Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings (Vol. 4): John Tonje Continues to Power Wisconsin

Wisconsin is now 7-0, with wins over Arizona and Pitt. The Badgers have taken over the top spot in this week's Big Ten power rankings, thanks in large part to the play of John Tonje.

Wisconsin guard John Tonje (9) makes a move on UW-River Falls guard Zac Johnson (23) / Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

We have a new No. 1 in the Big Ten power rankings. Is it premature to anoint Wisconsin as the top team in the conference right now? Maybe. But the Badgers' body of work is the best of any team in the league right now. It would be disingenuous to not give Greg Gard's squad credit for its accomplishment.

The Badgers have received a major spark from sixth-year senior John Tonje, who transferred in from Missouri. With his ability to score at will, does he make Wisconsin a contender for a Big Ten title? It's way too early to have that conversation, but he's certainly providing a spark in Madison.

We have a busy week ahead, as Feast Week is now upon us. But before we get into game action, let's take a look at the latest Big Ten basketball power rankings.

1. Wisconsin Badgers

• Records: 7-0 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: AP: No. 19; Coaches: No. 25; KenPom: No. 26
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 4 (up 3 spots)
• Best wins/worst losses: Defeated No. 9 Arizona 103-88 on Nov. 15; Defeated Pitt 81-75 on Nov. 24.
• Last week: Defeated UT-Rio Grande 87-84; Defeated UCF 86-70; Defeated Pitt 81-75.
• This week: vs. Chicago State on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock).
• The skinny: Is Wisconsin the best team in the Big Ten? Only time will tell. But the Badgers deserve the top spot in the power rankings this week. The Badgers have notched impressive wins over Arizona and Pitt and are sitting at a perfect 7-0 on the season. The addition of John Tonje has proven to be significant, as he's averaging 23.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game thus far. He's delivered in Wisconsin's two biggest games, scoring a combined 74 points in wins over Arizona and Pitt.

2. Purdue Boilermakers

• Records: 5-1 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: AP Poll: No. 6; Coaches Poll: No. 6; KenPom: No. 15
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 1 (down 1 spot)
• Best wins/worst losses: Defeated No. 2 Alabama 87-78 on Nov. 15.
• Last week: Lost to Marquette 76-58; Defeated Marshall 80-45.
• This week: vs. North Carolina State (Rady Children's Invitational in San Diego, Calif) on Thursday at 3 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1); vs. BYU/Ole Miss (Rady Children's Invitational) on Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET OR 6 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1).
• The skinny: For the first time since 2020, Purdue lost a regular season nonconference game. The Boilermakers didn't play well against a talented Marquette squad on the road, showing some flaws when it comes to turnovers and rebounding. Purdue bounced back in a big way on Saturday with a win over Marshall and Matt Painter changed the lineup, inserting Cam Heide and Myles Colvin into the starting rotation. We'll see if those two have earned a full-time starting job moving forward.

3. Indiana Hoosiers

• Records: 4-0 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: AP: No. 16; Coaches: No. 18; KenPom: No. 36
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 2 (down 1 spot)
• Best wins/worst losses: Defeated South Carolina 87-71 on Nov. 16.
• Last week: Defeated UNC-Greensboro 69-58.
• This week: vs. Louisville (Battle 4 Atlantis in Nassau, Bahamas) on Wednesday at noon ET (TV: ESPN); vs. Gonzaga/West Virginia (Battle 4 Atlantis) on Thursday at 12 p.m. ET OR 2:30 p.m. ET (TV: ESPN or ESPN 2); TBD (Battle 4 Atlantis) on Friday at TBD.
• The skinny: Last week's gamea against UNC-Greensboro wasn't pretty, but Indiana got the win. That's all that matters at this point in the year. Myles Rice seems to be getting into a rhythm, scoring 20 points, dishing out six assists and collecting five rebounds in the victory. We'll find out a lot more about the Hoosiers this week, playing in the Battle 4 Atlantis.

4. Illinois Fighting Illini

• Records: 4-1 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: AP: No. 25; Coaches: No. 20; KenPom: No. 29
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 3 (down 1 spot)
• Best wins/worst losses: N/A
• Last week: Lost to Alabama 100-87; Defeated Maryland Eastern 87-40.
• This week: vs. Arkansas-Little Rock on Monday at 9 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); vs. Arkansas on Thursday at 4 p.m. ET (Kansas City, Mo.) (TV: CBS).
• The skinny: Illinois had a chance to notch a signature win last week against Alabama, but came up short in a shootout. This is a team capable of running up and down the floor, but struggled in the turnover department when playing at a fast tempo. The Fighting Illini get a chance at another major opponent this week, playing Arkansas on Thursday in Kansas City.

5. Ohio State Buckeyes

• Records: 4-1 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: AP: Received 13 votes; Coaches: Received 3 votes; KenPom: No. 18
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 5 (no change)
• Best wins/worst losses: Defeated No. 19 Texas on Nov. 4.
• Last week: Defeated Evansville 80-30; Defeated Campbell 104-60.
• This week: vs. Green Bay on Monday at 8 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); vs. Pitt on Friday at 2:30 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock).
• The skinny: There wasn't much to take away from Ohio State's two games last week. The Buckeyes dominated Evansville and Campbell, as they should have. It was a really big pair of games for Devin Royal, who totaled 37 points and 20 rebounds in the two games. Jake Diebler's team has a big matchup ahead on Friday, hosting a talented Pitt team.

6. Michigan State Spartans

• Records: 4-1 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: AP: Received 16 votes; Coaches: Received 9 votes; KenPom: No. 44
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 6 (no change)
• Best wins/worst losses: N/A
• Last week: Defeated Samford 83-75.
• This week: vs. Colorado (Maui Invitational) on Monday at 5 p.m. ET (TV: ESPN 2); vs. Memphis/UConn (Maui Invitational) on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. ET OR 1 p.m. ET (TV: ESPN or ESPN 2); TBD (Maui Invitational) on Wednesday at TBD.
• The skinny: Michigan State looks more and more athletic each time it takes the floor. This looks like a group that's going to continue to get better throughout the season, but the Spartans face a massive challenge this week. They find themselves in a loaded Maui Invitational. How will Tom Izzo's squad respond against some of the top teams in the country?

7. Oregon Ducks

• Records: 5-0 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: AP: Received 7 votes; Coaches: Received 4 votes; KenPom: No. 33
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 10 (up 3 spots)
• Best wins/worst loss: Defeated Oregon State 78-75 on Nov. 21.
• Last week: Defeated Oregon State 78-75.
• This week: vs. Texas A&M (Players Era Festival - Power in Las Vegas) on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. ET (TV: TNT); vs. San Diego State (Players Era Festival - Power) on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET (TV: TNT); TBD (Players Era Festival - Power) on Saturday at TBD.
• The skinny: Nate Bittle continues to give Oregon big-time production, scoring 23 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in a win over Oregon State. The Ducks had to overcome a 10-point deficit on the road to take down their in-state rival, not an easy feat. Oregon now faces a significant challenge this week in the Players Era Festival. It should give us a great gauge as to where this team stands.

8. Nebraska Cornhuskers

• Records: 4-1 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 50
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 13 (up 5 spots)
• Best wins/worst losses: Defeated Creighton 74-63 on Nov. 22.
• Last week: Defeated Creighton 74-63.
• This week: vs. South Dakota on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); vs. North Florida on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
• The skinny: Defensively, Nebraska took care of Creighton on Friday night, holding the hot-shooting Bluejays to just 12-of-42 from 3-point range (28.6%). The Huskers don't have the same shooting capabilities as they did a year ago, but they can hound you defensively. That should keep them in plenty of games throughout the season, especially if they can find a little more offense.

9. UCLA Bruins

• Records: 5-1 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 22
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 8 (down 1 spot)
• Best wins/worst losses: Lost to New Mexico on Nov. 8.
• Last week: Defeated Idaho State 84-70; Defeated Fullerton 80-47.
• This week: vs. Southern Utah on Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
• The skinny: UCLA is another team that didn't do anything incredibly impressive last week, and won't until next month. The Bruins have had a relatively bland schedule to this point, but that changes in December, with games against Washington, Oregon, Arizona, North Carolina and Gonzaga. So, we may not know much more about the Bruins for at least another week or two.

10. Penn State Nittany Lions

• Records: 5-0 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: AP: Received 4 votes; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 35
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 12 (up 2 spots)
• Best wins/worst losses: Defeated Virginia Tech 86-64 on Nov. 15.
• Last week: Defeated Purdue-Fort Wayne 102-89.
• This week: vs. Fordham (Sunshine Slam - Beach in Daytona Beach, Fla.) on Monday at 4 p.m. ET (TV: CBS Sports Network); vs. Clemson/San Francisco (Sunshine Slam - Beach) on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. ET OR 4 p.m. ET (TV: CBS Sports Network); vs. Buffalo on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
• The skinny: Has it been mentioned that Penn State can really score the basketball? The Nittany Lions hit the century mark for the third time in five games, taking care of Purdue-Fort Wayne last week. Ace Baldwin Jr. is playing like one of the best guards in the country, averaging 16.4 points, 7.8 assists and 2.6 steals per game through five games. It'll be interesting to see if that high-octane offense travels to Daytona Beach this week for the Sunshine Slam.

11. Maryland Terrapins

• Records: 5-1 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: AP: Received 1 vote; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 31
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 9 (down 2 spots)
• Best wins/worst losses: N/A
• Last week: Defeated Canisius 108-37; Defeated Villanova 76-75.
• This week: vs. Bucknell on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten-Plus); vs. Alcorn State on Sunday at noon ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
• The skinny: Wins are hard to come by away from your home gym. It wasn't necessarily pretty, but Maryland secured a neutral-site victory over Villanova after absolutely pummeling Canisius last week. The 3-point shooting looks a little better than it was a season ago, but it's still not good, sitting at 30.6%.

12. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

• Records: 4-1 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: AP: No. 24; Coaches: Received 56 votes; KenPom: No. 79
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 7 (down 5 spots)
• Best wins/worst losses: Lost to Kennesaw State 79-77 on Nov. 24.
• Last week: Defeated Merrimack 74-63; Lost to Kennesaw State 79-77.
• This week: vs. Notre Dame (Players Era Festival - Impact in Las Vegas) on Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. ET (TV: TBS); vs. Alabama (Players Era Festival - Impact) on Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET (TV: TBS); TBD (Players Era Festival - Impact) on Saturday at TBD.
• The skinny: Now you understand why Power Four teams are reluctant to play road games against mid-major programs. Rutgers suffered a bad loss on the road on Sunday, dropping a 79-77 game to Kennesaw State. It's a tough loss on the tournament resume, but it could also serve as a learning moment for such a young squad, anchored by Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper. Steve Pikiell needs to have his players ready to go this week, with major matchups against Alabama and Notre Dame in the Players Era Festival coming up.

13. Iowa Hawkeyes

• Records: 5-1 overall,0-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 46
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 11 (down 2 spots)
• Best wins/worst losses: Defeated Washington State 76-66 on Nov. 15
• Last week: Defeated Rider 83-58; Lost to Utah State 77-69.
• This week: vs. SC-Upstate on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
• The skinny: What happens when you shoot 19% from 3-point range and get outrebounded 47-31? Typically, you lose. Iowa learned that lesson against Utah State, dropping its first game of the 2024-25 season. The Hawkeyes get a chance to bounce back before heading into conference play, playing SC-Upstate before Big Ten play gets underway next week.

14. Michigan Wolverines

• Records: 4-1 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: AP: Received 1 vote; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 28
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 14 (no change)
• Best wins/worst losses: Defeated TCU 76-64 on Nov. 15.
• Last week: Defeated Miami (Ohio) 94-67; Defeated Tarleton State 72-49.
• This week: vs. Virginia Tech (Fort Myers Tip-Off - Beach in Fort Myers, Fla.) on Monday at 6 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1); vs. Xavier/South Carolina (Fort Myers Tip-Off - Beach) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET OR 8:30 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1).
• The skinny: Michigan is going to have to clean some things up in the turnover department. Through five games, Dusty May's team is still averaging more than 16 per contest. The Wolverines had 18 in the win over Miami (Ohio) and 11 in the victory over Tarleton State. It's going to be a big key to beating teams in the Fort Myers Tip-Off.

15. Northwestern Wildcats

• Records: 5-1 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 61
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 15 (no change)
• Best wins/worst losses: N/A
• Last week: Defeated Montana State 72-69; Defeated Pepperdine 68-50.
• This week: vs. Butler (Arizona Tip-Off - Cactus in Tempe, Ariz.) on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET (TV: CBS Sports Network); vs. UNLV/Mississippi State (Arizona Tip-Off - Cactus) on Friday at 7 p.m. ET OR 9:30 p.m. ET (TV: CBS Sports Network)
• The skinny: The return of Brooks Barnhizer should be a big boost for the Wildcats moving forward. Although they didn't look great in that win over Montana State, he dropped a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double and gives Northwestern a do-it-all forward on the court. It may take this group some time to get that chemistry together, but Chris Collins' team is one that has the potential to move up in these rankings if they start clicking.

16. USC Trojans

• Records: 5-1 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 85
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 16 (no change)
• Best wins/worst losses: N/A
• Last week: Defeated San Jose State 82-68; Defeated Grambling 80-69.
• This week: vs. St. Mary's (Acrisure Classic in Palm Springs, Calif.) on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET (TV: truTV); vs. New Mexico/Arizona State (Acrisure Classic) on Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET OR midnight ET (TV: truTV).
• The skinny: How about USC getting 54 and 41 points from its bench in wins over San Jose State and Grambling last week? Chibuzo Agbo accoutned for 41 of those, providing a nice spark for the Trojans in the last two games. It's always a positive when someone can consistently deliver that kind of production off the bench.

17. Minnesota Golden Gophers

• Records: 4-1 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 83
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 17 (no change)
• Best wins/worst losses: N/A
• Last week: Defeated Cleveland State 58-47.
• This week: vs. Central Michigan on Monday at 8 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten-Plus); vs. Wichita State (ESPN Events Invitational in Orlando, Fla.) on Thursday at noon ET (TV: ESPN 2); vs. Florida/Wake Forest (ESPN Events Invitational) on Friday at 1 p.m. ET OR 3:30 p.m. ET (TV: ESPN 2); vs. Bethune-Cookman on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten-Plus).
• The skinny: Senior Parker Fox provided Minnesota with 30 solid minutes against Cleveland State, scoring 18 points and giving Dawson Garcia a lot of help as the Gophers picked up a win to improve to 4-1 on the season. This is going to be a busy week for Minnesota and will test the depth of Ben Johnson's team, playing four games in the span of six days.

18. Washington Huskies

• Records: 4-1 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 86
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 18 (no change)
• Best wins/worst losses: N/A
• Last week: Defeated Alcorn State 77-60.
• This week: vs. Colorado State (Acrisure Invitational in Palm Springs, Calif.) on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. ET (TV: truTV); vs. TCU/Santa Clara on Friday at 4 p.m. ET OR 7:30 p.m. ET (TV: truTV).
• The skinny: This week gives Washington a chance to show us what they're made of. Can the Huskies make some noise this week in the Acrisure Invitational? Washington needs some sort of momentum heading into the start of Big Ten play in December.