JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
We’re pretty much at the midway point of the college basketball season right now and Big Ten play is just under way. Last week’s rankings took a break from the ‘where they are right now’ analysis we’ve been doing in this space all year…it was where we thought people would finish.
However, we’re reverting back to the Power Rankings format…the following rankings is where I see the teams right now.
1. Wisconsin: They scored 51 against Iowa in the second half on Sunday and 50 in the first half against Illinois on Wednesday. This team is truly the embodiment of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, in my opinion, but Nigel Hayes has been really good. They just BEAT DOWN the Illini and looked impressive doing it. Right now, I’d take them 6 out of 10 times over Michigan State because…
2. Michigan State: The Spartans are not a healthy team at the present time, but they just topped Ohio State at home in overtime. There are three or four key Spartans who are not 100%, otherwise they’d be at the top of this list.
3. Ohio State: They were down 17 in the second half against Michigan State in the Breslin Center and forced overtime, missing a layup at the buzzer of regulation that would have won it. I tip the cap and look forward to the Spartans return game in Columbus.
4. Iowa: Iowa has three losses on the year to teams currently ranked in the Top Nine and Iowa held double-digit leads in each of those contests. But the Hawkeyes have to learn how to close, otherwise all of this talent and promise could turn into fan frustration. They should have no problem with Northwestern Thursday night (8pm on ESPNU) but a big challenge awaits at Ohio State on Sunday. A win there would be huge, but I don’t see it happening.
5. Michigan: Maybe? Most likely? Who knows just yet. They are certainly the next most talented team in the league, but so far they have wins against Minnesota and Northwestern. They play Nebraska Thursday night then against Penn State in their next game. No top half teams in sight.
—-I think this is a clear line of demarcation in the Big Ten—-
6. Illinois: They beat Indiana and rolled Penn State but were then rolled at Wisconsin and looked bad in the process there. There appears to be a big drop between the Top Five and the rest of the league, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be upsets.
7. Minnesota: Wins against Purdue and Penn State with a close loss to Michigan. They will still have their problems against bigger teams but they have carried their strong non-conference play into the league.
—-Now we are at the point where the rest of the teams listed have yet to win a Big Ten game—-
8. Indiana: Best collection of talent among the remaining bunch. They could make their way up into the next tier, but I think the Hoosiers struggle to make the NCAA tournament now.
9. Purdue: I’m still waiting for them to do something this year, namely AJ Hammons. Well, he did do something against Ohio State on New Year’s Eve, scoring 18 points and hauling in 16 rebounds. Then against Minnesota this weekend he scores just 7 and grabs one more rebound than your or I had. He only had one foul, by the way.
10. Penn State: I know they are the only 0-3 team in the league right now, but I still think they’re better than the other team teams not yet mentioned. You don’t get at trophy for that, however.
11. Nebraska: Coach Tim Miles tweets a lot and they have a nice, shiny gym. Bonus!
12. Northwestern: I continue to have little to say about them. Let’s hope it stays that way through tonight.
However, we’re reverting back to the Power Rankings format…the following rankings is where I see the teams right now.
1. Wisconsin: They scored 51 against Iowa in the second half on Sunday and 50 in the first half against Illinois on Wednesday. This team is truly the embodiment of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, in my opinion, but Nigel Hayes has been really good. They just BEAT DOWN the Illini and looked impressive doing it. Right now, I’d take them 6 out of 10 times over Michigan State because…
2. Michigan State: The Spartans are not a healthy team at the present time, but they just topped Ohio State at home in overtime. There are three or four key Spartans who are not 100%, otherwise they’d be at the top of this list.
3. Ohio State: They were down 17 in the second half against Michigan State in the Breslin Center and forced overtime, missing a layup at the buzzer of regulation that would have won it. I tip the cap and look forward to the Spartans return game in Columbus.
4. Iowa: Iowa has three losses on the year to teams currently ranked in the Top Nine and Iowa held double-digit leads in each of those contests. But the Hawkeyes have to learn how to close, otherwise all of this talent and promise could turn into fan frustration. They should have no problem with Northwestern Thursday night (8pm on ESPNU) but a big challenge awaits at Ohio State on Sunday. A win there would be huge, but I don’t see it happening.
5. Michigan: Maybe? Most likely? Who knows just yet. They are certainly the next most talented team in the league, but so far they have wins against Minnesota and Northwestern. They play Nebraska Thursday night then against Penn State in their next game. No top half teams in sight.
—-I think this is a clear line of demarcation in the Big Ten—-
6. Illinois: They beat Indiana and rolled Penn State but were then rolled at Wisconsin and looked bad in the process there. There appears to be a big drop between the Top Five and the rest of the league, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be upsets.
7. Minnesota: Wins against Purdue and Penn State with a close loss to Michigan. They will still have their problems against bigger teams but they have carried their strong non-conference play into the league.
—-Now we are at the point where the rest of the teams listed have yet to win a Big Ten game—-
8. Indiana: Best collection of talent among the remaining bunch. They could make their way up into the next tier, but I think the Hoosiers struggle to make the NCAA tournament now.
9. Purdue: I’m still waiting for them to do something this year, namely AJ Hammons. Well, he did do something against Ohio State on New Year’s Eve, scoring 18 points and hauling in 16 rebounds. Then against Minnesota this weekend he scores just 7 and grabs one more rebound than your or I had. He only had one foul, by the way.
10. Penn State: I know they are the only 0-3 team in the league right now, but I still think they’re better than the other team teams not yet mentioned. You don’t get at trophy for that, however.
11. Nebraska: Coach Tim Miles tweets a lot and they have a nice, shiny gym. Bonus!
12. Northwestern: I continue to have little to say about them. Let’s hope it stays that way through tonight.
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