Mat Mlodzinski gives his Big Ten basketball power rankings heading into week 15 of the season.
*There were no Big Ten basketball power rankings for week 14, so week 13 and 14 games are included in this edition*
Week 14 team of the week: Indiana Hoosiers
Week 14 game of the week: #10 Michigan State defeats #5 Illinois, 85-82 (OT)
Week 14 player of the week: Lamar Wilkerson, Indiana
Week 15 matchup of the week: #13 Purdue at #7 Nebraska (Feb. 10 at 7 p.m.)
Week 15 under-the-radar matchup of the week: USC at Ohio State (Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m.)
All games listed are EST
1) Michigan Wolverines
Last week’s ranking: 2 (-1)
Record: 22-1 (12-1)
Week 13/14: W vs. #5 Nebraska (75-72), W at #7 Michigan State (83-71), W vs. Penn State (110-69), W at Ohio State (82-61)
Next week: at Northwestern (Feb. 11 – 8:30 p.m.), vs. UCLA (Feb. 14 – 12:45 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Michigan State, Gonzaga (Neutral), Nebraska, Villanova, Auburn (Neutral), San Diego State (Neutral), Ohio State (2x), Indiana, USC
Bad losses:
It’s been two weeks since the last Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings, so there’s a lot of movement and games to cover since then. Michigan has looked like the team we saw at the beginning of the season – blowing teams out and taking down anyone in their way. They are rolling on an eight-game winning streak, including wins over two top 10 teams.
2) Illinois Fighting Illini
Last week’s ranking: 3 (-1)
Record: 20-4 (11-2)
Last week: W vs. Washington (75-66), W at #5 Nebraska (78-69), W vs. Northwestern (84-44), L at #10 Michigan State (85-82)
Next week: vs. Wisconsin (Feb. 10 – 8 p.m.), vs. Indiana (Feb. 15 – 1 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Purdue, at Nebraska, Texas Tech, at Iowa, at Ohio State, Tennessee, Missouri
Bad losses:
The Fighting Illini looked like they might have a case at being the top team in Big Ten basketball – and they still do – but an overtime loss to Michigan State stalled that momentarily. Keaton Wagler was shut down to 2-of-16 shooting in that one, which came out of nowhere, because he’d been on a heater prior to that.
Illinois transitions to an interesting week where they get two home games against teams just above the bubble in Wisconsin and Indiana. This will test their ability to bounce back against some hungry competition.
3) Michigan State Spartans
Last week’s ranking: 4 (+1)
Record: 20-4 (10-3)
Last week: W at Rutgers (88-79), L vs. #3 Michigan (83-71), L at Minnesota (76-73), W vs. #10 Illinois (85-72)
Next week: at Wisconsin (Feb. 13 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: Illinois, North Carolina, Arkansas, Kentucky, Iowa, Indiana, USC
Bad losses: at Minnesota
While the Spartans are just 2-2 over the last two weeks, their most recent win over Illinois says the most. It’s not only their best win of the season to this point, but Jeremy Fears was flawless, and the way they battled against a deep and talented team shows how dangerous they can be in March.
However, a loss at Minnesota wasn’t great, and the Spartans don’t have a single quality road win this season. That can change on Friday when they visit Wisconsin.
4) Nebraska Cornhuskers
Last week’s ranking: 1 (-3)
Record: 21-2 (10-2)
Last week: L at #3 Michigan (75-72), L vs. #9 Illinois (78-69), W at Rutgers (80-68)
Next week: vs. #13 Purdue (Feb. 10 – 7 p.m.), vs. Northwestern (Feb. 14 – 1 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Illinois, Michigan State, at Ohio State, at Indiana, Wisconsin, Creighton, New Mexico
Bad losses:
Nebraska’s only won one of its last three, and it came against Rutgers, so for all intents and purposes, they’re still in a rut.
Obviously, you’ve got to take into account not having Rienk Mast against Michigan, but he was there (and shot awfully) against the Illini. It was a bad time for him to be out with flu-like symptoms, so now, at full strength, the Cornhuskers have an opportunity to rejoin the conversation with a win over Purdue on Tuesday.
Plus, while every team above Nebraska in the Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings picked up at least one ranked win, they went 0-for-2. Time to bounce back!
5) Purdue Boilermakers
Last week’s ranking: 5 (-)
Record: 19-4 (9-3)
Last week: L at Indiana (72-67), W at Maryland (93-63), W vs. Oregon (68-64)
Next week: at #7 Nebraska (Feb. 10 – 7 p.m.), at Iowa (Feb. 14 – 5 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Alabama, Texas Tech, at Wisconsin, at USC, Iowa, Auburn
Bad losses:
Purdue stays put in the Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings, still not completely out of its rut. They’ve won two straight, but have lost three of five, and their most recent win was a close call over a very bad Oregon team.
And the stretch just gets more difficult – Nebraska, Michigan, and Michigan State still to come in February, with some other tough tests mixed in. It’s time for Trey Kaufman-Renn to step up, because he’s been far too quiet.
6) Indiana Hoosiers
Last week’s ranking: 11 (+5)
Record: 17-8 (8-6)
Last week: W vs. #12 Purdue (72-67), W at UCLA (98-97), L at USC (81-75), W vs. Wisconsin (78-77), W vs. Oregon (92-74)
Next week: at #8 Illinois (Feb. 15 – 1 p.m.)
Quality wins: Purdue, at UCLA, Wisconsin
Bad losses: at Minnesota
Indiana entered week 13 having zero quality wins and firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble. They proceeded to take down Purdue, UCLA on the road, and Wisconsin, to pretty much etch their name in the field of 68 in the span of a week and a half.
Obviously, they still need a strong finish, but IU can’t lose, and Lamar Wilkerson is dropping 40-balls left and right, so it seems almost like a foregone conclusion.
7) Iowa Hawkeyes
Last week’s ranking: 8 (+1)
Record: 18-5 (8-4)
Last week: W vs. USC (73-72), W at Oregon (84-66), W at Washington (84-74), W vs. Northwestern (76-70)
Next week: at Maryland (Feb. 11 – 6 p.m.), vs. #13 Purdue (Feb. 14 – 5 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Indiana, UCLA, USC
Bad losses:
Iowa is making the most of its easiest part of the schedule, having won six straight and getting to 8-4 in the conference.
After facing Maryland on Wednesday, things will get more difficult, but a red-hot Hawkeyes team will get a struggling Purdue team at home on a Saturday evening. That’s setting up to be a dangerous environment for the Boilermakers, and if Iowa ever wants to make a statement, they’ve got their chance right in front of them.
8) UCLA Bruins
Last week’s ranking: 6 (-2)
Record: 17-7 (9-4)
Last week: W at Oregon (73-57), L vs. Indiana (98-97), W vs. Rutgers (98-66), W vs. Washington (77-73)
Next week:
Quality wins: Purdue
Bad losses:
The Bruins continue to take care of business, beating inferior teams on the road and teams they should beat on paper at home. But the loss to Indiana was a missed chance at a second quality win – something they need to start stacking to improve their March Madness outlook.
Still, Donovan Dent’s been playing outstanding, and while Mick Cronin may not be happy with his team’s performance sometimes, they’re 9-4 in the Big Ten, which is something to hang your hat on.
9) USC Trojans
Last week’s ranking: 9 (-)
Record: 18-6 (7-6)
Last week: L at Iowa (73-72), W vs. Rutgers (78-75), W vs. Indiana (81-75), W at Penn State (77-75)
Next week: at Ohio State (Feb. 11 – 6:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Wisconsin, Indiana, Seton Hall (Neutral)
Bad losses:
Following a one-point loss at Iowa, USC has won three straight, including an important one over an Indiana team that looked like they may never lose again.
The Trojans take on Ohio State on Wednesday, with it being their only game of the week. It’s one of the most important bubble games of the week, with USC probably in a little bit of a better position.
10) Wisconsin Badgers
Last week’s ranking: 10 (-)
Record: 16-7 (8-4)
Last week: W vs. Minnesota (67-63), W vs. Ohio State (92-82), L at Indiana (78-77)
Next week: at #8 Illinois (Feb. 10 – 8 p.m.), vs. #10 Michigan State (Feb. 13 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Michigan, UCLA, Ohio State
Bad losses:
The Badgers had their game against the Hoosiers all but wrapped up in regulation before blowing the game into overtime, costing them the loss at Assembly Hall.
It was a pretty crucial loss to stomach, for a Wisconsin team barely above the NCAA Tournament bubble, with its win at Michigan as the deciding factor. But a few losses this week against top 10 teams, and it may be time to start wondering about Wisconsin’s outlook again. They got Nick Boyd for these moments, so it’s time for him to put the Badgers on his back and lead them through a challenging part of their schedule.
11) Ohio State Buckeyes
Last week’s ranking: 7 (-4)
Record: 15-8 (7-6)
Last week: L at Wisconsin (92-82), W at Maryland (82-62), L vs. #2 Michigan (82-61)
Next week: vs. USC (Feb. 11 – 6:30 p.m.), vs. #15 Virginia (Feb. 14 – 8 p.m.)
Quality wins: UCLA, West Virginia
Bad losses:
For Ohio State, it’s not really about losing to teams like Wisconsin and Michigan, but in the manner they did, especially against the Wolverines, not even putting up a fight.
Now, they face a key bubble game against USC, before taking on a Virginia team where a win could change the course of the season for the Buckeyes. On Feb. 10, Ohio State is sitting here with two quality wins, but neither is good enough to move the needle against any other bubble teams. Taking down USC and UVA can really change that in a hurry.
12) Minnesota Golden Gophers
Last week’s ranking: 14 (+2)
Record: 11-13 (4-9)
Last week: L at Wisconsin (67-63), L at Penn State (77-75), W vs. #10 Michigan State (76-73), L vs. Maryland (67-62)
Next week: at Washington (Feb. 14 – 9 p.m.)
Quality wins: Michigan State, Iowa, Indiana
Bad losses: San Francisco, at Penn State, Maryland
If I were any team in college basketball, I would not want to face Minnesota in its barn. Throw out their 11-13 record, the Golden Gophers have upset Michigan State, Iowa, and Indiana – three tournament teams – at their place. Niko Medved may not finish with a winning record this season, but he can certainly build off that.
13) Washington Huskies
Last week’s ranking: 12 (-1)
Record: 12-12 (4-9)
Last week: L vs. #9 Illinois (75-66), W at Northwestern (76-62), L vs. Iowa (84-74), L at UCLA (77-73)
Next week: vs. Penn State (Feb. 11 – 10:30 p.m.), vs. Minnesota (Feb. 14 – 9 p.m.)
Quality wins: at USC, Ohio State
Bad losses: at Seattle
There is like 1% optimism that Washington can still be an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament, because they are somehow still 51st in the NET Rankings as of Feb. 10.
But they NEED – yes, in bold – to defeat Penn State and Minnesota this week if they want to hang on to that dream. At 12-12 overall and 4-9 in conference, it gets to a point where metrics no longer matter, and they are about at that point.
14) Northwestern Wildcats
Last week’s ranking: 13 (-1)
Record: 10-14 (2-11)
Last week: W vs. Penn State (94-73), L vs. Washington (76-62), L at #5 Illinois (84-44), L at Iowa (76-70)
Next week: vs. #2 Michigan (Feb. 11 – 8:30 p.m.), at #7 Nebraska (Feb. 14 – 1 p.m.)
Quality wins: at USC
Bad losses: at Rutgers
Could Northwestern lose by a combined 100 points this week? I know they had a tendency to keep things close early in the season, but the 40-point loss to Illinois and even the 16-point loss to Washington don’t make it seem like the Wildcats have the same mindset. It could get UGLY this week against Michigan and Nebraska.
15) Maryland Terrapins
Last week’s ranking: 16 (+1)
Record: 9-14 (2-10)
Last week: L vs. #12 Purdue (93-63), L vs. Ohio State (82-62), W at Minnesota (67-62)
Next week: vs. Iowa (Feb. 11 – 6 p.m.), at Rutgers (Feb. 15 – Noon)
Quality wins:
Bad losses: Georgetown, Oregon
Of all teams to take down Minnesota on the road, it was Buzz Williams and Maryland. That might be their claim to fame this season, which makes me very sad.
16) Penn State Nittany Lions
Last week’s ranking: 18 (+2)
Record: 10-14 (1-12)
Last week: L at Northwestern (94-73), W vs. Minnesota (77-75), L at #2 Michigan (110-69), L vs. USC (77-75)
Next week:
Quality wins:
Bad losses: Providence, Pitt, at Maryland, at Northwestern
Speaking about taking down Minnesota, you know what? Good for Penn State! The Nittany Lions checked off what might be their only Big Ten basketball win of the season, but that deserves a small celebration and bump up in the power rankings.
17) Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Last week’s ranking: 15 (-2)
Record: 9-15 (2-11)
Last week: L vs. #7 Michigan State (88-79), L at USC (78-75), L at UCLA (98-66), L vs. #9 Nebraska (80-68)
Next week: vs. Maryland (Feb. 15 – Noon)
Quality wins:
Bad losses: CCSU, Notre Dame,
The Scarlet Knights came SO close to knocking off Michigan State, before they fell apart in overtime. Then they kept things c,lose with USC and you began to think for a moment if Steve Pikiell was starting to turn something around. But following a 32-point loss to UCLA, you realized that was just a fun moment in time. This Rutgers team is still really bad, and it’s a sad state of affairs.
18) Oregon Ducks
Last week’s ranking: 17 (-1)
Record: 8-16 (1-12)
Last week: L vs. UCLA (73-57), L vs. Iowa (84-66), L at #12 Purdue (68-64), L at Indiana (92-74)
Next week: vs. Penn State (Feb. 14 – 3 p.m.)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
Oregon, being the worst team in Big Ten basketball, was never on my bingo card for the 2025-26 season, but here we are, as the Ducks may not even win 10 games all season. No words.