Big Ten Power Rankings: Basketball

The college Basketball season is in Full Swing and the Big Ten is as deep and talented as ever. Who are the best teams in the conference?

Big Ten power rankings Basketball

1. Michigan State Spartans The Spartans are currently the number one team in the Big Ten with a record of 17-2. They have won their last eight games, with their only two losses coming against Duke and Kansas.
2. Wisconsin Badgers The Badgers are right behind the Spartans with a record of 16-3. They have won eight of their last nine games, with their only loss during that span coming against Northwestern.
3. Purdue Boilermakers The Boilermakers are third in the conference with a record of 15-4. They had a seven-game Winning Streak snapped by Michigan State but have won their last two games since then.
4. Maryland Terrapins The Terrapins are fourth in the conference with a record of 15-5. They had a four-game winning streak snapped by Iowa, but have won their last two games since then.
5. Iowa Hawkeyes The Hawkeyes round out the top five with a record of 14-5. They have won three in a row and seven of their last eight games, with their only loss during that span coming against Purdue.

1. Michigan State Spartans

1. Michigan State Spartans The Spartans are coming off a X-X season in which they won the Big Ten regular season title and made it to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament They will look to build on that success this season with returning starters Cassius Winston, Joshua Langford, and Xavier Tillman. They also add 5-star recruit Rocket Watts to the mix. The Spartans will be a force to be reckoned with this season and should be at the top of the Power Rankings all season long

2. Purdue Boilermakers The Boilermakers are coming off a X-X season in which they made it to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament They will look to make another deep run this season with returning starters Carsen Edwards and Matt Haarms. They also bring in 5-star recruit Eden Ewing who should make an immediate impact. The Boilermakers have all the pieces in place for another successful season and should be near the top of the Power Rankings all year long.

3. Wisconsin Badgers The Badgers are coming off a X-XX season in which they lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament They will look to rebound this season with returning starters Nate Reuvers and D’Mitrik Trice. They also add 5-star recruit Tyler Herro to the mix. The Badgers have all the pieces in place for a Successful Season and should contend for a top spot in the power rankings all year long

2. Purdue Boilermakers

The Boilermakers have been one of the more consistent teams in the conference, losing just two games in conference play They have an impressive win over then-No. 3 Michigan State and their only losses have come to teams currently ranked ahead of them — No. 1 Ohio State and No. 4 Illinois. Purdue is led by guard Carsen Edwards, who is averaging 23 points per game

3. Michigan Wolverines

The Michigan Wolverines are currently 14-4 overall and 5-2 in Big Ten play. They are coming off a tough loss to in-state rival Michigan State but they have won three of their last four games. The Wolverines have one of the best defenses in the country, and they have wins over quality opponents such as Iowa, Oregon, and Purdue.

4. Ohio State Buckeyes

This is a bit of a surprise given that the Buckeyes lost two of their best players from last year’s team, but they have reloaded with some talent and are off to a hot start. They have wins over two ranked teams (Kentucky and Villanova) and their only loss was by three points to a very good Syracuse team

5. Wisconsin Badgers

After a slow start to the season, the Badgers have really come on as of late. They have won 8 of their last 10 games, with their only losses coming to #4 Iowa and #9 Maryland. They have a solid team that is led by senior guard Ethan Happ. They will look to make a run in the Big Ten Tournament and possibly the NCAA tournament

6. Iowa Hawkeyes

The Iowa Hawkeyes are currently 6th in the Big Ten Power Rankings for basketball. The Hawkeyes have an overall record of 12-5 and a conference record of 3-3. Their most recent game was a loss to the Minnesota Golden Gophers on January 15th. The Hawkeyes are led by senior guard Jordan Bohannon who is averaging 15.4 points per game

7. Maryland Terrapins

After starting the season off strong with a 7-0 record, the Maryland Terrapins have dropped four of their last seven games. Despite this recent slump, the Terps are still a strong team and are ranked seventh in the Big Ten Led by senior guard Melo Trimble, Maryland has one of the best backcourts in the conference. If they can get back on track, the Terps could make a run at the conference title

8. Nebraska Cornhuskers

The Nebraska Cornhuskers come in at number 8 in our Big Ten Power Rankings. The Cornhuskers have had an up and down season, but they seem to be hitting their stride at the right time. They have a Big Win over the then-ranked #5 Wisconsin Badgers and will look to carry that momentum into the tournament.

9. Indiana Hoosiers

The Indiana Hoosiers are currently ranked 9th in the Big Ten with a conference record of 5-5. They have an overall record of 13-7, with notable wins over Marquette, Louisville, and Florida State They have struggled as of late, losing four out of their last five games. They will look to turn things around against Rutgers on January 22nd.

10. Northwestern Wildcats

Northwestern had a rocky start to Big Ten play, losing four of their first five games. However, the Wildcats have bounced back nicely, winning five of their last seven games. Northwestern’s two recent losses were close ones, falling to #8 Michigan State by just four points and #21 Iowa by three points. The Wildcats have a few good wins on their resume as well, including a victory over then-#23 Indiana. Northwestern will look to finish strong in the final weeks of the season and secure a spot in the NCAA tournament