Mat Mlodzinski gives his Big Ten basketball power rankings heading into week 6 of the 2025 season.
Week 5 team of the week: Minnesota
Week 5 game of the week: UCLA – 82, Washington – 80
Week 5 player of the week: Hannes Steinbach, Washington
Week 6 matchup of the week: #23 Nebraska at #13 Illinois (Dec. 13 at 4 p.m.)
Week 6 under-the-radar matchup of the week: Ohio State at West Virginia (Dec. 13 at 8 p.m.)
All games listed are EST
1) Michigan Wolverines
Last week’s ranking: 1 (-)
Record: 8-0
Last week: W vs. Rutgers (101-60)
Next week: vs. Villanova (Dec. 9 – 6:30 p.m.), at Maryland (Dec. 13 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: Gonzaga (Neutral), Auburn (Neutral), San Diego State (Neutral), Wake Forest, at TCU
Bad losses:
It’s a new rule that you can’t dethrone Michigan from the top of the Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings until they lose a game. And I’m not sure if that will ever come. Last week, they topped Rutgers by 41 points, forcing 16 turnovers and dishing out 26 assists in the win. Six players scored in double figures for the Wolverines.
This week, Michigan takes on Villanova in a rematch of the 2018 national title game, before a road trip at Maryland on Saturday night.
2) Illinois Fighting Illini
Last week’s ranking: 6 (+4)
Record: 7-2
Last week: W vs. #13 Tennessee (75-62)
Next week: at Ohio State (Dec. 9 – 7:30 p.m.), vs. #23 Nebraska (Dec. 13 – 4 p.m.)
Quality wins: Texas Tech, Tennessee
Bad losses:
After falling to UConn the week prior, Illinois bounced back with a quality win over Tennessee, improving their record to 7-2. They held Vols guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie to 6-of-20 shooting, while freshman Keaton Wagler went off for 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 dimes in the win.
Illinois starts Big Ten basketball play at Ohio State and then a top-25 battle against Nebraska, looking to prove they belong in the top tier of these power rankings.
3) Michigan State Spartans
Last week’s ranking: 3 (-)
Record: 8-1 (1-0)
Last week: W vs. Iowa (71-52), L vs. #4 Duke (66-60)
Next week: at Penn State (Dec. 13 – Noon)
Quality wins: North Carolina, Arkansas, Kentucky, Iowa
Bad losses:
Overall, it was a good week for Michigan State. They began Big Ten basketball play by shutting down Bennett Stirtz to 14 points and taking down Iowa by 19. Then, they lost narrowly to a great Duke team. Obviously, leading by three at halftime and losing by six won’t sit well with Tom Izzo, but it’s a promising start to the season for a team that already has wins over North Carolina, Arkansas, Kentucky, and now the Hawkeyes.
4) Purdue Boilermakers
Last week’s ranking: 2 (-2)
Record: 8-1 (1-0)
Last week: W vs. Rutgers (81-65), L vs. #10 Iowa State (81-58)
Next week: vs. Minnesota (Dec. 10 – 7 p.m.), vs. Marquette (Dec. 13 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Alabama, Texas Tech
Bad losses:
Beating Rutgers by 16 wasn’t the dominant Purdue team I was expecting and losing to Iowa State by 23 certainly wasn’t in the cards, especially at home. For the record, I did like the Cyclones to win the game, but it was a very unexpected blowout loss for Braden Smith and the Boilermakers.
This week, they look to regroup against a Minnesota team fresh off upsetting Indiana, and a struggling Marquette squad. It’s an important week to reset from Saturday’s tough loss.
5) Nebraska Cornhuskers
Last week’s ranking: 7 (+2)
Record: 9-0
Last week: W vs. Creighton (71-50)
Next week: vs. Wisconsin (Dec. 10 – 9 p.m.), at #13 Illinois (Dec. 13 – 4 p.m.)
Quality wins: Creighton, Kansas State, Oklahoma, New Mexico
Bad losses:
I’m not gonna sit here and say a win over Creighton automatically makes me believe this Nebraska team is for real, but it’s getting harder to say they aren’t at least a team you need to take seriously. They have wins over Creighton, Kansas State, Oklahoma, and New Mexico, and are one of the few remaining undefeated teams in America.
This week, even a 1-1 split would be great, but if the Cornhuskers can ever take down Wisconsin and Illinois, Fred Hoiberg will be the early frontrunner for National Coach of the Year.
6) UCLA Bruins
Last week’s ranking: 11 (+5)
Record: 7-2 (2-0)
Last week: W at Washington (82-80), W vs. Oregon (74-63)
Next week: vs. #8 Gonzaga (Dec. 13 – 11:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Washington, Oregon
Bad losses:
Alright, UCLA, don’t make me look silly for putting you at sixth in this week’s Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings!
The Bruins went 2-0 in a pair of conference games, first winning at Washington, and then winning by 11 over an Oregon team that seems to have lost all confidence.
But now, it’s all about this week. UCLA got a pair of solid wins, but a battle with Gonzaga will be the true test to see if Mick Cronin has found something out with this group, or if it was just a positive week with no momentum going forward. It’ll be worth staying up til 11:30 on the East Coast to find out which is truer.
7) USC Trojans
Last week’s ranking: 8 (+1)
Record: 8-1 (1-1)
Last week: W at Oregon (82-77), L vs. Washington (84-76)
Next week: at San Diego (Dec. 9 – 9 p.m.), vs. Washington State (Dec. 14 – 7:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: Seton Hall (Neutral), Arizona State (Neutral), at Oregon
Bad losses:
It was about as average a week as a team could have, as USC went from winning a tight one at Oregon to losing a tight one at home against Washington.
And that’s exactly what I see with this Trojans squad – a team that can play with most teams in the country, but has yet to separate itself from the pack. And they really don’t have a tough test until January when they play at Michigan and at Michigan State in the span of four days. Until then, they’ll just have to keep stacking these wins.
8) Wisconsin Badgers
Last week’s ranking: 10 (+2)
Record: 7-2 (1-0)
Last week: W vs. Northwestern (85-73), W at Marquette (96-76)
Next week: at #23 Nebraska (Dec. 10 – 9 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Marquette, Providence
Bad losses:
I really like this Wisconsin team, who went 2-0 last week, but it’s tough to move them up in the power rankings until they really prove something. And they had a chance when they played BYU, but lost by almost 30.
This week, they’ve got a chance – with a road game at #23 Nebraska. For a team whose non-conference quality wins may not be quality wins when Selection Sunday rolls around, Big Ten basketball play will be very important.
9) Ohio State Buckeyes
Last week’s ranking: 9 (-)
Record: 7-1 (1-0)
Last week: W at Northwestern (86-82)
Next week: vs. #13 Illinois (Dec. 9 – 7:30 p.m.), vs. West Virginia (Dec. 13 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: Notre Dame
Bad losses:
Ohio State handled business at Northwestern, putting away the Wildcats by four and taking their first Big Ten basketball game of the season. Brandon Noel went off for 29 points, only missing two field goals, while Bruce Thornton had a double-double with 17 points and 10 assists.
There are a lot of great offensive players on this Buckeyes team, and that’ll be needed this week, against #13 Illinois and West Virginia. In a crowded conference, here’s Ohio State’s chance to separate itself.
10) Iowa Hawkeyes
Last week’s ranking: 5 (-5)
Record: 8-1 (1-1)
Last week: L at #7 Michigan State (71-52), W vs. Maryland (83-64)
Next week: at #4 Iowa State (Dec. 11 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: Ole Miss, Xavier
Bad losses:
What can we make of this Iowa team? They got shut down by Michigan State – their first game against a true top team. But they bounced back against Maryland, putting on an offensive clinic, with Bennett Stirtz going for 25 in the win.
It’s simple – win or keep it close against #4 Iowa State, and we can write that Michigan State game off. But if it’s a similar result as the Spartans’ loss, it’ll be easier to label the Hawkeyes as a one-man show.
11) Indiana Hoosiers
Last week’s ranking: 4 (-7)
Record: 7-2 (0-1)
Last week: L at Minnesota (73-64), L vs. #6 Louisville (87-78)
Next week: vs. Penn State (Dec. 9 – 8:30 p.m.), at Kentucky (Dec. 13 – 7:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: Kansas State, Marquette
Bad losses: at Minnesota
I’m ready to say we were premature in crowning Indiana as being back this season. The wins against K-State and Marquette don’t look as impressive anymore, and last week’s losses showed they still have a way to go.
Against Minnesota, Indiana looked totally lost. The Hoosiers were out of rhythm offensively and never really looked like they’d be able to mount a second-half comeback. Then, in a chance to show some things against Louisville, the Hoosiers came out flat-footed and couldn’t make up for it after going down 16-0.
This week, Indiana’s got to win against Penn State before a critical game at a Kentucky team that’s in the same boat. Only one can prevail, and the loser may be in deep trouble early on in conference play.
12) Washington Huskies
Last week’s ranking: 14 (+2)
Record: 6-3 (1-1)
Last week: L vs. UCLA (82-80), W at #24 USC (84-76)
Next week: vs. Southern Utah (Dec. 13 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: at USC
Bad losses:
I’m going to give it to Washington – they battled with UCLA and upset USC, nearly going 2-0 against a fairly tough schedule last week.
But the Huskies are still 6-3 and don’t play another Power Five team until Dec. 29, so for now, we can’t make any more judgments.
However, I will shout out Hannes Steinbach, who returned and averaged 26.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists on the week. NBA teams are taking many notes.
13) Minnesota Golden Gophers
Last week’s ranking: 18 (+5)
Record: 5-4 (1-0)
Last week: W vs. #22 Indiana (73-64)
Next week: at #6 Purdue (Dec. 9 – 7 p.m.), vs. Texas Southern (Dec. 14 – 1 p.m.)
Quality wins: Indiana
Bad losses: Stanford
After being in the basement of the Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings last week, Minnesota is up five spots thanks to an upset win over then #22 Indiana. The Golden Gophers outrebounded the Hooisers 40-25, showing a lot of toughness in front of their home crowd.
Their prize? A date with #6 Purdue on Tuesday.
14) Penn State Nittany Lions
Last week’s ranking: 13 (-1)
Record: 8-1
Last week: W vs. Campbell (87-76)
Next week: at Indiana (Dec. 9 – 8:30 p.m.), vs. #9 Michigan State (Dec. 13 – Noon)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
There’s not much to say about a Penn State team that took down Campbell last week, so I’ll look ahead to this week instead. Games at Indiana and against #9 Michigan State will really show us whether or not Mike Rhoades has anything to write home about this season. It’s as tough a start to Big Ten basketball play as you can ask for.
15) Northwestern Wildcats
Last week’s ranking: 12 (-3)
Record: 5-4 (0-2)
Last week: L at Wisconsin (85-73), L vs. Ohio State (86-82)
Next week: vs. Jackson State (Dec. 13 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: South Carolina
Bad losses:
Yup, Northwestern couldn’t have had a worse start. They lost close chances at wins over Virginia and Oklahoma State and started 0-2 in Big Ten play, now playing mid-majors, Butler, and Minnesota for the next five games.
If the Wildcats have dreams of playing in March Madness, they’d better run the table there, because anything less than will be tough to climb out of.
16) Maryland Terrapins
Last week’s ranking: 17 (+1)
Record: 6-3 (0-1)
Last week: W vs. Wagner (89-63), L at Iowa (83-64)
Next week: vs. #2 Michigan (Dec. 13 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Marquette
Bad losses:
The only reason the Terps move up a spot is that the two teams below them have somehow been playing worse basketball. And, Maryland won a game last week, even if it did come against Wagner.
With that being said, I’m scared about what Michigan might do to them this weekend.
17) Oregon Ducks
Last week’s ranking: 15 (-2)
Record: 4-5 (0-2)
Last week: L vs. #24 USC (82-77), L at UCLA (74-63)
Next week: vs. UC Davis (Dec. 13 – 4 p.m.)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
I don’t think Ducks fans could have dreamt of a worse start to the year. 4-5, 0-2 in Big Ten play, and only one more good non-con game against a Gonzaga team clicking on all cylinders. Is it too early to call the season?
18) Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Last week’s ranking: 16 (-2)
Record: 5-5 (0-2)
Last week: L vs. #1 Purdue (81-65), L at #3 Michigan (101-60)
Next week: at Seton Hall (Dec. 13 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins:
Bad losses: CCSU
The only reason Oregon isn’t last in this week’s Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings is that Rutgers is that bad. 5-5. 0-2 in the Big Ten. A 41-point loss at Michigan. There’s nothing going for this program right now and I’ll just leave it at that.