Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings (Vol. 12): Is Wisconsin Broken?

After getting off to a hot start in Big Ten play, Wisconsin has lost four straight games to Nebraska, Purdue, Michigan and Rutgers. It's fair to ask the question: Are the Badgers broken? Plus, how every other team in the conference stacks up in mid-February.

Dustin Schutte | Feb 12, 2024

Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings (Vol. 12): Is Wisconsin Broken? /

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Things can change in a hurry during the course of a college basketball season, can't they? At one point in the year, it looked like Wisconsin might have the firepower necessary to dethrone Purdue in the Big Ten regular season race.

And then the calendar turned to November.

Wisconsin blew a 19-point lead on the road to Nebraska on Feb. 1 and remains winless for the month. The Badgers have dropped four straight, which includes losses to Rutgers and Michigan. So, it's fair to ask the question: Are the Badgers broken?

Right now, nobody appears to be a challenger to Purdue. The Boilermakers own a 2.5-game lead in the standings after Michigan State's win over Illinois.

Speaking of the Spartans, Tom Izzo has his team playing well right now — winning six of their last eight games.

Alright, that's enough chitter-chatter from me, let's dive into the Big Ten power rankings.

1. Purdue Boilermakers

Records: 22-2, 11-2 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP Poll: No. 2; Coaches Poll: No. 2; KenPom: No. 2
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 1 (No change)
Best wins/worst losses: Beat No. 11 Gonzaga; Beat No. 7 Tennessee; Beat No. 4 Marquette; Beat No. 1 Arizona; Beat No. 9 Illinois; Beat No. 6 Wisconsin.
Last week: Beat Indiana 79-59.
This week: Minnesota on Thursday, 8:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); At Ohio State on Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (TV: CBS).
The skinny: Just when you thought things couldn't get any better for Purdue, Zach Edey banks in his first-ever 3-pointer. Even though the Boilers put Indiana to rest rather easily on Saturday, the shot from the 7-foot-4 center was the highlight of the night. Matt Painter's team is rolling right now, having won eight straight games and owning a 2.5-game lead on Illinois in the Big Ten standings.

2. Illinois Fighting Illini

Records: 17-6 overall, 8-4 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: No. 14; Coaches: No. 14; KenPom: No. 11
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 3 (Up 1 spot)
Best wins/worst losses: Beat No. 11 Florida Atlantic; Beat Northwestern; Lost to Maryland.
Last week: Lost to Michigan State 88-80.
This week: Michigan on Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock); At Maryland on Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET (TV: Fox).
The skinny: The week off didn't appear to help Illinois much in last weekend's trip to Michigan State. Brad Underwood's team isn't out of the Big Ten title race after the loss, but it does make life more difficult down the stretch. Illinois still looks like the second-best team in the Big Ten, it just ran into a hot Michigan State team at the wrong time.

3. Northwestern Wildcats

Records: 17-7 overall, 8-5 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: Received 2 votes; Coaches: Received 6 votes; KenPom: No. 50
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 4 (No change)
Best wins/worst losses: Beat No. 1 Purdue; Lost to Chicago State; Beat Michigan State; Beat No. 10 Illinois.
Last week: Beat Nebraska 80-68; Beat Penn State 68-63.
This week: At Rutgers on Thursday, 6:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); At Indiana on Sunday, 3 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1).
The skinny: Northwestern bounced back nicely with a pair of wins over Nebraska and Penn State after dropping two overtime games a week earlier. The weekend victory over Penn State was one of the grittier ones of the year for the Wildcats, shooting just 31.7% from the floor. Northwestern won the rebounding battle and forced more turnovers to get a win over the Nittany Lions and finish the week 2-0.

4. Michigan State Spartans

Records: 15-9 overall, 7-6 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: Received 17 votes; Coaches: Received 4 votes; KenPom: No. 16
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 7 (Up 1 spot)
Best wins/worst losses: Beat No. 6 Baylor; Beat No. 10 Illinois
Last week: Lost to Minnesota 59-56; Beat Illinois 88-80.
This week: At Penn State on Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); At Michigan on Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (TV: Fox).
The skinny: If Michigan State hasn't found its groove for the rest of the season now, it's probably not going to happen. The Spartans have now won six of their last eight contests, which includes a huge home win over a ranked Illinois squad. This is the highest Michigan State has landed on the power rankings in quite some time, but Tom Izzo's squad is playing good basketball right now. We'll see if it continues.

5. Wisconsin Badgers

Records: 16-8 overall, 8-5 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: No. 20; Coaches: No. 21; KenPom: No. 18
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 2 (Down 1 spot)
Best wins/worst losses: Beat No. 24 Virginia; Beat No. 3 Marquette; Beat Michigan State (twice); Beat Nebraska; Lost to Penn State; Lost to Michigan; Lost to Rutgers.
Last week: Lost to Michigan 72-68; Lost to Rutgers 78-56.
This week: Ohio State on Tuesday, 9 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock); At Iowa on Saturday, 2:15 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: Not that long ago, Wisconsin sat atop the Big Ten standings and looked like a team capable of challenging Purdue for the regular season title. It's fair to say the Badgers haven't looked like the same team since blowing a 19-point lead to Nebraska. Wisconsin is now on a four-game losing streak — which includes losses to Rutgers and Michigan. Things are really starting to turn the wrong direction in Madison.

6. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Records: 17-8 overall, 7-7 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 51
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 6 (Up 1 spot)
Best wins/worst losses: Beat Michigan State; Beat Kansas State; Beat No. 1 Purdue; Lost to Rutgers; Beat Northwestern; Beat No. 6 Wisconsin.
Last week: Lost to Northwestern 80-68; Beat Michigan 79-59.
This week: Penn State on Saturday, 12 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: The bad news is that Nebraska remains winless on the road in Big Ten play, falling to Northwestern in Evanston last week. The good news? There are actually two parts. Nebraska gets a much-needed break, only playing one game this week, hosting Penn State on Saturday. And while the Huskers continue to struggle on the road, they still have good chances to get a win or two with trips to Indiana, Michigan and Ohio State still ahead.

7. Iowa Hawkeyes

Records: 14-10 overall, 6-7 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 56
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 8 (No change)
Best wins/worst losses: Beat Seton Hall. Beat Nebraska. Lost to Indiana.
Last week: Lost to Penn State 89-79; Beat Minnesota 90-85.
This week: At Maryland on Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); Wisconsin on Saturday, 2:15 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: Iowa hasn't really been able to sustain any momentum over the last few weeks, alternating wins and losses in its last five games. The number 80 does seem to be particularly important for the Hawkeyes this season. Iowa is 13-2 in games where it scores at least 80 points. They're just 1-10 when they don't hit that mark.

8. Minnesota Golden Gophers

Records: 15-8 overall, 6-6 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 74
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 10 (Up 1 spot)
Best wins/worst losses: Lost to San Francisco; Beat Nebraska; Lost to Indiana; Beat Northwestern; Beat Michigan State.
Last week: Beat Michigan State 59-56; Lost to Iowa 90-85.
This week: At Purdue on Thursday, 8:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); Rutgers on Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: Even though the Gophers lost to Iowa on Sunday, getting a home win over Michigan State shows just how much progress Ben Johnson's team has made. Minnesota used five 3-pointers from freshman Cam Christie to squeak out a win. It would have been nice to win both games last week, but the Gophers continue to show serious growth this season.

9. Penn State Nittany Lions

Records: 12-12 overall, 6-7 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 89
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 12 (Up 2 spots)
Best wins/worst losses: Lost to VCU; Lost to Bucknell; Beat No. 11 Wisconsin.
Last week: Beat Iowa 89-79; Lost to Northwestern 68-63.
This week: Michigan State on Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); At Nebraska on Saturday, 12 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: Penn State's winning streak ended at three games this week, dropping a 68-63 game to Northwestern. Still, it was an impressive run, doing most of it without the presence of leading scorer Kanye Clary. The Nittany Lions have a tough road ahead, playing Michigan State, traveling to Nebraska and hosting Illinois in the next three-game stretch.

10. Indiana Hoosiers

Records: 14-10 overall, 6-7 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 96
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 9 (Down 2 spots)
Best wins/worst losses: Lost to Rutgers; Lost to Penn State.
Last week: Beat Ohio State 76-73; Lost to Purdue 79-59.
This week: Northwestern on Sunday, 3 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1).
The skinny: Anthony Leal was the hero in last week's game against Ohio State, hitting a game-winning 3-pointer to help the Hoosiers overcome an 18-point deficit. In that game, Indiana finally showed some signs of fight. But it didn't translate to Saturday's rivalry game, getting blown out by Purdue. Still, IU did show it has some fight left in the tank, which is important in the final seven games.

11. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Records: 13-10 overall, 5-7 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 82
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 13 (No change)
Best wins/worst losses: Lost to Princeton; Beat Nebraska; Beat No. 11 Wisconsin.
Last week: Beat Maryland 56-53; Beat Wisconsin 78-56.
This week: Northwestern on Thursday, 6:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); At Minnesota on Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: Is Rutgers the hottest team in the Big Ten right now? Realistically, probably not. But you have to give a ton of credit to Steve Pikiell's group for the recent play. The Scarlet Knights have posted three straight wins over Michigan, Maryland and Wisconsin, two of those on the road. That's not easy to do. Rutgers started Big Ten play 0-3 and has been a respectable 5-4 ever since.

12. Maryland Terrapins

Records: 13-11 overall, 5-8 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 57
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 5 (Down 2 spots)
Best wins/worst losses: Lost to Davidson; Lost to UAB; Beat No. 10 Illinois; Beat Nebraska; Lost to Rutgers; Lost to Ohio State.
Last week: Lost to Rutgers 56-53; Lost to Ohio State 79-75 (2OT).
This week: Iowa on Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); Illinois on Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET (TV: Fox).
The skinny: Maryland's NCAA Tournament hopes have slipped out of reach. The Terrapins had some momentum after a 22-point win over Nebraska, but have since lost three straight games, falling to 5-8 in league play. Without question, the Terps have been the most disappointing team in the conference this season.

13. Ohio State Buckeyes

Records: 14-10 overall, 4-9 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 64
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 11 (Down 1 spot)
Best wins/worst losses: Beat No. 17 Alabama; Lost to Penn State; Lost to Michigan; Lost to Indiana.
Last week: Lost to Indiana 76-73; Beat Maryland 79-75 (2OT).
This week: At Wisconsin on Tuesday, 9 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock); Purdue on Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (TV: CBS).
The skinny: It may have taken double-overtime, but Ohio State finally got back in the win column. Saturday's win over Maryland snapped a five-game losing streak and gave Chris Holtmann something to smile about. These next two games are incredibly tough for the Buckeyes, playing Wisconsin and Purdue.

14. Michigan Wolverines

Records: 8-16 overall, 3-10 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: 103
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 14 (No change)
Best wins/worst losses: Lost to Long Beach State; Lost to McNeese; Lost to Rutgers; Beat No. 11 Wisconsin.
Last week: Beat Wisconsin 72-68; Lost to Nebraska 79-59.
This week: At Illinois on Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock); Michigan State on Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (TV: Fox).
The skinny: Michigan decided to take advantage of Wisconsin's spiral and picked up its best win of the season last week. Kudos to the Wolverines for not completely throwing in the towel.