Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings (Vol. 15): Do Ohio State, Iowa Have a Shot at March Madness?

Both Ohio State and Iowa have won four of their last five games. There might still be some work left to do for the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes, but do they have an outside shot at making the NCAA Tournament?

Dustin Schutte | Mar 4, 2024

Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings (Vol. 15): Do Ohio State, Iowa Have a Shot at March Madness? /

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Welcome to March, everyone. The most important month on the college basketball calendar has arrived and there is no shortage of interesting situations in the Big Ten heading into the final week of the regular season.

Purdue has won back-to-back regular season Big Ten titles thanks to a win over Michigan State on Saturday. Northwestern, Nebraska and Wisconsin continue to battle for the third and fourth seeds in the conference tournament.

But perhaps the most interesting conversation? Can Ohio State and Iowa squeak into the NCAA Tournament with strong finishes to the season?

Both teams have won four of their last five games and are playing great basketball at the right time. There might still be some work left to do for the Hawkeyes and Buckeyes, but there's a chance for a March Madness appearance.

Here's a look at the latest power rankings with just one week remaining in the regular season.

1. Purdue Boilermakers

Records: 26-3 overall, 15-3 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP Poll: No. 3; Coaches Poll: No. 3; KenPom: No. 3
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; Lost to Ohio State.
Last week: Beat Michigan State 80-74.
This week: At Illinois on Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock); Wisconsin on Sunday, 12:30 p.m. ET (TV: Fox).
The skinny: Michigan State gave Purdue a good fight on Saturday at Mackey Arena, but the Boilermakers clinched at least a share of the Big Ten regular season title. They can get another outright league crown with a win over Illinois or Wisconsin this week. A really good sign for Purdue on Saturday was the resurgence of Fletcher Loyer, who scored 15 points while making four-of-six shots from behind the 3-point line.

2. Illinois Fighting Illini

Records: 22-7 overall, 13-5 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: No. 12; Coaches: No. 12; KenPom: No. 12
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 2 (No change)
Best wins/worst losses: Beat No. 11 Florida Atlantic; Beat Northwestern; Lost to Maryland; Beat Wisconsin.
Last week: Beat Minnesota 105-97; Beat Wisconsin 91-83.
This week: Purdue on Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock); At Iowa on Sunday, 7 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1).
The skinny: Back-to-back wins over Minnesota and Wisconsin keeps Illinois' hopes of getting a share of a conference title alive entering the final week of the regular season. The Fighting Illini get Purdue on their home floor on Tuesday before closing out the season against Iowa on the road. Both games will be major tests for Brad Underwood's squad as the Big Ten Tournament approaches.

3. Northwestern Wildcats

Records: 20-9 overall, 11-7 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: Received 7 votes; KenPom: No. 46
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 4 (Up 1 spot)
Best wins/worst losses: Beat No. 1 Purdue; Lost to Chicago State; Beat Michigan State; Beat No. 10 Illinois; Lost to Rutgers.
Last week: Beat Maryland 68-61; Lost to Iowa 87-80.
This week: At Michigan State on Wednesday, 7 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); Minnesota on Saturday, 9 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: For just the second time this season, Northwestern suffered a loss on its home court. The Wildcats couldn't outscore a red-hot Iowa team, falling to 11-7 in league play. This is an important final week for Northwestern, trying to secure the No. 3 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Boo Buie has been special all season, and the Wildcats are going to need more of that magic in games against Michigan State and Minnesota down the stretch.

4. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Records: 21-9 overall, 11-8 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: Received 1 votes; KenPom: No. 34
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 5 (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 Ohio State 78-69; Beat Rutgers 67-56.
This week: At Michigan on Sunday, 12 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: There probably hasn't been a better story in the Big Ten this year than Nebraska. Picked to finish in the bottom four of the conference, the Huskers are in the mix to earn a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament. They finished a perfect 10-0 in conference games on their home court. With a road game against Michigan on Sunday, Nebraska has a chance to end the regular season winning six of their final seven games. Shoutout to Josiah Allick, who recorded his first double-double of the season on Senior Day, too.

5. Iowa Hawkeyes

Records: 18-12 overall, 10-9 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 49
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 7 (Up 1 spot)
Best wins/worst losses: Beat Seton Hall. Beat Nebraska. Lost to Indiana; Beat Michigan State; Beat Northwestern.
Last week: Beat Penn State 90-81; Beat Northwestern 87-80.
This week: Illinois on Sunday, 7 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1).
The skinny: Iowa is trending up at the perfect time in the college basketball season. The Hawkeyes have won four of their last five games with a chance to score a big win against Illinois on Sunday. Payton Sandfort had a huge week for Iowa, recording the first-ever triple-double in the history of the men's basketball program against Penn State. He then dropped 23 points in the road win over Northwestern.

6. Minnesota Golden Gophers

Records: 18-11 overall, 9-9 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 61
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 8 (No change)
Best wins/worst losses: Lost to San Francisco; Beat Nebraska; Lost to Indiana; Beat Northwestern; Beat Michigan State.
Last week: Lost to Illinois 105-97; Beat Penn State 75-70.
This week: Indiana on Wednesday, 9 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); At Northwestern on Saturday, 9 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: Not to highlight a bad moment, but the 105-97 loss to Illinois might have been a better showing from Minnesota than the 75-70 win over Penn State. The Golden Gophers shot 60% from the floor, 70% from 3-point range, had only five turnovers, but still came up short. If Minnesota would've won that game, it would've been a huge resumé booster for Ben Johnson's bunch. At least Minnesota followed it up with the win over Penn State.

7. Ohio State Buckeyes

Records: 18-12 overall, 8-11 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 53
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 13 (Up 3 spots)
Best wins/worst losses: Beat No. 17 Alabama; Lost to Penn State; Lost to Michigan; Lost to Indiana; Beat No. 2 Purdue; Beat Michigan State; Beat Nebraska.
Last week: Beat Nebraska 78-69; Beat Michigan 84-61.
This week: At Rutgers on Sunday, 2 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: Jake Diebler is now 4-1 as the interim coach at Ohio State. He's registered wins over Purdue, Michigan State, Nebraska and Michigan. The Buckeyes also own an early-season victory over Alabama. Is there a shot Ohio State gets into the NCAA Tournament despite the turmoil in Columbus? They'd need a win over Rutgers and probably two victories in the Big Ten Tournament. But the way Ohio State is playing? I wouldn't rule it out just yet.

8. Michigan State Spartans

Records: 17-12 overall, 9-9 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: Received 2 votes; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 20
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 3 (Down 4 spots)
Best wins/worst losses: Beat No. 6 Baylor; Beat No. 10 Illinois; Lost to Ohio State.
Last week: Lost to Purdue 80-74.
This week: Northwestern on Wednesday, 7 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); At Indiana on Sunday, 4:30 p.m. ET (TV: CBS).
The skinny: The 25-year NCAA Tournament streak is in serious jeopardy for Michigan State. The Spartans have lost three straight and have to play a tough Northwestern team and Indiana at Assembly Hall to close out the regular season. Michigan State still has a talented team with players like AJ Hoggard and Tyson Walker, but it's taken a long time for this team to jell.

9. Wisconsin Badgers

Records: 18-11 overall, 10-8 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: Received 42 votes; Coaches: Received 20 votes; KenPom: No. 23
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 6 (Up 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; Lost to Indiana.
Last week: Lost to Indiana 74-70; Lost to Illinois 91-83.
This week: Rutgers on Thursday, 7 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1); At Purdue on Sunday, 12:30 p.m. ET (TV: Fox).
The skinny: Things have really snowballed out of control for Wisconsin since the start of February. The Badgers are a measly 2-7 in their last nine games. This is a team that's sliding at the worst possible time. There are still two opportunities to things heading in a positive direction before the postseason, but it won't be easy.

10. Penn State Nittany Lions

Records: 14-16 overall, 8-11 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 90
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 10 (Up 1 spot)
Best wins/worst losses: Lost to VCU; Lost to Bucknell; Beat No. 11 Wisconsin.
Last week: Lost to Iowa 90-81; Lost to Minnesota 75-70.
This week: Maryland on Sunday, 7:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: A rough week for Penn State, who dropped back-to-back games. Even though it's going to end on the wrong side of .500, it's still been an incredibly fun first season for the Nittany Lions under Mike Rhoades. They've enjoyed some big wins this season, and the future looks bright in State College. Penn State gets one more change to get a win, hosting Maryland on Sunday.

11. Indiana Hoosiers

Records: 16-13 overall, 8-10 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 95
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 11 (Down 2 spots)
Best wins/worst losses: Lost to Rutgers; Lost to Penn State (twice); Beat Wisconsin.
Last week: Beat Wisconsin 74-70; Beat Maryland 83-78.
This week: At Minnesota on Wednesday, 9 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); Michigan State on Sunday, 4:30 p.m. ET (TV: CBS).
The skinny: Indiana seemed to turn its fortunes around last week. The Hoosiers broke out of a four-game losing skid by winning back-to-back games over Wisconsin and Maryland last week. Kel'el Ware was dominant against Wisconsin, scoring 27 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and blocking five shots. Freshman Mackenzie Mgbako filled up the stat sheet with 24 points against Maryland.

12. Maryland Terrapins

Records: 15-15 overall, 7-12 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 50
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 12 (Up 1 spot)
Best wins/worst losses: Lost to Davidson; Lost to UAB; Beat No. 10 Illinois; Beat Nebraska; Lost to Rutgers; Lost to Ohio State; Lost to Indiana.
Last week: Lost to Northwestern 68-61; Lost to Indiana 83-78.
This week: At Penn State on Sunday, 7:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: Maryland's inability to score consistently has been costly this season. Jahmir Young has been a bright spot, but this has been an otherwise disappointing year in College Park. The Terrapins were picked to finish in the top-four of the Big Ten this season, but will likely be playing the first day of the Big Ten Tournament.

13. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Records: 15-14 overall, 7-11 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 91
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 9 (Down 3 spots)
Best wins/worst losses: Lost to Princeton; Beat Nebraska; Beat No. 11 Wisconsin; Lost to Maryland.
Last week: Beat Michigan 82-52; Lost to Nebraska 67-56.
This week: At Wisconsin on Thursday, 7 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1); Ohio State on Sunday, 2 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: Yes, it's been a tough season for Rutgers, but fans got to see one heck of a performance last week in a 30-point win over Michigan. The Scarlet Knights shot better than 50% from the floor in one of the most impressive games of the season.

14. Michigan Wolverines

Records: 8-22 overall, 3-16 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: 125
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; Lost to Rutgers.
Last week: Lost to Rutgers 82-52; Lost to Ohio State 84-61.
This week: Nebraska on Sunday, 12 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: Michigan fans ... there's a light at the end of the tunnel. That light? The college basketball season is almost over.