With non-conference play officially wrapped up for all teams, it’s time to dive into the weekly conference power rankings. The Big Ten is emerging as one of college basketball’s top conferences, trailing only the SEC.
Indiana remains a strong contender near the top of the conference, but let’s take a look at how the Hoosiers measure up against the rest of the Big Ten.
18. Minnesota Golden Gophers
Record: 8-6 | 0-3 Big Ten
Minnesota sits at the bottom of the Big Ten, still searching for its first conference win. After an 8-3 start, the Golden Gophers have struggled, losing all three Big Ten matchups.
17. Northwestern Wildcats
Record: 10-5 | 1-3 Big Ten
Northwestern has shown flashes of promise, including a notable win over Illinois, but with a 1-3 Big Ten record and 10-5 overall, the Wildcats have had a rough start.
16. Washington Huskies
Record: 10-5 | 1-3 Big Ten
In their first Big Ten season, Washington has faced challenges, sitting at 1-3 in conference play with losses to UCLA, USC, and Illinois.
15. Maryland Terrapins
Record: 11-4 | 1-3 Big Ten
Maryland began the season strong at 10-1 but has struggled since conference play began, dropping three of four Big Ten games to teams like Purdue, Washington, and Oregon.
14. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Record: 8-6 | 1-2 Big Ten
Rutgers has had to manage injuries, with leading scorer Dylan Harper out due to illness. Freshman star Ace Bailey has stepped up, but the Scarlet Knights are still 8-6 and 1-2 in the Big Ten.
13. USC Trojans
Record: 9-5 | 1-2 Big Ten
USC’s first season in the Big Ten has been tough. After an 8-3 non-conference record, the Trojans are just 1-2 in Big Ten play, with their sole win against Washington.
12. Ohio State Buckeyes
Record: 9-5 | 1-2 Big Ten
Ohio State looked poised for a big season but has stumbled with losses in Big Ten play. Their lone conference win came against Indiana, while they’ve dropped games to Maryland and Michigan State.
11. Iowa Hawkeyes
Record: 10-4 | 1-2 Big Ten
Iowa faced a tough non-conference slate, including a challenging matchup with Iowa State. They’ve started Big Ten play on the wrong foot with losses to Michigan and Wisconsin.
10. Wisconsin Badgers
Record: 11-3 | 1-2 Big Ten
Wisconsin began the season ranked in the Top 25 but has struggled in Big Ten play, losing two of their first three conference games to Michigan and Illinois.
9. Penn State Nittany Lions
Record: 12-3 | 2-2 Big Ten
Penn State has had its ups and downs this season. After a tough 77-71 loss to Indiana, the Nittany Lions have yet to fully hit their stride in the Big Ten, despite a strong overall record.
8. Oregon Ducks
Record: 13-2 | 2-2 Big Ten
Oregon started the season undefeated in non-conference play but has faced setbacks in the Big Ten, with losses to UCLA and Illinois.
7. UCLA Bruins
Record: 11-3 | 2-1 Big Ten
UCLA, coming off their third loss of the season and their first Big Ten defeat at the hands of Nebraska, has shown resilience with victories over Oregon, Arizona, and Gonzaga.
6. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Record: 12-2 | 2-1 Big Ten
Nebraska is riding high after a major win over a ranked UCLA team. Though not yet in the Top 25, the Cornhuskers could climb the rankings with more signature victories.
5. Purdue Boilermakers
Record: 11-4 | 3-1 Big Ten
Despite losing some key players after a National Championship appearance last season, Purdue remains a force, with a solid 3-1 Big Ten record, their only conference loss coming to Penn State.
4. Illinois Fighting Illini
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