually no depth, but its starting 5 can matchup with about anyone in the Big Ten, Boilermakers included.
4. Iowa
Record: 15-8, 7-5 | Last week: 7
In the 2nd half vs. Illinois Saturday, Iowa kept running plays over and over for junior guard Tony Perkins. With good reason. Perkins could not be stopped. The veteran Hawkeye finished with 32 points, including 25 after halftime, when he hit 5-of-6 shots from the field, plus was fouled 9 times. The latter resulted in 16 trips to the free throw line, where he hit all but one. Iowa has 3 straight wins against fellow NCAA Tournament-likely teams Rutgers, Northwestern and Illinois.
3. Rutgers
Record: 16-7, 8-4 | Last week: 3
Rutgers might be the only team in the Big Ten capable of catching Purdue in the standings, considering the Scarlet Knights are only 2 games back in the loss column, thanks to a comeback win over Michigan State at MSG. But 2 road games this week — at Indiana on Tuesday, then at Illinois — will likely be telling, especially considering the final 6 games are much more manageable.
2. Indiana
Record: 16-7, 7-5 | Last week: 2
Indiana scored its biggest upset in years when it held off Purdue in the 2nd half for an 79-74 victory on Saturday, getting yet another big day from Trayce Jackson-Davis (25 points, 7 rebounds and 5 blocks). IU has won 6-of-7, but the 1 loss was concerning because the Hoosiers looked so flat on the road at Maryland. Regardless, Indiana showed its ceiling remains high if it buys in on defense and finds enough help for Jackson-Davis.
1. Purdue
Record: 22-2, 11-2 | Last week: 1
Purdue built enough of a cushion in the Big Ten that even a loss doesn’t knock the Boilermakers off their pedestal at the top of the power rankings. But Purdue didn’t deal well with the environment in Assembly Hall, nor the Hoosiers’ pressure defense, as the Boilermakers committed 16 turnovers, including 11 in the 1st half. Will Purdue’s freshmen backcourt meet the challenge in the next opportunity? It’s a big question.
Kyle Charters, a familiar face at Gold & Black, covers Purdue, Indiana and college basketball for Saturday Tradition.