The Wisconsin Badgers and Purdue Boilermakers will face off in the Big Ten Conference, with the top teams potentially determining their rankings next week. Mid-week contests against upper-half power rankings could also impact the match.
14. Michigan Wolverines (Last Week: No. 14)
Michigan’s basketball program is currently dysfunctional, losing to Purdue and suffering a 9:30 second-half drought against Iowa. East Lansing faces a nightmare on Tuesday due to Dug McDaniel’s academic suspension.
13. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (Last Week: No. 13)
Rutgers’ impressive performance against Purdue, despite forcing 15 turnovers, was ultimately defeated by Purdue’s Edey, leaving the team in the bottom.
12. Penn State Nittany Lions (Last Week: No. 12)
Penn State, despite a nine-point loss to Minnesota, is a close second to Rutgers, but a Piscataway matchup could determine its position in the rankings.
11. Minnesota Golden Gophers (Last Week: No. 11)
The Golden Gophers missed a home upset over Wisconsin due to poor free-throw shooting, dropping out of the bottom three. Their next two weeks are tough with Northwestern, Michigan State, Iowa, and Purdue.
10. Ohio State Buckeyes (Last Week: No. 8)
The Buckeyes are struggling in Big Ten play, with only one win in six games and facing further decline if they don’t recover from losses against Illinois and Iowa.
9. Indiana Hoosiers (Last Week: No. 9)
Indiana is closer to the bottom half of the conference than the top, with a 0-for-9 record against Illinois. Their lack of depth and potential struggles against Iowa and Penn State could pose challenges.
8. Maryland Terrapins (Last Week: No. 10)
Kevin Willard’s team was extremely streaky last season and made a late push in Big Ten play to solidify a spot in the NCAA Tournament. With several returning players, could they still have a little magic left in them?
They have a ways to go to avenge losses to UAB and Davidson earlier this season, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see this veteran-laden team make a run after huge wins over Iowa and Nebraska this past week.
7. Iowa Hawkeyes (Last Week: No. 4)
The Iowa Hawkeyes, known for their offensive prowess, can compete with many teams. However, their slow pace makes them one of the weaker defenses in the conference. If they struggle to shoot well, they may struggle to win games.
6. Michigan State (Last Week: No. 5)
Michigan State’s talented team is tied for seventh in conference play with a 4-5 record. Wisconsin outperformed them last week, and Tom Izzo’s performance could lead to a disappointing season in East Lansing.
5. Nebraska Cornhuskers (Last Week: No. 6)
A 22-point loss to Maryland was an ugly way to finish their week, but that game should prove to be more than a fluke than anything else.
They have a big opportunity to shake things up this week as they get Wisconsin in a potential trap game before the Badgers face Purdue. Then, they host Illinois for a chance to keep their home winning streak going.
4. Northwestern Wildcats (Last Week: No. 7)
Don’t look now, but Northwestern has a shot at the Big Ten regular season title after pulling off an upset win in an OT thriller against Illinois at home. It helps when you shoot 9-of-13 from beyond the arc and over 55 percent from the field.
Boo Buie continues to be one of the top performers in the Big Ten and in the country, and they’ll need him to keep this up to finish as champs.
3. Wisconsin Badgers (Last Week: No. 2)
A.J. Storr remains influential in college basketball, despite dropping 28 points against Michigan State. The Badgers are a top-15 team with efficient play, but face the Big Ten.
2. Illinois Fighting Illini (Last Week: No. 2)
The Fighting Illini’s overtime loss against Northwestern, their first Big Ten loss, may impact their standing. Despite not being as deep as other top three teams, they have the best starting five, potentially changing if Wisconsin beats Purdue.
1. Purdue Boilermakers (Last Week: No. 1)
The Boilermakers have won five consecutive games, including a Rutgers game, and are set to face Northwestern Wildcats on Wednesday and Wisconsin on Sunday. To maintain their winning streak and take the top spot, the Edey supporting staff must improve.
