Mat Mlodzinski gives his Big Ten basketball power rankings heading into week 12 of the season.
Week 11 team of the week:Â Michigan State Spartans
Week 11 game of the week:Â Wisconsin over Minnesota, 78-75
Week 11 player of the week:Â Diggy Coit, Maryland
Week 12 matchup of the week:Â #11 Illinois at #4 Purdue (Jan. 24 – 3 p.m.)
Week 12 under-the-radar matchup of the week:Â USC at Wisconsin (Jan. 25 – 4 p.m.)
All games listed are EST
1) Nebraska Cornhuskers
Last week’s ranking: 1 (-)
Record: 18-0 (7-0)
Last week: W vs. Oregon (90-55), W at Northwestern (77-58)
Next week: vs. Washington (Jan. 21 – 9 p.m.), at Minnesota (Jan. 24 – Noon)
Quality wins: at Illinois, Michigan State, at Ohio State, at Indiana, Wisconsin, Creighton, Oklahoma, New Mexico
Bad losses:
Nebraska might be the new Michigan – undefeated, and winning by an average margin of 27 points over the last two games. This week, with Washington and Minnesota, there’s no reason the Cornhuskers can’t get to 20-0.
2) Purdue Boilermakers
Last week’s ranking: 2 (-)
Record: 17-1 (7-0)
Last week: W vs. Iowa (79-72), W at USC (69-64)
Next week: at UCLA (Jan. 20 – 10 p.m.), vs. #11 Illinois (Jan. 24 – 3 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Alabama, Texas Tech, at Wisconsin, Auburn, at USC, Iowa
Bad losses:
Talk about a week for Purdue! Taking down two teams very capable of pulling off upsets in Iowa and USC. Now, the Boilermakers turn to one of their toughest weeks remaining – UCLA on the road and Illinois at home in a top-15 battle.
3) Michigan Wolverines
Last week’s ranking: 3 (-)
Record: 16-1 (6-1)
Last week: W at Washington (82-72), W at Oregon (81-71)
Next week: vs. Indiana (Jan. 20 – 7 p.m.), vs. Ohio State (Jan. 23 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: Gonzaga (Neutral), Villanova, Auburn (Neutral), San Diego State (Neutral), USC, at Washington, at TCU
Bad losses:
Michigan bounced back quite well from the loss to Wisconsin, winning back-to-back road games against Washington and Oregon. This week, the competition is a bit tougher, but it’s two home games against Indiana and Ohio State. If you counted Michigan out after one loss to the Badgers, pity on you!
4) Michigan State Spartans
Last week’s ranking: 5 (+1)
Record: 16-2 (6-1)
Last week: W vs. Indiana (81-60), W at Washington (80-63)
Next week: at Oregon (Jan. 20 – 9 p.m.), vs. Maryland (Jan. 24 – Noon)
Quality wins: North Carolina, Arkansas, Kentucky, at Washington, Indiana, USC, Iowa
Bad losses:
Michigan State jumps Illinois in the week 12 Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings after a 21-point win over Indiana and a 17-point win over Washington on the road. And while we know the Spartans have some great defense, it’s the offense that looked the most exciting with two games of 80+ points scored. With Oregon and Maryland this week, MSU can easily get to 18-2.
5) Illinois Fighting Illini
Last week’s ranking: 4 (+1)
Record: 15-3 (6-1)
Last week: W at Northwestern (79-68), W vs. Minnesota (77-67)
Next week: vs. Maryland (Jan. 21 – 7 p.m.), at #4 Purdue (Jan. 24 – 3 p.m.)
Quality wins: Texas Tech, at Ohio State, at Iowa, Tennessee, Missouri
Bad losses:
How stacked is the Big Ten that Illinois can go 2-0 with double-digit wins and still only be fifth in the Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings? It might be one of the most top-heavy conferences of all-time in college basketball, because the Fighting Illini are a legitimate title contender. And they can PROVE that on Saturday at Purdue.
6) Wisconsin Badgers
Last week’s ranking: 6 (-)
Record: 13-5 (5-2)
Last week: W at Minnesota (78-75), W vs. Rutgers (96-87)
Next week: at Penn State (Jan. 22 – 7 p.m.), vs. USC (Jan. 25 – 4 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Michigan, UCLA
Bad losses:
Wisconsin nearly blew their big win over Michigan by becoming the latest team to lose to Minnesota (which still might not be that bad afterall). But the Badgers found a way to win that one and take down Rutgers, getting to 13-5 and 5-2 in Big Ten basketball. Next up? A must-win against Penn State followed by arguably another must-win at home against USC. No pressure!
7) Iowa Hawkeyes
Last week’s ranking: 9 (+2)
Record: 13-5 (3-4)
Last week: L at #5 Purdue (79-72), W at Indiana (74-57)
Next week: vs. Rutgers (Jan. 20 – 8:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Indiana, UCLA
Bad losses:
It seemed as if Iowa would NEVER get a quality win (besides a home dub over UCLA), until they obliterated Indiana on the road. I guess that NET Ranking of 20 (as of Jan. 20) must be justified! Now, the Hawkeyes get Rutgers at home, trying not to mess up and keep the metrics in their favor.
8) Ohio State Buckeyes
Last week’s ranking: 13 (+5)
Record: 12-5 (4-3)
Last week: W vs. UCLA (86-74)
Next week: vs. Minnesota (Jan. 20 – 6:30 p.m.), at #3 Michigan (Jan. 23 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: UCLA, West Virginia
Bad losses:
Welp, Ohio State makes a jump in the Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings following a win by a dozen over UCLA. But it doesn’t stop there for an Ohio State team still needing quality wins to get on the right side of bracketology for the NCAA Tournament. They pretty much need to win at home against Minnesota, and a win AT Michigan would be outstanding for their case.
9) USC Trojans
Last week’s ranking: 11 (+2)
Record: 14-4 (3-4)
Last week: W vs. Maryland (88-71), L vs. #5 Purdue (69-64)
Next week: vs. Northwestern (Jan. 21 – 11 p.m.), at Wisconsin (Jan. 25 – 4 p.m.)
Quality wins: Seton Hall (Neutral)
Bad losses:
USC NEARLY got one of the best wins in the country, only losing by five at the hands of Purdue. They also took care of Maryland as any quality college basketball team should. Next up is a must-win home game against Northwestern and a challenging road contest at Wisconsin.
10) UCLA Bruins
Last week’s ranking: 8 (-2)
Record: 12-6 (4-3)
Last week: W at Penn State (71-60), L at Ohio State (86-74)
Next week: vs. #4 Purdue (Jan. 20 – 10 p.m.), vs. Northwestern (Jan. 24 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
We are now 18 games into the season, and UCLA has neither a quality win nor a bad loss. I’m not sure how that’s even possible, but somehow the Bruins may just be the most mid team in all of college basketball. Maybe that can change in their favor one way or another against Purdue or Northwestern this week?
11) Minnesota Golden Gophers
Last week’s ranking: 10 (+1)
Record: 10-8 (3-4)
Last week: L vs. Wisconsin (78-75), L at #13 Illinois (77-67)
Next week: at Ohio State (Jan. 20 – 6:30 p.m.), vs. #7 Nebraska (Jan. 24 – Noon)
Quality wins: Indiana, Iowa
Bad losses: San Francisco
Minnesota remains a total sleeper team, nearly knocking off Wisconsin and keeping things somewhat interesting with Illinois. While they still don’t have great metrics and no wins that will knock your socks off, they are by far the sneakiest team in Big Ten basketball.
12) Indiana Hoosiers
Last week’s ranking: 7 (-5)
Record: 12-6 (3-4)
Last week: L at #12 Michigan State (81-60), L vs. Iowa (74-57)
Next week: at #3 Michigan (Jan. 20 – 7 p.m.), at Rutgers (Jan. 23 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins:
Bad losses: at Minnesota
Has Indiana officially sacrificed basketball for football? HUGE congrats on the inspirational National Championship, but this may no longer be a basketball school.
13) Washington Huskies
Last week’s ranking: 12 (-1)
Record: 10-8 (2-5)
Last week: L vs. #4 Michigan (82-72), L vs. #12 Michigan State (80-63)
Next week: at #7 Nebraska (Jan. 21 – 9 p.m.), vs. Oregon (Jan. 25 – 3 p.m.)
Quality wins: at USC, Ohio State
Bad losses: at Seattle
It’s the most brutal stretch of the season for Washington, and quite honestly, they’re wasting any chance at a run of making it to the Big Dance. If the Huskies wanted to improve their metrics, this is the time. So, as impossible as it sounds, they have to win at Nebraska to keep the hope alive.
14) Maryland Terrapins
Last week’s ranking: 18 (+4)
Record: 8-10 (1-6)
Last week: L at USC (88-71), W vs. Penn State (96-73)
Next week: at #11 Illinois (Jan. 21 – 7 p.m.), at #10 Michigan State (Jan. 24 – Noon)
Quality wins:
Bad losses: Georgetown
Shout out to Diggy Coit! 43 points helped Buzz Williams pick up his first conference win in the Big Ten, and two more points would have set the single-game record for the Terps’ illustrious program. For that, they move up four spots in the Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings!
15) Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Last week’s ranking: 14 (-1)
Record: 9-9 (2-5)
Last week: L at Wisconsin (96-87)
Next week: at Iowa (Jan. 20 – 8:30 p.m.), vs. Indiana (Jan. 23 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins:
Bad losses: CCSU
Rutgers only moves down one spot in the Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings thanks to a close contest on the road against a good team in Wisconsin. But at this point, they are bottom feeders in this conference and can only make a big move up with an outstanding win.
16) Northwestern Wildcats
Last week’s ranking: 16 (-)
Record: 8-10 (0-7)
Last week: L vs. #13 Illinois (79-68), L vs. #8 Nebraska (77-58)
Next week: at USC (Jan. 21 – 11 p.m.), at UCLA (Jan. 24 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins:
Bad losses: at Rutgers
Northwestern’s close calls are now a thing of the past, after losing by a combined 30 points last week. Sure, they played a pair of top 15 teams, but both games were at home, and it was getting crazy how many times the Wildcats were close to winning against some solid teams. Now, only the Wildcats and Penn State have yet to win a conference game.
17) Oregon Ducks
Last week’s ranking: 17 (-)
Record: 8-10 (1-6)
Last week: L at #8 Nebraska (90-55), L vs. #4 Michigan (81-71)
Next week: vs. #10 Michigan State (Jan. 20 – 9 p.m.), at Washington (Jan. 25 – 3 p.m.)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
You can’t fault Oregon for losing to two top-10 teams, but losing by 35 to anyone is, unfortunately, the mark of a bad team. And despite some high expectations to start the season, that’s what Oregon is.
18) Penn State Nittany Lions
Last week’s ranking: 15 (-3)
Record: 9-9 (0-7)
Last week: L vs. UCLA (71-60), L at Maryland (96-73)
Next week: vs. Wisconsin (Jan. 22 – 7 p.m.)
Quality wins:
Bad losses: Pitt
THIS is the Penn State we all expected to see this season, at 0-7 in Big Ten basketball play and recently losing to an equally terrible team in Maryland by 23 points.