The Way I See It: The Big Ten's Power Rankings (Jan. 25)

1. Michigan State (17-3)

The Spartans are starting to understand that when they show up on their conference foes' schedules, the date gets circled. They got a scare from the Gophers this week, and now get to face several teams from here on out looking for quality wins. The schedule will be difficult, but successful navigation will give them an edge in the postseason.

2. Wisconsin (16-4)

The Badgers showed what it means to be a good team. They don’t always play well, but they play well when they need to in order to get the win. It took overtime with Penn State, but in the end they pulled it out. This week, they get a rematch against Purdue, who’ll be looking for revenge. After that, it’s the Spartans. The remaining schedule is anything but easy, but this is a good team and should finish with an impressive record.

3. Purdue (16-3)

The Boilermakers are back on track and looking to improve their tournament seed and the remaining schedule still has plenty of challenging games. Wins against Ohio State, Michigan State, or Wisconsin will go a long way in the eyes of the selection committee, especially after that three-game slide.

4. Ohio State (14-6)

The Buckeyes fell apart in the second half against West Virginia. They only managed one field goal in the final eight minutes, as they fell 71-65. Ohio State offensively can run with any team in the country, but it’s the defense that needs drastic improvement before the tournament comes. Evan Turner can only take them so far without some serious team defense, especially from the post.

5. Northwestern (14-5)

The Wildcats bounced back from the Ohio State loss with a win over Illinois. Now they start a two-game road stretch with Minnesota and Michigan State. If they want to go dancing, they need to continue to prove they can hang with the big boys, and the Spartans surely fall into that category.

6.  Minnesota (12-7)

The Gophers couldn’t hold onto a 34-26 halftime lead against Michigan State last weekend. The loss gives them a three-game losing streak with two of the games against the Spartans. The schedule is a mix of difficulty from here on out, and should be a good indicator of how good this team really is.

7. Illinois (12-8)

The Fighting Illini needed to beat Northwestern to keep their slim tournament hopes alive, but they didn’t, falling 73-68. Currently, Illinois is in the midst of a three-game losing streak, but that will change quickly as Penn State, Indiana, and Iowa all come up on the schedule. Even with the easy wins coming up, it’ll take a win against two of the three: Ohio State, Purdue, or Michigan State before they get serious consideration.

8. Michigan (10-9)

The Wolverines continue to underachieve this season with losses this week against Wisconsin and Purdue. I didn’t expect them to win either of these games on the road, but their second-half debacles along with the suspension of Manny Harris hamper any chance of this team being good.

9. Iowa (8-12)

The Hawkeyes swap spots with Indiana this week. They get a tough Ohio State team on Wednesday, and then take on a streaky Michigan team Saturday. A win against either of these teams gives Iowa some creditability. Unfortunately, they are only 7-6 at home and 1-4 on the road this year.

10. Indiana (9-10)

The Hoosiers drop a spot this week after the drubbing Iowa gave them, 58-43. The Hoosiers get another crack at Iowa at the end of February—and by looking at it probably their best chance at another win on the season.

11. Penn State (8-11)

The Nittany Lions tried to break their seven-game losing streak by taking Wisconsin into overtime. Unfortunately, the Badgers bested them 79-71. This team might not win another game as the schedule gets rough the last month. The home game against Minnesota on Feb. 6 looks to be the best chance at another win.