Big Ten Power Rankings (Vol. 1): Purdue Clear No. 1 So Far, Despite Occasional Brief Struggles

It's the first Big Ten power rankings of the season, and there's a very clear No. 1 so far. Purdue has played an extremely tough schedule, and has navigated it very well. The Boilers look like a legitimate Final Four contender, and the others still have work to do.

We're a week away from the Big Ten basketball season cranking back up and, as always, it's been an interesting month and change of nonconference basketball, with just a dash of a league preview in the first week or December.

There's been some big news, too, of course. For the first time in Purdue basketball history, the Boilermakers were ranked No. 1 in the country. It only lasted a week, but it happened nonetheless. 

We knew the Boilermakers would be good this season, and they've certainly proven thus far that they're one of the best teams in the country, despite the buzzer-beater loss to Rutgers just a few days after getting that first No. 1 ranking. They are scary good and are very capable of breaking their 42-year Final Four drought.

There's been some pleasant surprises, too. Wisconsin, gutted by graduations and defections, was supposed to be a work in progress this year, but they won a holiday tournament in November and have looked good so far.

Illinois and Michigan were both preseason top-10 teams but have shown some flaws thus far. It's all fixable — we'll explore that further in a minute — but they are certainly going to be two teams very capable of making some noise. 

It's alway hard to be completely accurate with rankings this time of year, because schedule strength often trumps the actual won-loss records. That's why we still sort of need to wait on being sold on Minnesota and, to a lesser extent, even Indiana.

So here are my first rankings of the season. And why did I release them on Christmas Day? I figured it would minimize the whining. Merry Christmas, and enjoy the breakdown

Here we go:

1. Purdue Boilermakers

• Records: 11-1 overall, 1-1 in Big Ten.
• Rankings: Currently No. 3 in both the Associated Press and Coaches Poll as of Dec. 20. Was No. 7 in the preseason poll, and peaked at No. 1 in Week 5.
• Best win(s): Beat then-No. 5 Villanova, then-No. 18 North Carolina, Florida State, Iowa and N.C. State. 
• Worst loss: Lost to Rutgers 70-68 on Dec. 9 on a last-second half-court shot by Ron Harper Jr.
• This week: Beat Incarnate Word 79-59 on Monday, play Nicholls on Wednesday (Dec. 29) in West Lafayette.
• Next week: Host Wisconsin on Monday, Jan. 3, play at Penn State on Saturday, Jan. 8.
• Key stats: Trevion Williams and Zach Edey, the two-headed monster at center, combine for 28.1 points and 16.4 rebounds a game, and they've been practically unstoppable in the post most nights. Sophomore guard Jaden Ivey leads the team in scoring (16.5 points per game) and senior guard Sasha Stefanovic is shooting 43.7 percent from three-point range. As a team, the Boilers are shooting 40.4 percent from three, good for No. 7 in the country and No. 2 overall among Power 5 teams.
• The skinny: Purdue is a clear No. 1 in our first power ranking, and it's not even close. They aren't perfect — blowing a big lead against Iowa before hanging on, losing at Rutgers, playing horrible for 35 minutes against N.C. State before rallying to win — but what they've proven so far is that they can beat you in many ways. The Boilermakers definitely head into the new year as the clear favorite to win the Big Ten. 

2. Michigan State Spartans

• Records: 10-2 overall, 2-0 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: Currently No. 11. Unranked to open the season, entered the poll in Week 4.
• Best win(s): Won both Big Ten games against Minnesota and Penn State; Beat No. 22 Connecticut, Butler, Loyola-Chicago and Louisville.
• Worst loss(es): Lost to No,. 3 Kansas and No. 6 Baylor, neither of which were bad losses.
• This week: Beat Oakland 90-78 on Monday, host High Point on Dec. 29.
• Next week: Hosts Nebraska on Wednesday, Jan. 5, and plays at Michigan on Saturday, Jan. 8.
• Key stats: Michigan State has nine players averaging 4.9 points or more. Forward Gabe Brown leads the way with 13.3 points per game.
• The skinny: Anyone who rested on Michigan State in the preseason certainly miscalculated. Tom Izzo has a deep roster, and he's done a great job of pushing all the right buttons so far. He can trust Brown in go-to situations, and point guard Tyson Walker, the transfer from Northeastern, is fitting in well. The early test against Michigan will be must-see TV. 

3. Illinois Fighting Illini

• Records: 9-3 overall, 2-0 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: Unranked this week. Were ranked No. 11 in the preseason and peaked at No. 10 in Week 3.
• Best win(s): Won Big Ten games against Rutgers and Iowa; Beat Kansas State, Notre Dame and Missouri.
• Worst loss(es): Lost to No. 11 Arizona, Marquette and Cincinnati.
• This week: Beat Missouri 88-63, plays Florida A&M on Dec. 29.
• Next week: At Minnesota on Sunday, Jan. 2, then home against Maryland on Thursday, Jan. 6.
• Key stats: Center Kofi Cockburn missed the first three games because of on NCAA suspension, but he's getting more and more dominant every week now. He's averaging 21.2 points and 12.1 rebounds per game, and has seven double-doubles so far in nine games. Alfonso Plummer, the transfer from Utah, has played great as well, averaging 17.3 points per game. He's hitting threes at a 44.7 percent clip.
• The skinny: Illinois had a few bad losses early, and they turn the ball over way too much, but they've shown me in the past few weeks that they are going to be a handful in the Big Ten. Cockburn, as expected, is playing at a high level. Even though there are other Big Ten teams currently ranked higher in the polls, I'm going with the Illini at No. 3 — for now. And I won't be the least bit surprised if they are back in the rankings soon.

4. Ohio State Buckeyes

• Records: 8-2 overall, 2-0 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: Currently No. 14 in the AP poll. They were No. 17 in the preseason, but dropped out of the rankings for two weeks.  
• Best win(s): Won both Big Ten games over Penn State and Wisconsin; Beat then-No. 1 Duke and beat No. 21 Seton Hall.
• Worst loss(es): Lost at Xavier 71-65; Lost to Florida 71-68 in the Fort Myers Tip-off Tournament.
• This week: Ohio State had to cancel games with Kentucky and UT-Martin this week because of COVID issues inside the program. They are scheduled to play New Orleans on Tuesday (Dec. 28) in Columbus.
• Next week: Ohio State has league road games at Nebraska on Sunday (Jan. 2) and at Indiana on Thursday (Jan. 6.)
• Key stats: E.J. Liddell has been very good, averaging 20.6 points and 7.2 rebounds a game. His front-court mates, Zed Key (10.4) and Kyle Young (10.0), are both in double figures as well.  
• The skinny: I wasn't very impressed with the Buckeyes through the first six games, and I questioned whether their guard play would be good enough to contend in the Big Ten, but they've been very impressive lately, especially in the wins over Duke and Wisconsin. With a back-loaded Big Ten schedule, I won't be surprised if the Buckeyes hang out near the top of the standings for a while.

5. Wisconsin Badgers

• Records: 9-2 overall, 1-1 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: Currently No. 24 in the AP poll. The Badgers were unranked in the preseason, but entered the poll in Week 4.
• Best win(s): Beat No. 12 Houston, St. Mary's, Marquette and Indiana.
• Worst loss(es): Lost to Providence 63-58, and Ohio State on the road, 73-55
• This week: COVID issues have forced the cancellation of two games this week, the last with George Mason on Thursday when the Badgers had virus issues. They are scheduled to play Illinois State on Wednesday (Dec. 29). 
• Next week: At Purdue on Monday (Jan. 3), and home against Iowa on Thursday (Jan. 6).
• Key stats: Johnny Davis has been the biggest head-turner on the Big Ten stage thus far, and he leads the Badgers in scoring (20.9), rebounds (6.1), assists (2.3) and steals (1.6). Guard Brad Davison is averaging 15.2 points a game. 
• The skinny: Wisconsin got the league's best holiday tournament win, grabbing the Maui Jim Maui title in Las Vegas with wins over Texas A&M, Houston and St. Mary's. Johnny Davis has been great, and his huge fadeaway three-pointer against Indiana late might be the shot of the year so far. I had them ranked a little higher in my head, but the bad loss at Ohio State forced a little flip in the 4-5 spots. It's going to be interesting to see how quickly they can get out of COVID protocols, because that first week of the Big Ten season is rough. 

6. Indiana Hoosiers

• Records: 10-2 overall, 1-1 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: The Hoosiers haven't been ranked all year, but have been receiving votes.
• Best win(s): Nebraska is the Hoosiers' Big Ten win. Others include Notre Dame  and St. John's, and that's it. 
• Worst loss(es): The two losses have come in double-overtime at Syracuse (112-110) and at Wisconsin after blowing a 22-point lead.
• This week: Beat Northern Kentucky 79-61 on Wednesday (Dec. 22), and plays UNC Asheville on Dec. 29.
• Next week: At Penn State on Sunday (Jan. 2) and home against Ohio State on Thursday (Jan. 6).
• Key stats: Trayce Jackson-Davis has been terrific, averaging 19.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. He set an Assembly Hall scoring record with 43 points against Marshall on Nov. 27. Parker Stewart leads the Big Ten in three-point shooting (49.1 percent).
• The skinny: The Hoosiers have played a soft schedule — ranking No., 251 out of 358 teams — and there's not a lot to be impressed about with the opponents they've beaten. But they also should have won both games they lost, and shown a lot of potential to make some noise, especially on the defensive end. Jackson-Davis, a preseason All-American choice, has lived up to the billing thus far. With a bevy of three-point shooters around him for the first time in his career, the Hoosiers could be pretty good.

7. Minnesota Golden Gophers

• Records: 10-1 overall, 1-1 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: The Gophers are unranked, and have been all season
• Best win(s): Michigan, Mississippi State, Pittsburgh
• Worst loss: Michigan State
• This week: Beat Green Bay 72-56 on Dec. 22, host Alcorn State on Wednesday (Dec. 29).
• Next week: Home against Illinois on Sunday (Jan. 2), then at Indiana the following Sunday.
• Key stats: Jamison Battle (18.9 points per pame) and Payton Willis (16.3) have been terrific for the Gophers, who have been exceeded expectations thus far.
• The skinny: I tried not to make too much of the Gophers' early wins because the schedule was so soft, but the win at Michigan was certainly an attention-grabber. First-year coach Ben Johnson is doing a great job. We'll see how they hold up once league play kicks into high gear but, for now, they've earned this lofty ranking.

8. Iowa Hawkeyes

• Records: 9-3 overall, 0-2 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: The Hawkeyes haven't been ranked yet this season.
• Best win: Beat Virginia 75-74 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge
• Worst loss(es): Lost both Big Ten games to Purdue and Illinois, then lost to unbeaten Iowa State.
• This week: Beat Southeast Louisiana on Dec. 21, play Western Illinois on Wednesday (Dec. 29).
• Next week: Home against Maryland on Monday, Jan. 3 and at Wisconsin on Thursday, Jan. 6.
• Key stats: Keegan Murray just might be the Big Ten's best player so far, averaging 23.0 points and 8.0 rebounds a game. He missed the Purdue loss with an ankle injury, and might have made a difference.
• The skinny: Iowa had a very soft schedule early, and then when things got tough — OK, very tough — they couldn't hang with three very good teams in Purdue, Illinois and Iowa State, a combined 32-4 so far this year. Murray has proven to be the real deal, and Jordan Bohannon has been steady, making 42.3 percent of his three-pointers and has made 17-of-18 free throws.

9. Michigan Wolverines

• Records: 7-4 overall, 1-1 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: Currently unranked. Were No. 6 in the preseason ranking and moved up to No. 4 before the losing started.
• Best win(s): None? That might be a fair argument. The Wolverines' Big Ten win is over Nebraska, and next best after that is UNLV, ranked No. 126 in the Kenpom.com rankings
• Worst loss(es): The Big Ten 75-65 home loss to Minnesota is by far the worst, with the others against Seton Hall, Arizona and North Carolina, all of whom were unranked at the time of the losses.
• This week: Tuesday's game with Purdue Fort Wayne was canceled because of COVID issues inside the Fort Wayne program. They play at UCF on Thursday (Dec. 30)
• Next week: At Rutgers on Tuesday, Jan. 4 and home against Michigan State on Saturday, Jan. 8.
• Key stats: Hunter Dickinson is averaging 15.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game for the struggling Wolverines. In their four losses thus far, they are just 12-for-63 shooting from three-point range, a pathetic 19.0 percent.
• The skinny: There's no question that the Wolverines have been the Big Ten's biggest disappointment thus far, and the home loss to Minnesota was a huge surprise. There's far too much talent on this team to be struggling so much, so it will be Juwan Howard's biggest challenge to get this turned around quickly. There's no way they finish the season at No. 9, but they've earned this for now.

10. Northwestern Wildcats

• Records: 8-2 overall, 1- in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: The Wildcats are unranked.
• Best win(s): Maryland, Georgia.
• Worst loss(es): Providence, Wake Forest.
• This week: Beat Illinois-Springfield 90-50, host Prairie View A&M on Thursday (Dec. 30) 
• Next week: Sunday (Jan. 2) at home vs. Michigan State, then another home game on Wednesday (Jan. 5) against Penn State.
• Key stats: Pete Nance leads the Wildcats in scoring (16.3 points per game) and rebounding (8.0), and guard Boo Buie has been very good as well, scoring at a 14.9 clip, and dishing out 5.7 assists per game, second-best in the Big Ten. Northwestern is No. 1 in the Big Ten in points allowed (60.8).
• The skinny: The Wildcats have played well so far, even though they haven't had a lot of tough tests. Nance has been playing at a high level, and it is nice to get the league season started with a win, which is what they did with the win over Maryland. Are they better than 10th? Maybe, but we'll see soon enough.

11. Maryland Terrapins

• Records: 6-4 overall, 0-1 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: The Terrapins aren't ranked now, but they did start the season ranked No. 21 and moved up to No. 20 a week later before falling out of the rankings.
• Best win(s): No. 20 Florida
• Worst loss(es): George Mason, Louisville, Virginia Tech, Northwestern 
• This week: Their game with Loyola-Maryland was canceled because of COVID, and their scheduled to play Brown at home on Thursday (Dec. 30)/
• Next week: Maryland might have the toughest 2022 Big Ten start, with road games at Illinois (Monday, Jan. 3) and Iowa (Thursday, Jan. 6)
• Key stats: The Terrapins have four players averaging double figures, with guard Eric Ayala leading the way at 13.7 points per game.
• The skinny: Maryland's slow start basically shoved Mark Turgeon out the door, which was something of a surprise considering that it came so early in the year. Turgeon said it was his call, but that's hard to buy. Danny Manning takes over on an interim basis, and there are many challenges that lie ahead. I didn't buy in to the early "top-5 in the Big Ten talk'' and they've proven that so far. We'll see how they respond to Manning when things get tough in the league.

12. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

• Records: 5-5 overall, 1-1 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: The Scarlet Knights are not ranked
• Best win(s): No. 1 Purdue, Clemson
• Worst loss(es): Lafayette, UMass
• This week: The Knights lost two games to COVID this week, and are scheduled to play Maine on Thursday (Dec. 30) and Central Connecticut on Saturday (Jan. 1).
• Next week: Rutgers resumes Big Ten play with a pair of home games, against Michigan (Tuesday, Jan. 4) and Nebraska (Saturday, Jan. 8).
• Key stats: Ron Harper leads the way with 15.8 points and 7.9 rebounds a game, and he's also the proud owner of the shot of the year, his half-court heave that upset No. 1 Purdue two weeks ago. 
• The skinny: Outside of Ohio State's win over Duke, Rutgers has the win of the year with home upset of Purdue. It was certainly a stunner, considering the Scarlet Knight have really struggled all season outside of that night. They already have five losses, and they've even struggled in some of their wins. Hard to rank a team so low with such a big win like that, but it only seems fair considering all the losses.

13. Penn State Nittany Lions

• Records: 5-5 overall, 0-2 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: Penn State is unranked.
• Best win(s): Oregon State, Cornell
• Worst loss(es): UMass, LSU, Miami
• This week: Two games were canceled because of COVID, and the Nittany Lions are scheduled to play Delaware State on Wednesday (Dec. 29)
• Next week: The Nittany Lions host Indiana on Sunday (Jan. 2) and then travel to Northwestern for a game on Wednesday (Jan. 5).
• Key stats: Seth Lundy (14.7 points per game) has been very good and John Harrar continues to be a beast on the boards, averaging 10.6 rebounds a game. The Lions are shooting just 45 percent from the field. 
• The skinny: Penn State really hasn't grabbed any signature wins this far in Micah Shrewsberry's first season at the helm and started the Big Ten season with a pair of double-digit losses. There are some nice pieces on this team, just not even to compete night in and night out in the league. It could be a long season.

14. Nebraska Cornhuskers

• Records: 6-7 overall, 0-2 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: Nebraska is not ranked.
• Best win(s): South Dakota, Idaho State
• Worst loss(es): Western Illinois, Kansas State
• This week: Beat Kennesaw State 88-74 on Wednesday (Dec. 22), snapping a five-game losing streak. 
• Next week: The Cornhuskers host Ohio State on Sunday (Jan. 2), and play at Michigan State on Wednesday (Jan. 5). 
• Key stats: Alonzo Verge Jr. leads the team in scoring (16.4 points per game), and leads the Big Ten in assists with 5.9 a game. A lot has been asked of freshman Bryce McGowans, and he's done some nice things, averaging 15.6 points. He's shooting just 24 percent from three.
• The skinny: Nebraska struggled in league losses to Indiana and Michigan, and that home loss to the Wolverines bordered on embarrassing, losing by 35 points. There was some hope that this team would be better this season, but that season-opening loss to Western Illinois sent up a quick red flag, and they haven't shown anything better since then. 

Kenpom.com rankings

For comparative purposes, here are the Kenpom.com rankings through Friday.

• No. 3 — Purdue
• No. 14 — Illinois
• No. 15 — Ohio State
• No. 16 — Michigan
• No. 17 — Michigan State
• No. 23 — Iowa
• No. 28 — Indiana
• No. 33 — Wisconsin
• No. 39 — Northwestern
• No. 49 — Maryland
• No. 70 — Minnesota
• No. 88 — Penn State
• No. 98 — Rutgers
• No. 136 — Nebraska