Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings 12/15/2025

18. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (5–6, 0–2 Big Ten)

Rutgers has the weakest résumé in the league right now. At 5–6 overall with a 0–2 Big Ten start and the league’s lowest NET ranking (197), they’ve simply dropped too many games to stay out of the basement. The Knights have struggled to stack wins even at home and haven’t found a consistent offensive identity. The record shows a team that is competitive in spurts but unable to close and string together momentum. Until Rutgers can climb back to .500 and show they can win more than they lose against comparable opponents, their record places them clearly at No. 18.

17. Oregon Ducks (5–5, 0–2 Big Ten)

Oregon’s move into the Big Ten has produced a very uneven start on paper: 5–5 overall and 0–2 in the league. The Ducks have played a demanding schedule, which helps explain the .500 mark and a middling NET of 129, but “quality of record” is still about wins and losses — and they’ve split them right down the middle. A truly neutral record with multiple losses and no dominant win streak leaves them in the lower tier. They’re not disastrous, but compared to other Big Ten teams that have banked more wins against similar or better schedules, Oregon’s résumé just isn’t strong enough yet to rank any higher.

16. Maryland Terrapins (6–5, 0–2 Big Ten)

Maryland’s 6–5 overall record looks slightly better than Oregon’s at first glance, but the details aren’t kind. The Terps are 0–2 in the Big Ten, hovering just one game over .500 with a NET ranking in the 160s, lowest in the league outside Rutgers. That combination suggests a team that hasn’t maximized its schedule; they’ve dropped winnable games and lack signature wins to elevate the résumé. The extra win over Oregon keeps them above the Ducks in pure winning percentage, but given the weak underlying metrics, Maryland sits firmly in the bottom three of the conference based on record quality alone.

15. Minnesota Golden Gophers (6–5, 1–1 Big Ten)

Minnesota has the same overall mark as Maryland at 6–5, but a 1–1 start in league play nudges the Gophers slightly ahead. Their NET ranking (143) is still toward the back of the pack, reflecting a résumé that is heavy on home wins and light on true tests. The quality of their record is “better than bad, not yet good.” They’ve protected home court well enough to avoid falling under .500, but there isn’t a defining victory that changes how you view the body of work. For now, Minnesota sits above Maryland and Oregon because of that extra win and a respectable start in conference play, but they’re still squarely in the lower tier.

14. Northwestern Wildcats (6–4, 0–2 Big Ten)

Northwestern’s 6–4 overall record and 0–2 Big Ten start place them in the middle of the lower group. The Wildcats are above .500 with a NET ranking in the 70s, which signals they’ve at least beaten some competent teams and haven’t padded their record exclusively against very weak opposition. However, the conference losses and lack of a standout win keep their résumé modest. Compared to Minnesota and Maryland, Northwestern’s slightly better efficiency and non-conference profile push them ahead, but they still trail the big cluster of 7–3 and 8–3 teams because they simply don’t have the same volume of wins.

13. Penn State Nittany Lions (8–3, 0–2 Big Ten)

Penn State presents a classic résumé split: 8–3 overall, but 0–2 in the Big Ten. The Lions have piled up non-conference wins, which gives them a stronger overall record than UCLA, yet their NET ranking (just outside the top 100) shows that many of those victories have come against softer competition. From a pure “quality of record” standpoint, 8–3 still matters — wins are wins — and that’s enough to keep them in the top 10. However, the 0–2 league mark and lack of premium opponents keeps Penn State behind the cluster of 8–3 teams with better metrics.

12. Washington Huskies (7–3, 1–1 Big Ten)

Washington’s résumé looks very similar to Wisconsin’s: 7–3 overall, 1–1 in the Big Ten and hovering around .700 winning percentage. The Huskies own a slightly better NET ranking in the low 60s, hinting that their schedule and margins have been a bit stronger than Wisconsin’s so far. That’s enough to slide them just ahead in a record-quality-based ranking. Washington has handled business at home and shown some competitiveness away from home as well, which matters when comparing similar records. But like the Badgers, they haven’t quite matched the volume of wins or résumé heft of the league’s 8–3, 9–2, and 10–1 teams.

11. Wisconsin Badgers (7–3, 1–1 Big Ten)

At 7–3 overall and 1–1 in the Big Ten, Wisconsin is squarely over .500 and has done a nice job avoiding bad losses. Their NET ranking sits around the high 60s, which matches the feel of their résumé: solid, but not spectacular. The Badgers’ record quality is helped by a clean home slate and some decent mid-major wins, but they don’t yet have the type of headline victory that would push them higher in a league full of teams with 8–3, 9–2, or 10–1 marks. They’re better positioned than the lower tier because they’ve stacked enough Ws, yet their overall body of work is still clearly second-tier within this conference.

10. Indiana Hoosiers (8–3, 1–1 Big Ten)

Indiana is also 8–3 overall but has fared slightly better in league play at 1–1 and sits comfortably inside the top 30 in NET. Indiana has taken care of business at Assembly Hall and shown enough competitive juice away from home to validate the résumé. When you compare them within the 8–3 group, the Hoosiers’ metrics and conference performance place them squarely in the upper half, but not quite at the level of the absolute top résumés in the league.

9. Ohio State Buckeyes (8–2, 1–1 Big Ten)

Ohio State’s 8–2 overall record gives them a higher winning percentage than the 8–3 group, and their 1–1 conference mark keeps them in good early position. The NET ranking around 48 suggests their résumé is solid but not elite, likely reflecting a mix of decent wins and one or two losses to quality opponents. Still, when you’re ranking by record quality, 8–2 stands out — especially compared with teams that have already taken three losses. The Buckeyes sit just behind the truly gaudy records at the top of the league, but clearly ahead of the 8–3 and 7–3 packs thanks to that extra win and one fewer loss.

8. USC Trojans (10–1, 1–1 Big Ten)

USC enters mid-December with a sparkling 10–1 overall record, tied with Purdue for the best one-loss mark in the conference, and a 1–1 start in league games. Their NET ranking in the mid-30s is good but not quite at the elite level of Purdue or Michigan State, which hints that the schedule has been a bit softer. Still, the Trojans’ record quality is extremely strong: ten wins, only one loss, and a solid performance profile. While their résumé doesn’t quite have the same heft as the teams above, you can’t argue with 10–1 in a power conference.

7. UCLA Bruins (7–3, 2–0 Big Ten)

UCLA’s 7–3 record looks modest until you add the crucial note: the Bruins are 2–0 in Big Ten play and undefeated at home. Their NET ranking around 41 is the strongest among the 7–3 group, suggesting their schedule has been more challenging and their results more impressive than Washington or Wisconsin. That combination — a winning record, clean league start, and top-50 NET — lifts UCLA a tier above the other 7–3 teams in terms of record quality. They’re still a step below the 8–3+ clubs, but for now the Bruins’ résumé is the best of the “three-loss” cluster.

6. Illinois Fighting Illini (8–3, 1–1 Big Ten)

Illinois rounds out the 8–3 trio, and their overall profile is the strongest of the three. The Illini are 1–1 in the Big Ten like Indiana but boast a NET ranking in the low teens, which reflects both schedule strength and quality of wins. Their record shows that they’ve navigated a challenging non-conference slate with only three losses and have acquired at least a couple of wins over NCAA tournament-caliber teams. Illinois’s quality of record looks like a borderline top-10 national résumé right now, and that’s enough to push them ahead of Indiana and Penn State in this Big Ten-only hierarchy.

5. Iowa Hawkeyes (9–2, 1–1 Big Ten)

Iowa has quietly assembled one of the Big Ten’s best résumés. The Hawkeyes are 9–2 overall, 1–1 in conference and have yet to suffer a truly damaging defeat. Their NET ranking in the mid-20s indicates a strong mix of results and schedule — they’ve handled lower-tier opponents and held their own against stronger teams. Compared to Ohio State, Iowa’s extra win and slightly better efficiency profile give them the edge in record quality. They’re still a notch below the 10-win and undefeated teams, but their current body of work stacks up as one of the most impressive in the league’s second tier.

4. Nebraska Cornhuskers (11–0, 2–0 Big Ten)

Nebraska’s story is simple and loud: the Huskers are 11–0 overall and 2–0 in the Big Ten, the only team in the league with 11 wins and no losses. Their NET ranking (12) shows that while the schedule hasn’t been as brutal as some others, it’s far from empty calories — this is a legitimately strong résumé. Nebraska has protected home court, picked up wins away from Lincoln, and avoided every trap game so far. Purely on wins and losses, no one in the conference has stacked more Ws without a blemish. The only reason they’re not No. 1 is that one other team has combined an undefeated mark with an even stronger efficiency and schedule profile.

3. Purdue Boilermakers (10–1, 2–0 Big Ten)

Purdue’s 10–1 record plus a flawless 2–0 Big Ten start gives them one of the very best résumés in the league. The Boilermakers also sit in the national top 10 in NET, reflecting not only their winning percentage but the strength of opponents and quality of their victories. Compared to USC, they boast both the same overall mark and a better conference record, along with stronger underlying metrics. From a “quality of record” standpoint, Purdue has done nearly everything you’d ask of a title contender: win the games you’re supposed to, take care of league business early, and avoid bad losses.

2. Michigan State Spartans (9–1, 2–0 Big Ten)

Michigan State’s record checks almost every box you want to see. The Spartans are 9–1 overall and a perfect 2–0 in Big Ten play, with a NET rating firmly inside the national top 10.Their lone loss came against a high-level opponent, while their wins include a mix of home dominance and a few away or neutral-site victories that bolster their résumé. The Spartans’ record quality looks like that of a conference title contender and top-line NCAA seed. They trail a couple of teams only because those teams remain undefeated or have hit double-digit wins with similarly strong metrics.

1. Michigan Wolverines (10–0, 2–0 Big Ten)

Michigan claims the top spot based on record quality, not just record volume. The Wolverines are 10–0 overall, 2–0 in the Big Ten, and sit at No. 1 in the entire country in NET, indicating that their unbeaten mark has come against a stronger slate than Nebraska’s. Their 10–0 includes quality wins, no bad losses (because there are no losses), and excellent margins that impress the computers. When you combine undefeated status with the nation’s top evaluation metric, it’s hard to argue that anyone has a better résumé right now. Michigan’s record is the best blend of perfection and opponent quality in the Big Ten through December 14, 2025.