Big Ten basketball power rankings: Michigan, Wisconsin, Purdue all move down

Michigan Wolverines basketball is in the hunt for a Big Ten championship with two weeks to go in the regular season. The Maize and Blue check in No. 2 in this week’s edition of our Big Ten power rankings.

These rankings (attempt to) strike the balance of properly weighing recent performances more heavily than ones in the distant past, while not overreacting to one or two results, with the acknowledgment that Big Ten play is a grind, and there’s a lot of parity in the league.

1. Michigan State (22-5 overall, 13-3 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 4th (+3)
Last week: vs. Purdue (W, 75-66), at Michigan (W, 75-62)
This week: at Maryland (Feb. 26), vs. Wisconsin (March 2)

Michigan State just completed one of the most impressive three-game spans in Big Ten play this season, winning at Illinois, versus Purdue and at Michigan. The Spartans’ depth and fresh legs have become huge factors, outscoring those three opponents in the second half by a combined margin of 125-83 — 42 points.

We wrote a week ago, when MSU had lost three of five games, that hitting a bump in the road wasn’t what really mattered — how they responded was more important. The response was fantastic, and they have a half-game lead on Michigan in the Big Ten standings.

2. Michigan (20-6 overall, 12-3 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 1st (-1)
Last week: vs. Michigan State (L, 75-62)
This week: at Nebraska (Feb. 24), vs. Rutgers (Feb. 27), vs. Illinois (March 2)

Michigan is in a great spot heading down the stretch, even after seeing its six-game win streak get snapped. The Wolverines are a half-game out of first place in the conference and, since they play MSU again to conclude the regular season, control their own destiny.

This week’s three games are extremely important. Michigan must rebound from a home loss when it takes on Nebraska in Lincoln Monday night and get some momentum back heading into a three-game homestand.

3. Wisconsin (21-6 overall, 11-5 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 2nd (-1)
Last week: vs. Illinois (W, 95-74), vs. Oregon (L, 77-73 in OT)
This week: vs. Washington (Feb. 25), at Michigan State (March 2)

Wisconsin was oh-so-close to holding the No. 2 spot in these rankings, but saw its 14-point lead with just over six minutes remaining evaporate. Oregon forced overtime with some stellar shot making, and the Ducks got it done in the extra session in Madison.

The Badgers now have five Big Ten losses and are still in position to get a share of the league title if things break their way and they win out.

4. Maryland (21-6 overall, 11-5 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 5th (+1)
Last week: vs. USC (W, 88-71)
This week: vs. Michigan State (Feb. 26), at Penn State (March 1)

Maryland doesn’t have much depth, but it does have one of the best starting fives in the country, and it got some extra rest by playing only one game this past week. The Terrapins have been great on both ends of the floor this season and have now won eight of their last nine outings.

5. Purdue (19-9 overall, 11-6 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 4th (-1)
Last week: at Michigan State (L, 75-66), at Indiana (L, 73-58)
This week: vs. UCLA (Feb. 28)

Purdue has lost four-straight games for the first time since February 2020. In so many ways, a team’s performance is dictated by its schedule, and it’s no different for Purdue. The Boilermakers had one of the easiest conference schedules in the league until losing to Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Indiana. There’s no shame in dropping those games, even at Indiana, but two of them coming by 9 or more show that they’re no longer a top-four team in the league right now.

6. UCLA (20-8 overall, 11-6 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 6th (—)
Last week: vs. Minnesota (L, 64-61), vs. Ohio State (W, 69-61)
This week: at Purdue (Feb. 28)

UCLA is a tough team to figure out but playing solid basketball. The Bruins lost their ‘easy’ game (Minnesota) and won their ‘tough’ one (Ohio State) last week.

7. Illinois (17-11 overall, 9-8 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 7th (—)
Last week: at Wisconsin (L, 95-74), vs. Duke (L, 110-67)
This week: vs. Iowa (Feb. 25), at Michigan (March 2)

Illinois is still No. 7 in the conference, but it’s no longer close to entering the upper echelon. The Illini got a much-needed big win over UCLA two weeks ago but lost their last three contests, and now stellar freshman forward Morez Johnson Jr. is out indefinitely with a broken wrist. The losses to Wisconsin and Duke were never competitive, with the latter one being particularly embarrassing.

8. Oregon (20-8 overall, 9-8 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 10th (+2)
Last week: at Iowa (W, 80-78), at Wisconsin (W, 77-73 in OT)
This week: vs. USC (March 1)

Oregon took advantage of a Northwestern-Rutgers-Iowa scheduling stretch and then pulled out a miracle in Madison Saturday afternoon, coming back from 14 down with six minutes left to win. Sophomore guard Jackson Shelstad is one of the most clutch players in the conference, and his deep triple with 12 seconds to go tied the game that went to overtime, where the Ducks wound up on top.

9. Indiana (16-11 overall, 7-9 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 11th (+2)
Last week: vs. Purdue (W, 73-58)
This week: vs. Penn State (Feb. 26), at Washington (March 1)

Indiana had nine days off and knocked off rival Purdue Sunday afternoon in Bloomington. The Hoosiers won the second half, 48-21! Lame duck head coach Mike Woodson has his team inching toward the tournament bubble.

10. Ohio State (15-13 overall, 7-10 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 8th (-2)
Last week: vs. Northwestern (L, 70-49), at UCLA (L, 69-61)
This week: at USC (Feb. 26)

Did Michigan break Ohio State? The Buckeyes nearly knocked off the Wolverines eight days ago but were destroyed by Northwestern, 70-49, in Columbus. We had to drop them for that performance, especially since they didn’t upset UCLA in Los Angeles Sunday.

Ohio State is squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble, after looking like a safe bet to make the dance just over a week ago, when they were 15-10 overall and 7-7 in the conference.

11. Nebraska (17-10 overall, 7-9 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 9th (-2)
Last week: at Northwestern (W, 68-64), at Penn State (L, 89-72)
This week: vs. Michigan (Feb. 24), vs. Minnesota (March 1)

Nebraska nearly no-showed in a 68-64 win over Northwestern, falling behind by 20 points in the second half and coming all the way back to win in Evanston. The Cornhuskers did no-show a few nights later, getting shellacked 89-72 by Penn State, marking the Nittany Lions’ first win since in nearly a month.

The Cornhuskers should be better with Berke Buyuktuncel (sprained ankle) back in the lineup. They’re on the right side of the bubble and want to stay that way. This is a pivotal week.

12. Rutgers (14-14 overall, 7-10 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 13th (+1)
Last week: at Washington (W, 89-85 in OT), vs. USC (W, 95-85)
This week: at Michigan (Feb. 27)

Don’t let freshman point guard Dylan Harper get hot. Well, it’s too late for that. He scored 34 in a win over Washington and 25 in a triumph over USC. The Scarlet Knights don’t have much around Harper and fellow projected top-five NBA Draft pick Ace Bailey, but they made it work in a pair of games last season. The Scarlet Knights have tremendous upside, 13-2 when scoring 1.09-plus points per possession.

13. USC (14-13 overall, 6-10 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 12th (-1)
Last week: at Maryland (L, 88-71), at Rutgers (L, 95-85)
This week: vs. Ohio State (Feb. 26), at Oregon (March 1)

USC is the type of team that can hang with anybody but isn’t necessarily expected to win one of two road games. The Trojans are back on the West Coast for the final four regular-season games.

14. Minnesota (14-13 overall, 6-10 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 14th (—)
Last week: at UCLA (W, 64-61), vs. Penn State (L, 69-60)
This week: vs. Northwestern (Feb. 25), at Nebraska (March 1)

Minnesota — yes, Minnesota — swept its Los Angeles road trip, becoming the second team to do so this season, joining the Michigan Wolverines. The Golden Gophers lost at home to Penn State, but no team toward the bottom of these rankings has a perfect résumé.

15. Northwestern (14-13 overall, 5-11 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 17th (+2)
Last week: at Ohio State (W, 70-49)
This week: at Minnesota (Feb. 25), vs. Iowa (Feb. 28)

Northwestern played well for most of its loss to Nebraska and then blew out Ohio State in Columbus. The Wildcats have dealt with injuries to two starters and continued to battle.

16. Penn State (15-13 overall, 5-12 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 18th (+2)
Last week: vs. Nebraska (W, 89-72), at Minnesota (W, 69-60)
This week: at Indiana (Feb. 26), s. Maryland (March 1)

Penn State is back up. The Nittany Lions went nearly a month without a win, then knocked off Nebraska and Minnesota. The Nittany Lions have more talent than they’ve shown. It’s been a disappointing year, but that week had to be satisfying for head coach Mike Rhoades.

17. Iowa (15-12 overall, 6-10 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 16th (-1)
Last week: vs. Oregon (L, 80-78), vs. Washington (W, 85-79)
This week: at Illinois (Feb. 25), at Northwestern (Feb. 28)

Iowa is 18th in the Big Ten in adjusted defensive efficiency and fifth in adjusted offensive efficiency during league play — the Fran McCaffery experience on full display. The Hawkeyes have only won two games all year when scoring less than 1.13 points per possession.

18. Washington (13-14 overall, 4-12 Big Ten)

Previous ranking: 15th (-3)
Last week: vs. Rutgers (L, 89-85 in OT), at Iowa (L, 85-79)
This week: at Wisconsin (Feb. 25), vs. Indiana (March 1)

Washington has beaten one top-50 team on Kenpom this year — Maryland Jan. 2.