Big Ten College Basketball Power Rankings: Purdue tops the list, Wisconsin, Illinois trail
Vaughn Dalzell shares his Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings, including Purdue at the top and a surprise ranking for Northwestern.
1. Purdue Boilermakers (16-2, 5-2)
Upcoming games: Saturday at Iowa (-7), Tuesday vs Michigan (-16) *Projected lines
Odds to win the Big Ten: (-310)
Purdue currently ranks No. 2 in the AP Poll and has the most impressive resume in college basketball. After suffering a road loss at Northwestern to start conference play, the Boilermakers have rattled off nine wins over the past 10.
2. Wisconsin Badgers (13-4, 5-1)
Upcoming games: Friday vs Indiana (-13), Tuesday at Minnesota (-6) *Projected lines
Odds to win the Big Ten: (+400)
Wisconsin is the biggest threat to take down Purdue this season. The Badgers have the length (8th in height), experience (52nd), and returners from last year (71.6% of minutes back, 8th-most) to make this a tight race in the Big Ten.
The Badgers have gotten off to a good start, but an 87-83 loss to Penn State in its last outing gives Purdue some room to breathe in the Big Ten race.
3. Illinois Fighting Illini (13-4, 4-2)
Upcoming games: Sunday vs Rutgers (-14), Wednesday at Northwestern (-4) *Projected lines
Odds to win the Big Ten: (+900)
Illinois is one of the most experienced teams in the nation with 2.82 average years of DI experience (15th) and that's one of the factors why they are top four on offense and defense in the conference.
The Terrance Shannon situation puts a damper on what Illinois could be on the court, but they still went toe-to-toe at Purdue (83-78 loss) and hung with Marquette (71-64) and Tennessee (86-79) in their other two losses. The recent loss at home versus Maryland was concerning, so this team could find themselves dropping fast in the Big Ten.
4. Northwestern Wildcats (13-4, 4-2)
Upcoming games: Saturday at Nebraska (+4), Wednesday vs Illinois (+4) *Projected lines
Odds to win the Big Ten: (+6500)
The Wildcats continue to climb the Big Ten with three wins in the past four games, but Northwestern's road schedule starts to pick up with trips to Nebraska, Purdue, Minnesota, Rutgers, and Indiana over the next month.
Northwestern will continue to be tested but with top 25 turnover percentages, their slow tempo style (335th), plus a top 50 rank from three (36.6%), the Wildcats should finish in the top half of the Big Ten.
5. Michigan State Spartans (11-7, 3-4)
Upcoming games: Sunday at Maryland (-3), Sunday at Wisconsin (+4) *Projected lines
Odds to win the Big Ten: (+3500)
The Spartans are 0-3 on the road in conference play and have lost all five games away from Michigan State this season.
With 65.5% of minutes back from last year's team, which ranks 25th in the nation, Michigan State should regain form with a favorable February schedule against Michigan, Maryland, Illinois, Iowa, and Ohio State all at home.
6. Iowa Hawkeyes (11-6, 3-3)
Upcoming games: Saturday vs Purdue (-7), Wednesday vs Maryland (-5) *Projected lines
Odds to win the Big Ten: (+20000)
The Hawkeyes haven't had any surprise wins this year. The best win would be a neutral court victory over Seton Hall (85-72) or at Minnesota (86-77).
All six losses on the season are respectable for the Hawkeyes and if they maintain their top 10 turnover percentage on offense (13.4%) and tempo, Iowa could sneak into the Top 25 at some point playing in an up-and-down conference.
7. Nebraska Cornhuskers (13-5, 3-4)
Upcoming games: Saturday vs Northwestern (-4), Tuesday vs Ohio State (-3) *Projected lines
Odds to win the Big Ten: (+13000)
The Cornhuskers have dropped three of the past four games, but have three home outings over the next four contests versus Northwestern, Ohio State, and Wisconsin to make amends.
Nebraska plays at the slowest tempo on defense in Big Ten play and forces turnovers (17.3%, 6th) but permits the highest three-point percentage (42.1%) with bottom-four rebounding ranks. Fred Hoiberg got this team to 16-16 last year as they search for their first winning record since 2019 -- Hoiberg took over in 2020.
8. Indiana Hoosiers (12-6, 4-3)
Upcoming games: Friday at Wisconsin (+13), Saturday (27th) at Illinois (+14) *Projected lines
Odds to win the Big Ten: (+18000)
The Hoosiers have alternated wins and losses over the past five games and are 5-5 in the last 10. Indiana appears to be the average home-and-away split team in Big Ten play with a 9-2 home record and a 2-4 record on the road or neutral courts.
With bottom-four ranks offensively across the board through seven Big Ten games and a losing road record, Indiana will likely finish with a losing conference record for the fifth time in six years.
9. Minnesota Golden Gophers (12-6, 3-4)
Upcoming games: Tuesday vs Wisconsin (+6), Saturday at Penn State (+6) *Projected lines
Odds to win the Big Ten: (+13000)
Minnesota was one of the hottest teams in the Big Ten entering last week with seven-straight wins, but after two consecutive losses at Indiana and versus Iowa, the Gophers may have peaked already.
The Gophers had 9 wins last year, so the 12 mid-way through January is an obvious accomplishment. However, trips to Michigan State and Penn State with a home game versus Wisconsin sandwiched in between over the next three games aren't promising for Minnesota.
10. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (10-7, 2-4)
Upcoming games: Sunday at Illinois (+14), Sunday (28th) vs Purdue (+11) *Projected lines
Odds to win the Big Ten: (+30000)
Rutgers squeezed out a big home OT win over Minnesota, but are projected underdogs in seven of the next next games with five on the road. The Knights are 1-6 in true road games and neutral court contests with 64.7 points per game.
Rutgers' stock will drop over the next week with Illinois and Purdue on the schedule, but with games against Penn State, Michigan, and Maryland after that, the Knights can redeem themselves.
11. Ohio State Buckeyes (12-5, 2-4)
Upcoming games: Saturday vs Penn State (-9), Tuesday at Nebraska (+3) *Projected lines
Odds to win the Big Ten: (+5500)
Ohio State has been turnover machines up until the past two games. The Buckeyes turned the ball over 57 times in the first four games but only 12 times in the last two. However, that hasn't translated to wins, but back-to-back losses of 8 and 11 points.
With 12 consecutive true road losses and a live-or-die three-point mentality on offense, Ohio State is projected to finish below .500 in the Big Ten and I'd have to agree.
12. Maryland Terps (11-7, 3-4)
Upcoming games: Saturday vs Michigan State (+3), Wednesday at Iowa (+5) *Projected lines
Odds to win the Big Ten: (+30000)
The Terps have dropped three of its past five games and have the 346th-ranked offensive three-point percentage (27.9%) and that has dropped to 25.4% in conference play (last). Maryland is 2-4 in road and neutral court games and projected underdogs in seven of the next 10 games.
13. Penn State Nittany Lions (9-9, 3-4)
Upcoming games: Saturday at Ohio State (+9), Saturday vs Minnesota (-1) *Projected lines
Odds to win the Big Ten: (+30000)
The Nittany Lions are 5-9 in the past 14 games and rank last in the Big Ten for defensive effective field goal percentage (57.1%) and rebounding percentage (35.1%). Wins over Michigan and Wisconsin are keeping this team above the Wolverines in this Power Rankings.
14. Michigan Wolverines (7-11, 2-5)
Upcoming games: Tuesday vs Purdue (+16), Saturday vs Iowa (+1) *Projected lines
Odds to win the Big Ten: (+30000)
Michigan broke a five-game losing streak with a home win over Ohio State but is expected to be underdogs in the next four games. The Wolverines season has been challenging, to say the least. Michigan is the only team in the Big Ten below .500 and it's likely to stay that way all year.
Big Ten Power Rankings listed out
Purdue (-310)
Wisconsin (+400)
Illinois (+900)
Northwestern (+6500)
Michigan State (+3500)
Iowa (+20000)
Nebraska (+13000)
Indiana (+18000)
Minnesota (+30000)
Rutgers (+30000)
Ohio State (+5500)
Maryland (+30000)
Penn State (+30000)
Michigan (+30000)
Odds to win the BIG Ten Regular Season provided by DraftKings
Bet the Edge is your source for the day in sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight Tuesday through Saturday at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your podcasts.
