Big Ten Power Rankings (Vol. 3): Michigan State Keeps Top Spot With Impressive Road Win

Getting road wins in the Big Ten is never easy, but Michigan State's big victory at Wisconsin last week allows the Spartans to hold on to the top spot in the Big Ten power rankings. The Badgers hold firm, and look out for the Michigan Wolverines, who are finally starting to put things together.

There are a lot of good teams in the Big Ten this season, but is anyone really great? It's been sort of hard to figure that out so far as we get deep into January.

Michigan State is a good example of that. They moved into my No. 1 spot two weeks ago, but then struggled in a home win to Minnesota and then lost at home to Northwestern. It sent up some red flags, but then Tom Izzo's Spartans went on the road and whipped Wisconsin at the Kohl Center, something that just doesn't happen very often.

Izzo had six days to prepare for that game, which certainly helped, and a huge road win like that means a lot to me. It was enough to keep the Spartans at the top of my Big Ten power rankings.

Here we go with Round 3 of our Big Ten Power Rankings on Tuesday, Jan. 25:

1. Michigan State Spartans

• Records: 15-3 overall, 6-1 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: Currently No. 10 in both the Associated Press and Coaches Polls on Jan. 24. Ranked No. 19 in Kenpom.com
• Previous power ranking: No. 1
• Highest/lowest ranking: 1/2
• Last week: Won at Wisconsin 86-74.
• This week: Tuesday at Illinois, 7 p.m. ET; Saturday vs. Michigan, Noon ET
• The skinny: I was dead set on sending the Spartans down in the rankings after losing at home to Northwestern two weeks ago, but then they came up with one of the league's best road wins of the year at Wisconsin. Freshman Max Christie keeps winning conference honors every week for a reason. A solid team that's not perfect, but I still like them the best, and somewhat by default. Two huge challenges this week will tell us a lot.

2. Wisconsin Badgers

• Records: 15-3 overall, 6-2 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: Currently No. 11 in both the AP and Coaches polls on Jan. 24. Ranked No. 28 in Kenpom.com
• Previous power ranking: No. 3
• Highest/lowest ranking: 2/5
• Last week: Won at Northwestern 82-76, lost to Michigan State 86-74.
• This week: Thursday at Nebraska, 4 p.m. ET; Sunday vs. Minnesota, 1 p.m. ET
• The skinny: Wisconsin had the previous best road win at Purdue, and even though the home loss to Michigan State was disappointing, the Badgers still have a solid resume. They missed Tyler Wahl (ankle) against the Spartans. Johnny Davis and Brad Davison continue to play at a high level.

3. Purdue Boilermakers

• Records: 16-3 overall, 5-3 in Big Ten.
• Rankings: Currently No. 6 in both the Associated Press and Coaches Polls on Jan. 24. Ranked No. 6 in Kenpom.com.
• Previous power ranking: No. 2.
• Highest/lowest ranking: 1/3
• Last week: Won at Illinois 96-88 in 2-OT; Lost at Indiana 68-65, Beat Northwestern 80-60.
• This week: Thursday at Iowa, 9 p.m. ET; Sunday vs. Ohio State, Noon ET
• The skinny: Purdue did a great job of getting past Illinois despite some free throw problems, but. then their big men really got shut down in that rare loss at Indiana. They are still the league's highest nationally ranked team, but losses to unranked teams like Rutgers and Indiana do cost them in my rankings, even if I do still think they'll win the Big Ten. Jaden Ivey missed Sunday's game with a hip injury, and the Boilers will need him back quickly.

Purdue's Jaden Ivey (23) missed Sunday's game with Northwestern because of a hip injury, and his status is still day-to-day. (USA TODAY Sports)

4. Ohio State Buckeyes

• Records: 12-4 overall, 5-2 in Big Ten.
  
• Rankings: Currently No. 16 in both the Associated Press and Coaches poll on Jan. 24. Ranked No. 28 in Kenpom.com
• Previous power ranking: No. 5.
• Highest/lowest ranking: 4/5
• Last week: Beat Penn State 61-56, Beat IUPUI 83-37, Nebraska, ppd.; 
• This week: Thursday at Minnesota, 8 p.m. ET; Sunday at Purdue, Noon ET
• The skinny: Ohio State has had a lot of stops and starts to this season, and it's hard to tell how great they can be. They have some nice wins, and it will be interesting to see what they do this week on the road.

5. Illinois Fighting Illini

• Records: 13-5 overall, 6-2 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: Ranked No. 24 in the Associated Press poll and No. 21 in the Coaches Poll on Jan. 24. Ranked No. 15 in Kenpom.com.
• Previous power ranking: No. 3.
• Highest/lowest ranking: 3/5
• Last week: Lost to Purdue 96-88 in 2-OT; lost at Maryland 81-65.
• This week: Tuesday vs. Michigan State, 7 p.m. ET; Friday at Northwestern, 4:30 p.m. ET.
• The skinny: There was no shame in losing to Purdue in double overtime, because that was a great game at Illinois. The loss to Maryland was ugly, especially in the last five minutes. Sure, there was no Kofi Cockburn (concussion) but they didn't look good down the stretch against a Maryland team that's really struggling. 

6. Indiana Hoosiers

• Records: 14-5 overall, 5-4 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: The Hoosiers aren't ranked, but received 10 votes in the AP poll, good for No. 35, and 17 votes in the Coaches Poll, for No. 35. Ranked No. 33 in Kenpom.com.
• Previous power ranking: No. 6.
• Highest/lowest ranking: 6/6
• Last week: Beat Nebraska 78-71, beat Purdue 68-65, lost to Michigan 80-62.
• This week: Wednesday vs Penn State, 8:30 p.m. ET; Saturday at Maryland, 2:30 p.m. ET. .
• The skinny: The Hoosiers finally won on the road (Nebraska) and then ended a nine-game losing streak to Purdue, but then the 18-point loss at home on Sunday to Michigan was disappointing. Indiana can still move up from here, but they need to start stringing some wins together.

Indiana guard Rob Phinisee goes up for a shot against Purdue's Ethan Morton and Mason Gillis (right) during the Hoosiers' big win last Thursday. (USA TODAY Sports) / USA Today

7. Michigan Wolverines

• Records: 9-7 overall, 3-3 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: Currently unranked. Ranked No. 24 in Kenpom.com
• Previous power ranking: No. 9.
• Highest/lowest ranking: 7/9
• Last week: Beat Maryland 83-64, Beat Indiana 80-62.
• This week: Wednesday vs. Northwestern, 6:30 p.m. ET; Saturday at Michigan State, Noon ET.
• The skinny: Michigan was a massive disappointment early, but they're starting to figure things out now and they looked great last week in blowout wins over Maryland and Indiana. Really looking forward to this first matchup with Michigan State, especially since the first meeting was postponed because of COVID issues at Michigan. Hunter Dickinson had a big 25-point day against Indiana and freshman Caleb Houstan knocked down five threes.

8. Iowa Hawkeyes

• Records: 14-5 overall, 4-4 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: The Hawkeyes are not ranked but received eight votes in both the AP and Coaches polls. Ranked No. 20 in Kenpom.com
• Previous power ranking: No. 8.
• Highest/lowest ranking: 8/8
• Last week: Lost to Rutgers 48-46, beat Penn State 68-51.
• This week: Thursday vs. Purdue, 9 p.m. ET; 
• The skinny: Iowa got jobbed by that late foul call in the loss at Rutgers, but they have no one to blame but themselves, shooting only 27.9 percent for the game. Make another shot or two, and it's a moot point. Big game Thursday with Purdue coming to town. Iowa gave them a good scare without Keegan Murray in December, and this is a home game they need to steal.

9. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

• Records: 11-7 overall, 5-3 in Big Ten.
• Rankings: The Scarlet Knights are not ranked. Ranked No. 87 in Kenpom.com.
• Previous power ranking: No. 12.
• Highest/lowest ranking: 7/12
• Last week: Beat Iowa 48-46, lost to Minnesota 68-65.
• This week: Tuesday vs. Maryland, 8 p.m. ET; Saturday at Nebraska, 6:30 p.m. ET
• The skinny: Rutgers was fortunate to get past Iowa, and then they really looked bad in losing to a Minnesota team that was missing three starters. With that nice Big Ten record, they definitely need to add two more victories this week.

10. Minnesota Golden Gophers

• Records: 11-5 overall, 2-5 in Big Ten
  
• Rankings: The Gophers are unranked. Ranked No. 88 in Kenpom.com
• Previous power ranking: No. 7.
• Highest/lowest ranking: 7/10
• Last week: At Penn State, ppd., beat Rutgers 68-65.
• This week: Thursday vs. Ohio State, 8 p.m. ET; Sunday at Wisconsin, 1 p.m. ET.
• The skinny: The Gophers pulled off a big win against Rutgers, doing it with a severely depleted roster because of COVID. They probably deserve to be up another notch or so.

11. Northwestern Wildcats

• Records: 9-8 overall, 2-6 in Big Ten.
  
• Rankings: The Wildcats are unranked. Ranked No. 66 in Kenpom.com.
• Previous power ranking: No. 12.
• Highest/lowest ranking: 11/12
• Last week: Lost to Wisconsin 82-76, lost at Purdue 80-60.
• This week: Wednesday at Michigan, 6:30 p.m. ET; Saturday vs. Illinois, 4:30 p.m. ET.
• The skinny: The Wildcats beat Michigan State on the road on Jan. 15, a nice upset special that came out of the blue. They should have beaten Wisconsin too, but let it slip away. They are playing above this spot as well.

12. Penn State Nittany Lions

• Records: 8-8 overall, 3-5 in Big Ten.
  
• Rankings: Penn State is unranked. Ranked No. 78 in Kenpom.com.
• Previous power ranking: No. 11.
• Highest/lowest ranking: 11/13
• Last week: Minnesota, ppd., lost to Iowa 68-51
• This week: Wednesday at Indiana, 8:30 p.m. ET; Sunday at Ohio State, Noon ET.
• The skinny: Penn State beat Indiana earlier in the month, so it's going to be interesting to see if they can get a win or two on the road this week. Their sets confused Indiana late in the win, so the Lions will come to town feeling confident.

13. Maryland Terrapins

• Records: 10-9 overall, 2-6 in Big Ten.
  
• Rankings: The Terrapins aren't ranked. Ranked No. 82 in Kenpom.com.
• Previous power ranking: No. 11.
• Highest/lowest ranking: 11/13
• Last week: Lost to Michigan 83-64, beat Illinois 81-65.
• This week: Tuesday at Rutgers, 8 p.m.; Saturday vs. Indiana, 2:30 p.m. ET
• The skinny: Maryland desperately needed a win at home against Illinois, especially with Kofi Cockburn out. They were great down the stretch to get the victory. Donta Scott willed him team to victory, scoring 25 points.

14. Nebraska Cornhuskers

• Records: 6-13 overall, 0-8 in Big Ten.
  
• Rankings: Nebraska is not ranked. Ranked No. 160 in Kenpom.com.
• Previous power ranking: No. 14.
• Highest/lowest ranking: 14/14
• Last week: Lost to Indiana 78-71, at Ohio State, ppd.
• This week: Thursday vs. Wisconsin, 4 p.m. ET; Saturday vs. Rutgers, 6:30 p.m. ET.
• The skinny: Nebraska hung around against Indiana, but just couldn't get it to a one-possession game.  And now they're dealing with COVID issues again, so the Cornhuskers just can't get a break. There's enough talent on this roster to win some games, but when will it start to happen?