Power Ranking the Big Ten Basketball Teams Early in Conference Play
After two weeks of play in the Big Ten, we are beginning to learn more about the teams who want to be relevant when March rolls around.
We're all aware of how good the Maryland Terrapins and Michigan State Spartans are, but things begin to get interesting beneath the pair of front-runners for the Big Ten regular-season title.
The Indiana Hoosiers are currently the hottest team in the conference, while the Ohio State Buckeyes shared that title before falling to the Hoosiers Sunday. Sunday also hurt the stock of the Purdue Boilermakers, who surprisingly fell to the Illinois Fighting Illini by 14 points.
Right now, it looks like seven teams will be contending for berths in the NCAA tournament, but if a few other teams get hot like Indiana and Ohio State have, we could see more Big Ten teams join the conversation over the next few weeks.
Our Big Ten power rankings will rank the teams on a biweekly basis starting with this list. We took into account recent results, head-to-head contests and a few intangibles to compile the rankings.
Continue reading to see which team landed where in our first Big Ten power rankings of 2016.
Nos. 14-10: Rutgers-Illinois
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No. 14 Rutgers (6-11 Overall, 0-4 Big Ten)
Very little has gone right for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in conference play. Rutgers has lost its four conference games by a combined 78 points, and that total is expected to grow when they visit Ohio State Wednesday.
Corey Sanders is one of three Rutgers players averaging double digits in the scoring column. The freshman from Florida leads the Scarlet Knights with 13.3 points per game.
No. 13 Minnesota (6-10, 0-4)
The Minnesota Golden Gophers enter the third week of Big Ten action as one of two teams without a conference victory. Richard Pitino's team is struggling to be competitive to open the conference schedule, which is a bad sign for the rest of the season.
Minnesota may be able to pull off an unexpected upset at home somewhere down the road, but that elusive victory doesn't look imminent based off their play over the first two weeks of 2016.
No. 12 Penn State (10-7, 1-3)
The Penn State Nittany Lions' lone win in the Big Ten came against Minnesota on January 5. In the 86-77 win at the Bryce Jordan Center, Payton Banks and Shep Garner combined for 44 points.
Penn State's second win may not come in the next two weeks since three of their next four games are on the road. The lone home game for the Nittany Lions comes against Wisconsin on January 21.
No. 11 Nebraska (9-8, 1-3)
The Nebraska Cornhuskers solidified their spot in the tier above Rutgers and Minnesota on Saturday with a 90-56 blowout win on the road at Rutgers. Andrew White went off for 28 points in the victory.
A second conference win should be on the horizon for Tim Miles and company Tuesday as they host Minnesota.
No. 10 Illinois (9-8, 1-3)
The Fighting Illini stunned us all Sunday when they downed the No. 20 Purdue Boilermakers at home 84-70.
John Groce's team became the first squad to shoot over 50 percent against Purdue in 37 games, per Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.
9. Wisconsin Badgers
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Record: 9-8, 1-3
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The Wisconsin Badgers aren't too far ahead of the other 1-3 teams in the Big Ten, but we are giving them credit for sticking with Maryland at home on Saturday. Unfortunately, the Badgers came up short in their upset bid against Maryland, who won the game on a three-pointer from Melo Trimble.
Wisconsin didn't encounter any luck Tuesday at Assembly Hall either, as it was downed by Indiana 59-58 in a close encounter that wasn't easy on the eyes. If the Badgers can build on the pair of close losses, they should go into Welsh-Ryan Arena with a chance to take down the Northwestern Wildcats on Tuesday night.
By the numbers
Wisconsin has lost its last two games by three points or less. Signs of progress are there for the Badgers, but they haven't put everything together just yet.
8. Michigan Wolverines
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Record: 12-4, 2-1
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John Beilein's Michigan Wolverines may have one of the better records in the league on paper, but when you dig deeper, very little impresses you about their 12-4 mark overall. Wins over the Texas Longhorns and NC State Wolfpack stood out in nonconference play, but neither team is wowing a ton of people in the Big 12 and ACC, respectively.
In Big Ten play, the Wolverines have encountered only one team that is expected to be a contender for the NCAA tournament. In the game against then-No. 20 Purdue, Michigan lost by 17. Credit must be given to the Wolverines for taking care of business against Illinois and Penn State, but we'll know much more about them after clashes with Maryland and the Iowa Hawkeyes over the next seven days.
By the numbers
Michigan is one of two teams in the Big Ten that hasn't played four conference games. We don't have a great feel for where the Wolverines will place in the conference since their two victories came against Illinois and Penn State.
Despite making 11 three-pointers in the loss to Purdue, the Wolverines shot 37.7 percent from the field and lost the rebound battle 36 to 28.
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7. Northwestern Wildcats
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Record: 14-3, 2-2
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This season is all about making a push toward an NCAA tournament berth for the Northwestern Wildcats. They got off to a great start with a 12-1 nonconference record, but losses to Maryland and Ohio State have some questioning their credentials for the Big Dance.
Not only did the Wildcats lose by nine points or more to the Terrapins and Buckeyes, but they failed to defend their home floor as well. Tuesday's clash with Wisconsin at Welsh-Ryan Arena will be critical for the Wildcats. If they defend their home floor and beat the Badgers, they will solidify their position in the top half of the Big Ten.
By the numbers
Northwestern's 77-52 victory over Minnesota on Saturday marked the team's biggest road win since January 14, 1944, when it beat Chicago 77-20, per the team's official Twitter account.
The win pushed the Wildcats to 4-0 on the road. That record will be tested next week as the Wildcats visit Maryland and Indiana in back-to-back contests.
6. Purdue Boilermakers
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Record: 14-3, 2-2
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Trying to figure out what type of team Purdue will be this season is one of the hardest questions to answer in college basketball. The Boilermakers displayed plenty of promise throughout nonconference play with wins over the Florida Gators, Pittsburgh Panthers and Vanderbilt Commodores.
However, the Boilermakers are at risk of throwing their good start away before the calendar flips to February. After falling to Iowa at home in its second Big Ten game, Purdue fell in stunning fashion by 14 points on the road at Illinois Sunday. Purdue has three games to get back on track before it visits Iowa on January 24.
By the numbers
Purdue attempted 60 shots in its loss to Illinois. The Boilermakers made 27 of those attempts, and no player drained more than five.
Sunday marked the first time freshman forward Caleb Swanigan scored in double digits in conference play. He totaled 13 points over 73 minutes in his first three games before scoring 12 against Illinois.
5. Ohio State Buckeyes
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Record: 11-6, 3-1
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Ohio State's upset win over the Kentucky Wildcats on December 19 spurred a seven-game win streak, but that came crashing to a halt on Sunday as the Buckeyes were blown out by Indiana.
The 25-point loss, which could've been much worse, was a bit of an eye-opener for Thad Matta's bunch, who beat up on Minnesota, Illinois and Northwestern to begin Big Ten play. We'll know just how much of a contender Ohio State is after back-to-back games against Maryland and Purdue on January 16 and 21, respectively.
By the numbers
Sunday's loss was the worst for Ohio State since December 27, 2008, when it fell to West Virginia by 28 points in its final nonconference game of the season.
The lone positive takeaway from Sunday was the play of JaQuan Lyle. The freshman guard recorded a career-high 29 points on 11-for-20 shooting. That was only his second double-digit scoring performance in conference play.
4. Indiana Hoosiers
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Record: 14-3, 4-0
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Indiana fans are nowhere close to calling for head coach Tom Crean's firing at the moment. The Hoosiers are in the middle of a nine-game winning streak and just destroyed Ohio State by 25 points.
But even if the Hoosiers continue their terrific run, you have to keep in mind that their schedule is backloaded with tough opponents. Indiana doesn't face a ranked opponent in the Big Ten until it hosts Iowa on February 11. We could easily see the Hoosiers rise up this list and the AP Top 25 poll in the coming weeks due to their weak schedule.
By the numbers
Troy Williams was one of four Indiana players to score over 10 points in the 25-point win over Ohio State. Williams contributed 23 in the victory, while Thomas Bryant, Yogi Ferrell and Robert Johnson also found their way into double digits.
Ferrell, Williams and Bryant are all averaging over 12.2 points per game this season. That high level of production must continue with James Blackmon Jr. out for the rest of the season following knee surgery.
3. Iowa Hawkeyes
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Record: 12-3, 3-0
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Iowa has a chance to be a real contender for the Big Ten regular-season title, but there are a wide range of factors that go into that discussion. Yes, Iowa beat Michigan State in its conference opener, but the Spartans were without Denzel Valentine.
If the Hawkeyes beat Michigan State on Thursday, or even play them tight and lose by a few, we'll feel more confident about their championship credentials. One thing that will help the Hawkeyes is their schedule. After a road trip to Maryland on January 28, Indiana is the only ranked team Iowa will face in its last 10 games.
By the numbers
A case could be made for Jarrod Uthoff to be in the National Player of the Year discussion. Uthoff is averaging 18.6 points per game and has recorded over 20 points in seven games. He scored 25 in each of his last two contests against Purdue and Nebraska.
Peter Jok and Mike Gesell are also having strong seasons for the Hawkeyes. Jok is averaging 13.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, while Gesell is averaging 9.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6.9 assists.
2. Michigan State Spartans
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Record: 16-1, 3-1
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Everything is starting to return to normal for Michigan State now that Valentine is back in the lineup. The Spartans struggled to down the Oakland Golden Grizzlies before losing to Iowa in the first two games without their star player. Wins over Minnesota and Illinois helped ease the stress levels in East Lansing before Valentine returned.
In the grand scheme of things, Michigan State is going to be just fine with Valentine back in the fold. But Thursday's clash with Iowa is going to be a good test of where the Spartans stand at the moment. If Tom Izzo's squad beats Iowa, expect the Spartans to go into their January 23 matchup against Maryland with just one conference defeat.
By the numbers
Bryn Forbes was the top scorer for the Spartans while Valentine was on the sidelines. Forbes contributed 72 points and led Michigan State in scoring in three of the four games Valentine missed.
Forbes continued his hot streak Sunday as he scored 20 points in the big win over Penn State at the Bryce Jordan Center. Valentine and Forbes have the potential to be the best scoring combination not only in the Big Ten, but in the entire nation if they thrive next to each other in the starting lineup over the next three months.
1. Maryland Terrapins
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Record: 15-1, 4-0
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Melo Trimble kept Maryland unbeaten in league play on Saturday as he drilled a game-winning three-pointer in the final seconds against Wisconsin. By finding a way to win on the road in a tough environment, the Terrapins proved they can handle anything that is thrown at them.
We'll learn even more about how the Terrapins handle the pressure in big games on January 23, when they go up to East Lansing to play Michigan State in one of the top games of the season. Five days after taking on the Spartans, Maryland plays host to Iowa in another crucial battle of top teams in the Big Ten. By the end of January, we'll know just how good Maryland will be heading into the stretch run of the season.
By the numbers
Trimble is one of five Terrapins averaging over 10 points per game in the scoring column through 16 games. Diamond Stone, Robert Carter, Jake Layman and Rasheed Sulaimon are the other four players in double digits.
Maryland will have to bank on its balanced scoring attack against ranked opponents in case Trimble gets shut down by the opposing team. Look for the Terrapins to flex their scoring depth in the upcoming clashes with Michigan State and Iowa.
All statistics obtained from ESPN.com.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
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