My B1G Power Rankings for 2-17

[JonDMiller]

What a weekend of Big Ten basketball...as in anything can happen, especially when you least expect it. Nebraska winning at Michigan State? Yeah, that qualifies for 'when you least expect it'.

Here's my latest set of Power Rankings, where I look at the teams where they are right now and if they played a team ten times on a neutral court, who'd win the most of those games.

1. IOWA: The last two times on the court has seen Iowa blow Michigan out by 18 at home and win 82-70 at Penn State and asserting their will in both instances. My power poll is all about the right now and right now, Iowa is playing very good basketball.

2. WISCONSIN: In the span of seven days they have beaten Michigan State, Minnesota and Michigan. Not sure who's had a better three game stretch than that this year. The reason they are not #1 is because in a ten game set on a neutral court, I think Iowa wins more games.

3. MICHIGAN STATE: I still can't believe Nebraska beat them...we all keep saying 'once Michigan State gets healthy..' What if they don't?

4. MICHIGAN: By and large, the Wolverines mojo was stolen at Indiana when the Hoosiers laid out the Rosetta Stone in how to mitigate Nik Stauskas. They've lost three of four since the ball tipped off in Bloomington four days ago.

5. OHIO STATE: They beat Illinois 48-39 on Saturday in a game only Todd Lickliter could love. Remember that the four and five seeds in the Big Ten tournament play one another.

6. NEBRASKA: Hello, Huskers. For one day, and perhaps one day only, HawkeyeNation thanks you.

7. MINNESOTA: 'Nice' win at Northwestern? It's better than a loss, that's for sure.

8. PURDUE: Pounded in state rival Indiana and now it's on to Nebraska.

9. PENN STATE: They did better on the glass than I thought they would but the Hawkeyes had too many weapons and hit free throws down the stretch

10. INDIANA: It's been a real bad week for Indiana...so you just know they go off Tuesday, right?

11. NORTHWESTERN: Yeah, they are who we thought they were.

12. ILLINOIS: Worst Illinois has been since the late 1990's. I think they went worst to first then..ain't happening next year. Can John Groce already be on the hot seat?

 

[ssckelley]

Groce is not a very good basketball coach, Illinois made a huge mistake running Weber out of town.

 

[wundergrape]

I might get thrown in HN jail for saying this...but Wisky should be on the #1 line.

God help me.

 

[GVGiant44]

Whoa, Jon. I think you have Nebraska in the correct spot. And usually I find your comments to be spot-on (though your obsession with how bad Indiana and their coach is makes me think you've given them good bulletin board material for tomorrow night, especially after their miserable loss at Purdue). But I think your comment on the Huskers totally misses the point on that team.

Suddenly, they've won 5 of 6. And if you check their schedule, while the B1G this season has been strange, it is IMPOSSIBLE for me to imagine that they would lose any of those remaining games. The only possible loss is on their Sr. Day.

With even 1 loss, they are 11-7. Without it, they are 12-6.

I'm not a Husker fan, but I believe it is fair to say that they have replaced Indiana and Minnesota as B1G NCAA tournament team #6. A victory like yesterday will go a LONG way to making the tournament. And adding a team like that, who finishes so well, and is certainly not a frequent NCAA participant, is really good for the conference.

 

[GVGiant44]

Regarding Wisconsin, and "Not sure who's had a better three-game stretch than that this year," the answer is Michigan, winning at Wisconsin and at Michigan State, sandwiched on either side of a home win vs. Iowa.

Michigan was hot then, but have since cooled off. I think Wisconsin will as well. Hopefully, the Hawks can provide the cold shower this weekend.

 

[GVGiant44]

Regarding Iowa, I'm suddenly worried about our health. I noticed how "gassed" Melsahn Basabe looked at each time out the other day. Found out later he had been sick and was a game-time decision. Gabe Olasani was so sick, I guess it was tough for him to even walk out of the locker room and go through pre-game warm-ups. And with us suddenly without both Clemmons and Jok, our guard depth is suspect, especially going into an arena in Bloomington, IN where their one weapon is good guard play.

Hope you are right. And no doubt, the next 3 games will determine how good we really are.

 

[BryceC]

Good point on neb giant. Remaining sched really soft. Rpi currently in the 50's... However I think minny and neb make it for 7 from the big ten. Good season for the conf.

 

[volhawk50]

Good point on neb giant. Remaining sched really soft. Rpi currently in the 50's... However I think minny and neb make it for 7 from the big ten. Good season for the conf.

Really soft. Hardest game remaining may be @Indiana or Wisconsin at home. If the Mankilling Mastodons keep playing like they did yesterday, they really could finish 12-6.

Wisconsin
Iowa
Nebraska
Michigan State
Ohio State
Michigan
Minnesota
Purdue
Penn State
Northwestern
Illinois
Indiana

After what I saw from IU Saturday, they absolutely have to be last. That was not a very good Purdue team that could have beaten them by 30 if they didn't let up at the end.

 

[HawkPrdatr40]

IMO Until we beat MSU or Wisconsin we shouldn't be ranked #1 in any Big Ten Rankings.


Feb 22nd game at Carver going to be huge, Wisconsin is playing really well right now and winning yesterday at Michigan was big.

 

[HawkIPA]

IMO Until we beat MSU or Wisconsin we shouldn't be ranked #1 in any Big Ten Rankings.


Feb 22nd game at Carver going to be huge, Wisconsin is playing really well right now and winning yesterday at Michigan was big.

Wisky is playing well right now but I am very glad they are off until Saturday after their big win yesterday. Each game from here on out gets bigger and bigger for Iowa as long as the Hawks keep winning.

 

[Sooby]

Groce is not a very good basketball coach, Illinois made a huge mistake running Weber out of town.

At the time, it seemed like a good move for Illannoy.
Weber was feasting off of Bill Self's recruits, and the program was slipping every year.
Nice to see Weber enjoying some success at K-State.

Always baffles me how Illannoy can't have basketball success with Chicago and St. Louis being a day's drive away.
Just getting the 5 bets athletes from Cook County would make them top 15 every year.

 

[HawkIPA]

Groce is not a very good basketball coach, Illinois made a huge mistake running Weber out of town.

Should not be a surprise really. Groce never finished better than 3rd place in the MAC.

Just the latest flavor of the month that cant handle coaching at a BCS level school.

 

[HawkIPA]

At the time, it seemed like a good move for Illannoy.
Weber was feasting off of Bill Self's recruits, and the program was slipping every year.
Nice to see Weber enjoying some success at K-State.

Always baffles me how Illannoy can't have basketball success with Chicago and St. Louis being a day's drive away.
Just getting the 5 bets athletes from Cook County would make them top 15 every year.

The argument for Illinois to own Chicago has been going on for about 4 decades now. Its not going to happen. Chicago gets recruited nationally and there are several BCS level schools that are about the same distance from Chicago as Champaign-Urbana is.

 

[HawksMN]

Whoa, Jon. I think you have Nebraska in the correct spot. And usually I find your comments to be spot-on (though your obsession with how bad Indiana and their coach is makes me think you've given them good bulletin board material for tomorrow night, especially after their miserable loss at Purdue). But I think your comment on the Huskers totally misses the point on that team.

Suddenly, they've won 5 of 6. And if you check their schedule, while the B1G this season has been strange, it is IMPOSSIBLE for me to imagine that they would lose any of those remaining games. The only possible loss is on their Sr. Day.

With even 1 loss, they are 11-7. Without it, they are 12-6.

I'm not a Husker fan, but I believe it is fair to say that they have replaced Indiana and Minnesota as B1G NCAA tournament team #6. A victory like yesterday will go a LONG way to making the tournament. And adding a team like that, who finishes so well, and is certainly not a frequent NCAA participant, is really good for the conference.

Nebraska has got a real shot. We shall see how it plays out. Conf is getting 6 in, whether that is NE or Minney is the question.

 

[UncleHawk]

Regarding Wisconsin, and "Not sure who's had a better three-game stretch than that this year," the answer is Michigan, winning at Wisconsin and at Michigan State, sandwiched on either side of a home win vs. Iowa.

Michigan was hot then, but have since cooled off. I think Wisconsin will as well. Hopefully, the Hawks can provide the cold shower this weekend.

MI is an outside-shooting team without an inside offensive presence. When Kaminsky is playing well, WI has that presence. I don't think he will play at the same level all year and Hayes, while a good player, doesn't provide the post presence that Kaminsky can.

In spite of all that, MI is still in the driver's seat as far as the standings are concerned. Looking at their schedule, I'd say MSU has to beat them in Ann Arbor for us to catch them but, after NE won @MSU, anything's possible.

IA has to keep winning to have a shot, but it could be a close race after this past weekend's games.

 

[Linesetter]

I might get thrown in HN jail for saying this...but Wisky should be on the #1 line.

God help me.

Agreed. Especially if it's "right now".

Also, I also believe that Iowa would win on a neutral court but the fact is Wisconsin already owns a win over the Hawks. I thought Michigan was going to carve them up yesterday too but it didn't happen

 

[PCHawk]

There is a decent possibility that its a 3 way tie for 1st after this weekend. MSU loses at Purdue then beats Michigan, then we win both our games. The chances of that all happening are better than the chances of what happened last week happening.

 

[hoffahawk]

IMO Until we beat MSU or Wisconsin we shouldn't be ranked #1 in any Big Ten Rankings.


Feb 22nd game at Carver going to be huge, Wisconsin is playing really well right now and winning yesterday at Michigan was big.

So much this.

 

[dave3912]

Whoa, Jon. I think you have Nebraska in the correct spot. And usually I find your comments to be spot-on (though your obsession with how bad Indiana and their coach is makes me think you've given them good bulletin board material for tomorrow night, especially after their miserable loss at Purdue). But I think your comment on the Huskers totally misses the point on that team.

Suddenly, they've won 5 of 6. And if you check their schedule, while the B1G this season has been strange, it is IMPOSSIBLE for me to imagine that they would lose any of those remaining games. The only possible loss is on their Sr. Day.

With even 1 loss, they are 11-7. Without it, they are 12-6.

I'm not a Husker fan, but I believe it is fair to say that they have replaced Indiana and Minnesota as B1G NCAA tournament team #6. A victory like yesterday will go a LONG way to making the tournament. And adding a team like that, who finishes so well, and is certainly not a frequent NCAA participant, is really good for the conference.

I agree with most of what you said, except for the bold and underlined part. This isn't just pointed at you, but everyone who says that type of stuff, but I don't understand why anyone believes that what Jon or opposing fans "think, believe or post" online is ever used as bulletin board material. If Fran or any of the players said this, then sure but not Jon or other fans. This includes all college sports, especially football. Indiana's coach, staff and players I guarantee you 100%, none of them have heard of Hawkeyenation.com. This isn't ESPN or Sports Illustrated where local media or reporters might read it and ask a question or two much like Ferentz being called a top 5 most overpayed coach last pre-season by Sports Illustrated.

 

[ssckelley]

IMO Until we beat MSU or Wisconsin we shouldn't be ranked #1 in any Big Ten Rankings.


Feb 22nd game at Carver going to be huge, Wisconsin is playing really well right now and winning yesterday at Michigan was big.

I agree, last week I had Iowa #2 after MSU but after seeing Wisconsin I would have MSU, Wisconsin, and Iowa in that order.