Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings: Spartans on Top, and here come the Hoosiers (03-02-25)

18. Washington Huskies

Washington’s performance last week was unimpressive, losing by 26 points to Wisconsin and 16 points to Indiana. The Huskies have now lost four consecutive games.

17. Penn State Nittany Lions

When it’s all said and done, Mike Rhoades may reflect on this season as one of “what could have been.” Penn State has faced a number of blowout losses, but notably, it has also lost nine Big Ten games by six points or fewer. The team has struggled in high-pressure situations, which leaves them on the outside looking in when it comes to the Big Ten Tournament.

16. USC Trojans

Recently, USC appeared to be a potentially dangerous team in the Big Ten. However, over the past three weeks, the Trojans have lost five consecutive games, three of which were by 10 points or more. Defense has been a significant issue during this stretch, as the team allowed 82 points or more in four of those five losses. Now, as they enter the final week of the season, USC finds itself in a battle for a spot in the Big Ten Tournament.

15. Iowa Hawkeyes

Usually, defense is the primary concern when it comes to the Hawkeyes. However, the offense has been struggling in the last two games, averaging only 59 points in losses to Illinois and Northwestern last week. This team is definitely limping to the finish line.

14. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

A last-second shot from Nimari Burnett dashed Rutgers’ hopes of achieving a noteworthy road victory against Michigan last week. This victory would have been a defining moment for the Scarlet Knights this season. There isn’t much more to add that hasn’t already been discussed about this team.

13. Minnesota Golden Gophers

Minnesota has established itself as one of the more surprising teams in the Big Ten. After starting the season with an 0-6 record, the Gophers are now 7-5 in conference play. Their impressive comeback includes victories against Michigan, Oregon, UCLA, and most recently, Nebraska. As the season comes to a close, can Minnesota continue to play the role of spoiler?

12. Northwestern Wildcats

Northwestern deserves a lot of credit for their resilience. Despite losing two key players to season-ending injuries, Chris Collins’ team has continued to fight and has now won three consecutive games. The recent performance of Nick Martinelli has been crucial in this success, but KJ Windham has also made significant contributions. In Northwestern’s last three games, Windham has averaged 14.3 points per game, despite averaging less than 5.0 points per game for the season.

11. Nebraska Cornhuskers

The word “streaky” best describes Nebraska’s season. The Huskers endured a six-game losing streak in January, but then rebounded with a stretch where they won five out of six games. Currently, however, Fred Hoiberg’s team is once again struggling, having lost three consecutive matches. A recent defeat to Minnesota seriously impacted Nebraska’s postseason aspirations, but they are not completely out of contention just yet. The team urgently needs contributions from players other than Juwan Gary and Brice Williams to turn things around.

10. Ohio State Buckeyes

If Ohio State wants to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament, they must achieve victories against Nebraska and Indiana in their next two games. Failing to do so could significantly jeopardize their chances. This team has struggled with consistency throughout the year, but right now, it’s a critical moment for the Buckeyes. We’ll see how Jake Diebler’s team responds with the season hanging in the balance.

9. Indiana Hoosiers

Welcome back to the NCAA Tournament conversation, Indiana! The Hoosiers are currently on a three-game winning streak and have secured victories against Purdue, Michigan State, and Ohio State, with two of those wins coming on the road. Contributions are coming from several players, including Luke Goode, Oumar Ballo, Trey Galloway, and others. Is Mike Woodson getting his team to peak at the right moment? Tuesday’s game against Oregon now carries significant implications for Indiana.

8. Oregon Ducks

Oregon has seemingly figured things out over the past few weeks. The Ducks are currently on a five-game winning streak and have the opportunity to finish the regular season with seven consecutive victories if they win against Indiana and Washington. During this successful stretch, Oregon has relied heavily on Nate Bittle, Keeshawn Barthelemy, and Jackson Shelstad, all of whom have stepped up their performances.

7. UCLA Bruins

The Eastern Time Zone has been a challenge for UCLA. Despite a competitive effort against Purdue in Mackey Arena, the Bruins suffered a costly five-minute scoring drought in the second half. This loss was particularly disappointing for a team aiming for a top-four seed in the Big Ten Tournament and a double-bye. While UCLA still has a chance to secure that position, they need to win their remaining games and receive some assistance from other results.

6. Illinois Fighting Illini

The Illinois Fighting Illini have showcased their best performance in the last two games. They dominated Iowa due to a favorable turnover differential and overwhelmed Michigan with an impressive display of 3-pointers. While the Fighting Illini have been inconsistent at times, they’ve also demonstrated how dangerous they can be when playing at their best. The good news is that Illinois has only one game left, where they will host Purdue before the start of the Big Ten Tournament. A team that has been struggling with illness and injuries will benefit from a significant rest period over the next two weeks.

5. Purdue Boilermakers

A four-game losing streak came to an end on Friday night. Thanks to strong performances from Trey Kaufman-Renn and Braden Smith, Purdue defeated UCLA, potentially regaining some momentum as they enter the final stretch of the season. While the Boilermakers cannot achieve a three-peat as Big Ten champions, they still have the opportunity to make strong runs in both the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments if they can return to their aggressive defensive style of play.

4. Maryland Terrapins

Ja’Kobi Gillespie’s final shot against Michigan State may have been taken a bit too early, but we can attribute that loss to a mix of bad luck. The Terrapins are still showcasing some of their best basketball right now, having won five of their last six games. In those five victories, they are averaging an impressive 86 points per game, which is a strong performance.

3. Michigan Wolverines

Should Michigan be penalized for a blowout loss on their home court? Yes, but it’s essential to consider their overall performance this season. While the Wolverines have shown some weaknesses, they have successfully won many close games and still have a chance to claim a league title in Dusty May’s first season as head coach, which is quite impressive. Michigan faces a challenging final week, hosting Maryland before playing Michigan State in East Lansing for the season finale.

2. Wisconsin Badgers

When Wisconsin’s 3-point shot isn’t falling, the team has struggled, as seen in their recent losses to Oregon and Michigan State. Despite this, the 3-point shot is a crucial part of their offensive strategy, and they are not likely to abandon it. John Tonje has been effective at driving to the basket and drawing fouls this season. If he’s having difficulty with this aspect of his game, he should focus more on driving to the hoop to score points or get to the free-throw line.

1. Michigan State Spartans

Sometimes, things just go your way. That was the case for Michigan State last week when Tre Holloman’s half-court shot went through the net at the buzzer, securing an impressive road win for the Spartans over a good Maryland team. Following that, MSU wrapped up the week with a significant victory over Wisconsin, taking complete control of the Big Ten race with only two games remaining on the schedule. Tom Izzo can almost taste his 11th regular-season conference championship.