Grace Jeffer gives her Big Ten basketball power rankings heading into week 3 of the 2024 season.
Matchup of the week: No. 6 Purdue vs. No. 15 Marquette (Nov. 19, 9:00 p.m)
Sneaky good matchup of the week: No. 25 Illinois vs. No. 8 Alabama (Nov. 20, 9:00 p.m)
18 teams. Keep reading to see how these Big Ten teams held up in week 3.
All games are in EST.
1. Purdue Boilermakers
Last week’s ranking: 1 (unchanged)
Record: (4-0)
Last Week: W vs. Yale (92-84), W vs. Alabama (87-78)
Next Week: vs. Marquette (Nov. 19 – 9:00), vs. Marshall (Nov. 23 – Noon)
Quality wins: Win at #2 Alabama
Bad losses: N/A
Purdue was able to take down No. 2 ranked Alabama. Trey Kaufman was on fire with 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists. When it came to game control and energy, Alabama was unable to answer. Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer put up 17 points each while C.J. Cox kept the 3-pointers coming for the Boilermakers, sending fans into a frenzy. Purdue also had help from their bench showing their depth.
2. Wisconsin Badgers
Last week’s ranking: 9 (+7)
Record: (4-0)
Last Week: W vs. Arizona (103-88)
Next Week: vs. UTRGV (Nov. 18 – 8:00 p.m.), vs. UCF (Nov. 22 – 5 p.m.)
Quality wins: Win against #9 Arizona
Bad losses: N/A
All eyes turned to the Badgers as they dominated No. 17 Arizona Wildcats 103-88. It was noteworthy to see an impressive 41 of 47 free throws (87.2%) fall through the nets which was about 40% of their 103 total points. Wisconsin went 12 of 27 (31%) in 3-pointers, contributing to the big win. Transfer John Tonje has proven to be a key player and Kamai Mcgee and Jack Janicki also hold significant roles with the Badgers. Wisconsin continues into next week ranked No. 4 in the nation in season-long free throw percentage.
3. Indiana Hoosiers
Last week’s ranking: 3 (-)
Record: (3-0)
Last Week: W vs. South Carolina (87-71)
Next Week: vs. UNC Greensboro (Nov. 21 – 6:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: N/A
The Hoosiers remain undefeated with their win over South Carolina, trying to keep up with the football program. Even with Anthony Leal and Jakai Newton out due to injuries, the team has been able to not miss a beat. Mackenzie Mgbako has certainly been making a name for himself as he has been a lead scorer and key player for all three games this season, including scoring 31 in the opener which broke his personal best of 24. Myles Rice also broke out of his shell and unveiled another new weapon that Indiana has at their disposal.
4. Illinois Fighting Illini
Last week’s ranking: 5 (+1)
Record: (3-0)
Last Week: W vs. Oakland (66-54)
Next Week: vs. Alabama (Nov. 20 – 9 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: N/A
Illinois powered through to secure the 66-54 win against Oakland. With 20 points, Tomislav Ivisic was the key for the orange and navy blue squad. He certainly wasn’t a walk in the park for Oakland. They were able to close the gap, however this game did put some pressure on the Illini. Coach Brand Underwood recognized that they got much more valuable experience from this game compared to blowout wins.
5. Ohio State Buckeyes
Last week’s ranking: 2 (-3)
Record: (2-1)
Last Week: L vs. Texas A&M (78-64)
Next Week: vs. Evansville (Nov. 19 – 7 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: N/A
The No. 21 Buckeyes found themselves in a physical contest with No. 23 Texas A&M. The 78-64 road loss resulted in them losing their rank in the Associated Press poll after only being ranked for one week. The Aggies were clearly the better team for the entirety of the game. Offensively, there was a lack of consistency by the Buckeyes. To start the second half, they were forced into a timeout due to a quick 7-0 run by the Aggies. The defense showed promise in the first half, but ultimately that alone couldn’t carry them to victory. The Buckeyes displayed a strong defense but they need to balance this with their offense for future success against other ranked teams. Their next top-25 contest isn’t until Dec. 7. On Nov. 19 OSU will host Evansville.
6. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Last week’s ranking: 4 (-2)
Record: (3-0)
Last Week: W vs. Monmouth (98-81)
Next Week: vs. Merrimack (Nov. 20 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: N/A
Offensively, the Scarlet Knights put up quite a fight. Dylan Harper scored 20 pts, leading the team as well as having his third straight game with 20+ points. Zach Martini put up 17 while Ace Bailey made his debut after being sidelined by injury, recording 16. Rutgers came into the game on fire. With their 59% from the field, they had their best game since Feb. 1, 2023, when they went for 59.7%. They will have true tests when they compete against Notre Dame and No. 2 Alabama in tough back-to-back matchups on Nov. 26 and 27.
7. Oregon Ducks
Last week’s ranking: 7 (unchanged)
Record: (4-0)
Last Week: W vs. Troy (82-61)
Next Week: vs. Oregon State (Nov. 21 – 10 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: N/A
The Ducks were victorious over Troy with a final one-sided score of 82-61. This followed their not-so-pretty previous win over the Portland Pilots. Oregon put up 8 points on the board before Troy got anything going. Once the game settled in, Oregon’s Keeshawn Barthelemy led the contest, hitting a three for the Ducks to begin a 9-0 run. Their dominance in the first half was evident. As the game progressed, the margin of victory only became larger. Defensively, Oregon only allowed Troy to hit 9 of 35 (26%) from the field. The Ducks look to improve their record on Nov. 21 against Oregon State.
8. Michigan State Spartans
Last week’s ranking: 8 (unchanged)
Record: (3-1)
Last Week: W vs. Bowling Green (86-72)
Next Week: vs. Samford (Nov. 19 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: N/A
While the Spartans are coming off of a recent predictable loss to No. 1 Kansas, their performance overall did have some red flags. When looking at shooting, however, Michigan State struggled quite a bit with their deep shots against the top-ranked Jayhawks. They had an alarming 3 for 24 from behind the stripe. Inside the arc though, the Spartans shot much better at almost 50 percent. They also had 43 rebounds and went 18 of 21 (86%) in free throws. Xavier Booker will try to step up for the next game as he went 0 for 5 shooting and had just one rebound. He was expected to put on a good show against Kansas, however, it seemed as if he wasn’t there at all. Since the Spartans have still been able to at least find seemingly open deep shots, they have the potential to turn games around if they sink more of them which should happen against other opponents not ranked number 1. The Spartan’s 86-72 win against Bowling Green did not come easy. The Falcons had control of the whole first half and they were able to gain a12 point lead to open the contest. As Michigan State went 4-for-20 from beyond the arc, their long-range shooting problem is apparent. Without the Spartan’s important 18-0 run at the end of the game, the win could have very easily been taken by Bowling Green.
9. UCLA Bruins
Last week’s ranking: 6 (-3)
Record:(3-1)
Last Week: W vs. Lehigh (85-45)
Next Week: vs. CSU Fullerton (Nov. 22 – 10 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: N/A
UCLA continues their win streak after collapsing to New Mexico in their second game of the season. They dominated Lehigh 85-45. The paint was their friend throughout as 46 of their points were recorded there. This was what head coach Mick Cronin wanted the Bruins to execute, and they did so very efficiently. UCLA put up quite the fight on the glass, bringing down 47 rebounds to Lehigh’s 18. To build the margin of victory in the first half, the Bruins used full-court pressure to their great advantage. The Idaho State Bengals will come to Pauley Pavilion next to meet UCLA on Nov. 20.
10. Iowa Hawkeyes
Last week’s ranking: 11 (+1)
Record: (4-0)
Last Week: W vs. Washington State (76-66)
Next Week: vs. Rider (Nov. 19 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: N/A
Iowa’s defense stood out in their most recent victory over Washington State. After usually just having a consistent offense, the Hawkeyes finally have acquired some heat defensively as well. Washington State turned over the ball a whopping 18 times due to Iowa’s high pressure. They also scored 20 points off of these turnovers which was the story of the game. The Hawkeyes continue to have a great start to their season and they will face the Rider Broncs on Nov. 19.
11. Penn State Nittany Lions
Last week’s ranking: 13 (+2)
Record: (4-0)
Last Week: W vs. Virginia Tech (86-64)
Next Week: vs. Fort Wayne (Nov. 20 – 7 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: N/A
The 4-0 Nittany Lions took care of business against Virginia Tech with a dominating 86-64 final. They showed strength with rebounding and also displayed great perseverance when it would have been easy to fall behind in a tougher stretch about halfway through the first half. Looking at the team critically, however, their defense needs reshaping. Penn State needs to have more than one player in front of their tougher opponents.. Their 12 turnovers didn’t provide much confidence either. The Nittany Lions will be back in action on Nov. 20 against Fort Wayne.
12. Michigan Wolverines
Last week’s ranking: 16 (+4)
Record: (3-1)
Last Week: W vs Miami-OH (94-67)
Next week: vs. Tarleton State (Nov. 21 – 8:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: N/A
The Wolverines are coming off of a recent win to Miami OH (94-67). Their start wasn’t anything to brag about. Neither were their turnovers as they gave the ball away four times in seven possessions. This gave the Red Hawks the lead early on. During the second half, the Wolverines woke up opening with an 8-0 run giving them the momentum they needed. Michigan will face Tarleton State on No. 21.
13. Maryland Terrapins
Last week’s ranking: 10 (-3)
Record: (3-1)
Last Week: L vs. Marquette (78-74)
Next Week: vs. Canisius (Nov. 19 – 7 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: N/A
Maryland came up just short to No. 15 Marquette losing 78-74. The Terrapins didn’t back down as the lead changed 13 times in a seesaw affair. They dramatically came back from trailing 74-66 with 1:07 left. DeShawn Harris-Smith had two foul shot opportunities with 14.7 seconds left, however, he was unsuccessful on both attempts. What also hurt Maryland were the 13 turnovers as well as the collectively poor foul-shooting display, making only 9 of 14 (64%.). The game is proof that the Terrapins can compete solidly against a ranked team, however, the loss was unfortunate also given that it was a packed house at XFINITY Center.
14. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Last week’s ranking: 15 (+1)
Record: (3-1)
Last Week: L vs. Saint Mary’s (77-74)
Next Week: vs. Creighton (Nov. 22 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: N/A
Starting their last game slowly, the Huskers managed to end the first half against Saint Mary’s with a floor shooting percentage of a decent 50% and were only behind by 3. By the second half, this percentage dipped to 40. Working against them was a strong shooting performance, especially three-point shot success, from the Gaels. Defensively, the Huskers admittedly looked a mess at times. Honing in on rebounds, however, the Huskers were able to out-perform Saint Mary’s, having 9 different players contribute to their 34 total rebounds. They will have to channel this energy during next week’s game against No. 24 Creighton and their seven-foot center, Ryan Kalkbrenner.
15. Northwestern Wildcats
Last week’s ranking: 14 (-1)
Record:(3-1)
Last Week: W vs. Eastern Illinois (67-58)
Next Week: vs. Montana State (Nov. 19 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: N/A
The Wildcats didn’t have an easy win against Eastern Illinois University but they continued their winning streak with the 67-58 overtime victory. Northwestern’s performance underwhelmed many viewers from a team perspective, but individually, Jalen Leach was on fire and scored 27 points to lead the team. Following behind him in performance, Nick Marshall gathered 16 on the boards. The team’s offense as a whole, however, was not pretty. It was likely because of their free throw success that they were able to prevail. However, the Wildcats shot just 40% from the field with 26% success from 3-point range. Ultimately, Northwestern will need to find consistency with their shots to compete this season.
16. USC Trojans
Last week’s ranking: 12 (-4)
Record: (3-1)
Last Week: L vs. Cal (71-66)
Next Week: vs. San Jose St (Nov. 20 – 10 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: N/A
USC couldn’t come out on top against Cal although they put up a good fight. Three of the Trojans got to double digits with Desmond Claude (20), Saint Thomas (15), and Wasley Yates III (10). Things were looking up for USC during the first half. Even USC’s bench outscored the Golden Bears by 15-5. They lost the momentum though in the second half, shooting just 33% from the floor and a miniscule 11% past the arc which don’t translate into winning stats. Before this loss, USC had only 9 minutes of trailing all season. They will look to get back on track this week starting with the San Jose Spartans on Nov. 20.
17. Minnesota Golden Gophers
Last week’s ranking: 17 (-)
Record: (3-1)
Last Week: W vs. Yale (59-56)
Next Week: vs. Cleveland St. (Nov. 19 – 7 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: N/A
Minnesota is coming off a narrow 59-56 exciting victory over Yale but a previously disappointing 54-51 loss to North Texas. Defensively, the Golden Gophers had a solid performance. They forced Yale into 14 turnovers as well as limiting Bez Mbeng to only one basket before fouling out. This was an achievement for Minnesota as Mbeng averages about 15 points per game. On the offensive side, however, their first-half jump shots just weren’t hitting. The Golden Gophers were apprehensive to create scoring opportunities in the paint, so they chose to rely on jump shots. They struggled with deep shots as well, shooting just 30.7% behind the stripe. Things aren’t looking great for Minnesota considering the past two games they have gone just 9 for 40 (23%) with the deep shots. They will take on Cleveland State on Nov. 19.
18. Washington Huskies
Last week’s ranking: 18 (-)
Record: (3-1)
Last Week: W vs. UMass Lowell (74-69)
Next Week: vs. Alcorn State (Nov. 22 – 10 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: N/A
Washington’s offense put on a questionable performance again against UMass Lowell but was able to pull out the win with a final of 74-69. They shot just 37% going 27 of 73. Three-pointers didn’t look much better as they were only successful with 3 of their 18 attempts. Early on in the contest, the Huskies found themselves trailing by 9. However, they followed up with 12 unanswered points. Coming up big for the Huskies was Great Osobor (yes, that’s his name) scoring 23 points and 18 rebounds. Before their next game against 0-4 Alcorn State, Washington has a bye week to regroup. This game could give them the starting momentum that they need to gain some confidence.