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Richey | Big Ten basketball power rankings

scott richey, the news-gazette, champaign-urbana, ill.
·4 min read

Dec. 9—The early Big Ten games are nearly complete, as we learn more about the league's 14 teams. Ahead of a major weekend with multiple high-level nonconference matchups, beat writer Scott Richey updates his Big Ten power rankings:

1. Purdue (8-1)

Losing at Northwestern for the second straight season showed the Boilermakers are still vulnerable because of their guard play. It doesn't matter how good Zach Edey is — spoiler alert: he's still good — if the Purdue backcourt can't hang on to the ball.

2. Illinois (7-1)

Terrence Shannon Jr. was always a contender to knock Edey from his spot as the Big Ten's best player, and through eight games, the Illinois guard is more than holding his own. Shannon is borderline unguardable given how well he's shooting.

3. Wisconsin (7-2)

Wisconsin was kind of a mess in the first two weeks of the season with double-digit losses to Tennessee and, more problematically, Providence. Since? The Badgers have won six straight games, including double-digit victories against Virginia, Marquette and Michigan State.

4. Northwestern (6-1)

The Wildcats have to sit on their win against Purdue for a month. They don't play again in the Big Ten until Jan. 2 at Illinois. In the interim, Northwestern is the favorite in its five remaining nonconference games.

5. Ohio State (8-1)

It's an interesting mix in Columbus, Ohio, this season with sophomore guards Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle in the midst of true breakout seasons and the veteran support they didn't have last year. A healthy Zed Key, plus transfers Jamison Battle and Dale Bonner, have helped immensely, too.

6. Indiana (7-1)

Guard play was already Indiana's primary concern this season. Xavier Johnson's foot injury has only doubled down on that roster weaknesses. How long the Hoosiers can ride Kel'el Ware and Malik Reneau is the question. At least they're in a conference where playing big can work.

7. Minnesota (6-3)

Is Ben Johnson in the process of coaching himself off the hot seat? His first two seasons leading the Gophers were ... not great. Just 22 wins total and only six in the Big Ten. This year's team is already halfway to last year's conference win total after beating Nebraska.

8. Nebraska (7-2)

Surprise, surprise. Fred Hoiberg is getting it done with transfers. Three of the Cornhuskers top five players, including their two leading scorers, parachuted in from elsewhere this season. Rienk Mast (Bradley) and Brice Williams (Charlotte) have been a productive inside-out 1-2.

9. Rutgers (5-3)

Everyone in New Jersey is ready to push fast forward to the 2024-25 season with five-stars Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey on the way. This year's team simply doesn't have the offensive firepower. Defense can only win championships if you've got the offense to win enough games.

10. Michigan State (4-4)

Tom Izzo is going to figure this out, right? The Spartans are basically a two-man show. It's Tyson Walker and A.J. Hoggard and ... nobody else right now. Those two combined for 36 of Michigan State's 57 points in Tuesday's 13-point home loss to Wisconsin.

11. Iowa (5-4)

Fran McCaffery has his all-offense, defense-optional team. The Hawkeyes have four double-digit scorers, led by Ben Krikke and Payton Sandfort, but they can't stop anybody. Just look at what Iowa State did Thursday night in winning 90-65. Their best defender is freshman forward Owen Freeman, who was a News-Gazette All-State First-Team pick last season while winning a Class 4A state championship with Moline in Champaign.

12. Maryland (5-4)

Jahmir Young is one of the best guards in the Big Ten. Julian Reese is averaging a double-double at 15.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. But Maryland has exactly zero shooting. The Terps entered Friday's slate of games ranked 360th nationally in three-point shooting.

13. Michigan (4-5)

Even playing at Crisler Arena isn't much of an advantage for Michigan so far this season. The Wolverines are 2-2 at home after Tuesday's Big Ten-opening loss to Indiana and a mid-November disaster of a loss against Long Beach State. Getting stops is a real problem.

14. Penn State (4-5)

The Nittany Lions' losing streak might hit seven straight games during the course of the next two Saturdays with a home game against Ohio State and a neutral site matchup at Madison Square Garden with a Georgia Tech that can already count a pair of Top 25 upsets.