DetroitSports.Today™

Detroit Sports News Continuously Updated

Big Ten Power Rankings: Top Four Have Separated Themselves

by

Some big-time clashes in the Big Ten have shaken the power rankings over the last several weeks. It’s sometimes hard to keep up with such great action almost every night in the Big Ten. Then again, it’s very clear that the top four teams in the conference have separated themselves. That isn’t the only intriguing battle, as the bottom of the league is also in the thick of it as well. So without further delay, let’s take a look at this week’s Big Ten basketball power rankings.

Big Ten Power Rankings: Top Four Have Separated Themselves

18. Minnesota (9-9, 1-6)

Boy, have things gone south for the Golden Gophers. They have a firm lock on the worst spot in the Big Ten power rankings. They did have an awesome performance against Big Ten contender Michigan as Dawson Garcia hit an unbelievable buzzer-beater to upset the Wolverines in overtime. He wasn’t the only impact player in that game as Lu’Cye Patterson emerged as a go-to scorer as well.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

17. Washington (10-8, 1-6)

Yet another one of the bottom feeders, Washington has played tough in their last handful of games. It’s too bad those outings have been against the top of the Big Ten. They have lost four in a row against four ranked Big Ten teams, who also happen to be the top four of the league. What a brutal stretch for the Huskies.

16. Ohio State (10-8, 2-5)

The Buckeyes are in a tough fight to avoid the bottom three. But as it stands they hold the feared 16th spot, as they fell just shy in a hard-fought loss against Indiana. They have straight losses, and with a road trip to Mackey ahead, things are getting sketchy in Columbus.

15. Northwestern (11-7, 2-5)

The Wildcats might be the best 2-5 conference team in the country. They put up strong efforts in two of their last three games. It’s too bad they couldn’t stop Michigan’s Vlad Goldin , in their most recent game. That questionable flagrant two-call on Jalen Leach is going to hurt for a while.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

14. Penn State (12-6, 2-5)

A banged-up Ace Baldwin Jr is still tough. He showed out in a five-point loss at Michigan State. His 20 points weren’t enough, and losing Puff Johnson for the foreseeable future stings. An MLK Day tilt with Rutgers should be interesting, to say the least.

13. Nebraska (12-6, 2-5)

This group of 2-5 teams in the Big Ten could be interchangeable. The Cornhuskers are trending down considerably. Their losing streak is now up to four games. Coach Hoiberg better find a way to stop the bleeding. Nebraska is trending out of the NCAA tournament picture in a hurry.

12. Rutgers (10-8, 3-4)

Rutgers is moving up despite some rough patches at the start of Big Ten play. This freshman-led group appears to have righted the ship. Time will tell, but back-to-back wins over UCLA and Nebraska have to boost their confidence. They have two big games this week with Penn State and Michigan State. Ace Bailey has been on a heater as of late with back-to-back 20-point games.

11. USC (11-7, 3-4)

The Trojans are a mixed bag. They have won two of their last three, including at Illinois. But getting run off their floor by Wisconsin was rough. They next go back on the road to Nebraska. That is a game with two teams that are desperate to win.

10. UCLA (12-6, 3-4)

The Bruins might have finally toughened up, which Coach Mick Cronin said they needed to. A 24-point win against a highly dangerous Iowa team was a huge response. Yet, Cronin is still complaining about the Big Ten. Perhaps he’s the weak one, and not his team. Get a grip dude.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

9. Iowa (12-6, 3-4)

The West Coast trip for the Hawkeyes has been bad. Back-to-back losses have the Hawkeyes back on the drawing board. Luckily, they return home for their next two against Minnesota and Penn State. Josh Dix has been consistent for Iowa in his last five games, as he has scored 12 or more points per game in that span.

8. Maryland (14-5, 4-4)

Are they a contender, or aren’t they? Maryland is still a questionable group. When they are on they’re on, but when they struggle, they look like a bottom feeder. They suffered an overtime loss at Northwestern, but followed that up with a close three-point win versus Nebraska. What is the ceiling for this team? Ja’Kobi Gillespie has been a nice scorer during this stretch, so there’s that.

7. Oregon (15-3, 4-3)

The Ducks aren’t out of the conference race. Getting beat on their home floor, by the red-hot Boilermakers, has to be a bit of an alarm raiser. The Ducks can get back to basics with Washington coming into Matthew Knight Arena next.

6. Indiana (14-5, 5-3)

I’m not sure what to make of Indiana. After getting completely boat-raced on their home floor by Illinois, the Hoosiers responded. Going to, and getting a win at Ohio State, may have saved Mike Woodson’a job for now. This team has to be frustrating to say the least.

5. Wisconsin (15-3, 5-2)

Wisconsin has a better conference record than Illinois right now with only two Big Ten losses. The Badgers have won seven straight games since losing to that Illini squad. The Badgers have one more tough road game at UCLA. If they get a win at Pauley Pavillion, this becomes a five-team race.

4. Illinois (13-5, 5-3)

Let the fans of Illinois tell you if Kasparas Jakucionis could’ve played without fouling out, and that they would’ve beat Michigan State by 15 or more. The truth is a great thing. Jakucionis was ‘cooking’ the Spartans. Sure, three points, three assists, and five fouls. Get outta here. They are a good team, yes, but they have to rely on more than just KJ.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

3. Michigan (14-4, 6-1)

The Wolverines are still in the hunt, but losing on the road to the worst team in the Big Ten is a big anchor attached to their feet. Despite the loss, rebounding with an overtime win against a scary Northwestern team, was just what the doctor ordered. Is that Vlad Goldin or Zach Edey ?

2. Purdue (15-4, 7-1)

That early conference loss to Penn State feels rough on this Boilermaker team. Purdue has been on fire, winning seven straight games. That’s huge with three-straight home games up next. Winning at Oregon was huge. Trey Kaufman-Renn continues to get the job done around the basket.  CJ Cox is certainly starting to deliver as well.

1. Michigan State (16-2, 7-0)

Guess who’s back, back again…Tom Izzo and the Spartans. Despite plenty of doubters, especially those wearing Blue and Orange, Michigan State was able to claim a much-needed 80-78 victory at home against Illinois. The winning streak is now up to 11 in a row, and they own a 7-0 Big Ten record. They are the first team to win their first seven Big Ten games since the 2018-19 season. Ironically that was also an Izzo-led Spartan team, that won the Big Ten and reached the Final Four. Not saying they are the same, but this team isn’t afraid of anybody.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The post Big Ten Power Rankings: Top Four Have Separated Themselves appeared first on Last Word On Basketball .