JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
It was a wild, wild week in the Big Ten. Time for the Sunday installment of our Big Ten Power Rankings and remember, this is all about how teams are playing right now and not neccessarily where I think the teams will finish :
1. MICHIGAN: Yes, they lost at Indiana, but the key word there is AT Indiana. The Hoosiers aren't a great team this year and even with the win, Jay Lunardi still has them among the last four OUT of the tournament. Still, it's a road game in the Big Ten and those are never, every givens. Their road win last week at Michigan State affords them grace this week.
2. MICHIGAN STATE: This beat up version of MSU went into Iowa City on Tuesday night and beat the Hawkeyes. They held Iowa without a field goal over the last nine-plus minutes of regulation and over the first four minutes of the overtime despite being down two of their four best players.
3. IOWA: These three spots are pretty clear cut this week. Iowa is 0-2 against these teams and should have beaten Michigan State. The Hawks will get another shot at Michigan on Saturday and must beat Ohio State on another ESPN Super Tuesday spot. The good news is President Obama will be able to catch the game this week.
4.OHIO STATE: Because they haven't lost to Northwestern at home yet. I realize they lost at home to Penn State...there is a considerable drop off between three and four right now.
5. NORTHWESTERN: I am not sure how they are doing it, because the looks we've had when they have played Iowa have been fairly pitiful; a pair of 26-point losses to Iowa. They started the Big Ten with 26-23-26..as in point losses to Wisconsin, Michigan and Iowa. Since then they are 5-2, their two losses to Michigan State and Iowa. It's their first three-game Big Ten winning streak since the 1930's. They've never made an NCAA tournament in their program's history and I don't believe they will this year...but they are doing something right.
6. INDIANA: Big win for the Hoosiers at home on Sunday against Michigan and Yogi went wild from beyond the arc. They will be into it the entire second half as they will be fighting to get into the tournament. They still need to do work but Sunday's win was a big step. An example of how crazy the B1G is this year? Indiana beats then undefeated Michigan on its home court, the same court Northwestern won on a couple weeks back.
7. NEBRASKA: This is really when this week's power rankings take on the 'as of now' flavor. The Huskers have won three of their last four.
8. WISCONSIN: Having lost five of six, they may deserve to be ranked lower than this. Losing at Minnesota when Andre Hollins sprained his ankle :14 seconds into the game was unforgivable and really a sign of how challenged the Badgers are right now. When they can't hit from the outside, they're toast. They had the most favorable B1G schedule of any of the preseason would be contenders....now, they have back to back home losses, including one to Northwestern. They are out of the B1G title chase and may finally finish lower than 4th for the first time in the Bo Ryan era.
9. PENN STATE: A scary team...big time spoilers in this league. They spoiled Michigan's Big Ten title dreams last year on the last day of the season and that was without Tim Frazier. He's back and they also have three straight wins. What the heck is going on here?
10. MINNESOTA: When Hollins comes back, they move up. Until then, they stay here..thanks to back to back losses against Northwestern and Nebraska.
11. PURDUE: Four straight losses...still tough to figure out.
12: ILLINOIS: Seven-straight losses for this proud program. Shocking they are this challenged
1. MICHIGAN: Yes, they lost at Indiana, but the key word there is AT Indiana. The Hoosiers aren't a great team this year and even with the win, Jay Lunardi still has them among the last four OUT of the tournament. Still, it's a road game in the Big Ten and those are never, every givens. Their road win last week at Michigan State affords them grace this week.
2. MICHIGAN STATE: This beat up version of MSU went into Iowa City on Tuesday night and beat the Hawkeyes. They held Iowa without a field goal over the last nine-plus minutes of regulation and over the first four minutes of the overtime despite being down two of their four best players.
3. IOWA: These three spots are pretty clear cut this week. Iowa is 0-2 against these teams and should have beaten Michigan State. The Hawks will get another shot at Michigan on Saturday and must beat Ohio State on another ESPN Super Tuesday spot. The good news is President Obama will be able to catch the game this week.
4.OHIO STATE: Because they haven't lost to Northwestern at home yet. I realize they lost at home to Penn State...there is a considerable drop off between three and four right now.
5. NORTHWESTERN: I am not sure how they are doing it, because the looks we've had when they have played Iowa have been fairly pitiful; a pair of 26-point losses to Iowa. They started the Big Ten with 26-23-26..as in point losses to Wisconsin, Michigan and Iowa. Since then they are 5-2, their two losses to Michigan State and Iowa. It's their first three-game Big Ten winning streak since the 1930's. They've never made an NCAA tournament in their program's history and I don't believe they will this year...but they are doing something right.
6. INDIANA: Big win for the Hoosiers at home on Sunday against Michigan and Yogi went wild from beyond the arc. They will be into it the entire second half as they will be fighting to get into the tournament. They still need to do work but Sunday's win was a big step. An example of how crazy the B1G is this year? Indiana beats then undefeated Michigan on its home court, the same court Northwestern won on a couple weeks back.
7. NEBRASKA: This is really when this week's power rankings take on the 'as of now' flavor. The Huskers have won three of their last four.
8. WISCONSIN: Having lost five of six, they may deserve to be ranked lower than this. Losing at Minnesota when Andre Hollins sprained his ankle :14 seconds into the game was unforgivable and really a sign of how challenged the Badgers are right now. When they can't hit from the outside, they're toast. They had the most favorable B1G schedule of any of the preseason would be contenders....now, they have back to back home losses, including one to Northwestern. They are out of the B1G title chase and may finally finish lower than 4th for the first time in the Bo Ryan era.
9. PENN STATE: A scary team...big time spoilers in this league. They spoiled Michigan's Big Ten title dreams last year on the last day of the season and that was without Tim Frazier. He's back and they also have three straight wins. What the heck is going on here?
10. MINNESOTA: When Hollins comes back, they move up. Until then, they stay here..thanks to back to back losses against Northwestern and Nebraska.
11. PURDUE: Four straight losses...still tough to figure out.
12: ILLINOIS: Seven-straight losses for this proud program. Shocking they are this challenged
