The Big Ten Conference had its ups and downs at the beginning of the 2023-2024 season. There are currently three teams ranked in the AP Top 25, with Purdue at No. 1, Illinois at No. 13 and Wisconsin at No. 24. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi lists seven Big Ten teams in his latest Bracketology.
Now that non-conference play is over and teams are off for the holidays, let’s break down how the conference is doing in the first installment of my Big Ten Power Rankings.
1. Purdue Boilermakers (11-1, 1-1 Big Ten)
This is not surprising. Purdue is off to a great start to the season, especially during one of the toughest schedules in the country.
It started with the Maui Invitational, where the Boilermakers defeated three top-15 teams in three days. After losing to Northwestern in overtime, Purdue quickly got back on track with his third straight win over a Power 6 program, including his 92-84 victory over No. 1 ranked University of Arizona.
The Boilermakers are once again led by senior center Zach Eady, who could repeat as the National Player of the Year. Sophomore guard Braden Smith made a huge leap from last year, averaging 14.4 points and 6.7 assists per game.
Barring mishaps in other conferences, the loss to the Wildcats feels more like a fluke, as Purdue looks poised to once again earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. .
2. Illinois Fighting Illini (8-2, 1-0 Big Ten)
With the Fighting Illinois doing most of the work, Illinois remained in the top 25 polls all season. Their two losses are to current top-10 teams Marquette and Tennessee. Illinois also earned its own ranking victory by defeating No. 11 Florida Atlantic, 98-89.
The rest of the Fighting Illini’s schedule was pretty lackluster, but they handled those games in convincing fashion as they hold the second-highest win margin in the Big Ten. Senior guard Terrence Shannon Jr.’s 20.9 points per game is good for second in the conference, and Illinois ranks in the top 15 nationally in defensive efficiency, according to kenpom.com.
The Fighting Illini rank second in the conference in almost every statistic behind the Boilermakers. Fortunately, we won’t have to wait long to see these two teams play, as Illinois travels to Purdue on January 5th.
3. Wisconsin Badgers (8-3, 1-0 Big Ten)
After missing the NCAA Tournament last season, Wisconsin is on track to return to the Big Dance. Despite facing tough non-conference competition, the Badgers had quality wins over No. 24 Virginia and No. 3 Marquette.
Wisconsin doesn’t have any standout star players, but they do have players who could be out at any time. In the Badgers’ only Big Ten contest, sophomore guard AJ Storr and junior forward Steven Krol combined for 40 points in a 70-57 win over Michigan State.
After starting the year 1-2, Wisconsin has won seven of its last eight games, with its only loss coming to No. 1 Arizona. Barring a loss to Northwestern and Chicago State on Friday, Madison should be able to enter January with a smile on its face.
4. Northwestern Wildcats (9-2, 1-0 Big Ten)
Northwestern already has a signature win, defeating No. 1 Purdue 92-88 in overtime, so it looks like it will be another successful year. Senior guard Bou Bouye has gotten better and better in his five years in Evanston, scoring 31 points in the upset.
The win moved the Wildcats into the AP Top 25, but it was only for a cup of coffee as they lost an embarrassing 75-73 to Chicago State. Despite the chaos, Northwestern responded strongly, defeating DePaul and Arizona State while holding both teams to just 46 points.
If not for the loss at Chicago State, Northwestern is currently ranked in the top 20, and with Bouye at the helm, the Wildcats could earn that ranking once conference play gets underway. Be expected.
5. Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-2, 1-1 Big Ten)
For the first time in the Fred Hoiberg era, Husker fans had hope for conference play.
Nebraska’s 10-2 record is its best start since 2018. The Huskers’ non-conference schedule was pretty easy, but they put in the work and won every game they were supposed to win. They had a convincing road win against Kansas State on Sunday, completely dominating the glass.
Junior forward Juwan Gailey was a big contributor in the win over Manhattan, collecting a whopping 18 boards, including 11 on offense. Gary got off to a strong start, leading the team with 14.2 points per game despite missing his first three games. Junior forward Lianku Mast also stood out early, averaging a near double-double with 13 points per game and 9.9 rebounds per game.
But Nebraska’s two losses are embarrassing. The first was a 29-point loss to No. 15 Creighton, and the second was a second-half collapse against Minnesota. Despite losing two games, the Huskers bounced back with big wins against Michigan State and Kansas State.
As the “Last Four In” team in Lunardi’s newest bracketology, Nebraska stands to make its first big breakthrough since the 2013-2014 season.
6. Ohio State Buckeyes (10-2, 1-1 Big Ten)
A strong performance in the Big Ten Tournament gave Ohio State a strong start to the year after a somewhat disappointing 2022-2023 season ended on a high note. No. 15 Texas A&M put the Buckeyes in the losing column early, but bounced back with seven straight wins, including a 92-81 victory over No. 17 Alabama.
Guard Bruce Thornton made the sophomore leap that Ohio State fans expected, averaging 18 points per game and shooting 38.3 percent from deep. The Buckeyes rank in the top 20 in offensive efficiency, according to kenpom.com, and he already has five 20-point or more performances on the year.
Ohio State has yet to play a top-end Big Ten team, as they beat Minnesota and then lost to Penn State. It was also around this time last year that the Buckeyes lost 14 of 15 consecutive conference games. But this year’s team must not suffer the same fate.
7. Michigan State Spartans (7-5, 0-2 Big Ten)
If these power rankings had started a week earlier, Michigan State would have been near the bottom. But after Saturday’s dominant 88-64 victory over No. 6 Baylor, it appears the Spartans have finally arrived.
Michigan State, ranked No. 4 in the nation since the beginning of the year, suffered a come-from-behind loss to James Madison in the opening game. The Spartans continued to struggle throughout the Big Ten, dropping their first two games to Wisconsin and Nebraska.
The only constant for Michigan State is the play of senior guard Tyson Walker, who is averaging 20.8 points, which ranks third in the conference. His play finally led to a big win against Baylor, as Walker outscored the Bears’ total points at halftime.
After sleepwalking through the first quarter of the season, Tom Izzo and company are heading into a hot 2024.
8. Indiana Hoosiers (9-3, 2-0 Big Ten)
Indiana isn’t having a bad season, currently leading the Big Ten with a 2-0 record. However, the Hoosiers have missed all three chances in nonconference play and have yet to come away with a signature win.
This includes blowout losses to No. 5 Yukon and Auburn, both of which occurred at neutral sites. Indiana University had a close game at home against No. 2 Kansas University thanks to a career-best performance from senior guard Trey Galloway, but it was in vain as the Jayhawks won easily, 75-71.
Although currently projected as a tournament team, there are questions about whether the Hoosiers can compete against the rest of the Big Ten, especially on the road.
9. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (7-3, 0-1 Big Ten)
Like Indiana, Rutgers is looking for a big win to build its resume. The Scarlet Knights have won against Georgetown and Seton Hall, mid-major programs in the Big East, but have lost to Illinois and Wake Forest.
Despite having the lowest scoring offense in the conference, Rutgers has the best defense, allowing just 60.9 points per game. Senior center Clifford Omoruyi was the Scarlet Knights’ best player on both ends, averaging 11.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
Rutgers is struggling to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022, but its defense could lead to a competitive Big Ten game and the Scarlet Knights can win.
10. Minnesota Golden Gophers (9-3, 1-1 Big Ten)
Minnesota has bounced back nicely from last season, already winning eight games compared to just nine last year. But that’s because of the ease of the non-conference schedule and Nebraska’s complete collapse.
The Golden Gophers’ conference win, which was without junior forward Dawson Garcia for much of the contest, also deserves credit. The 18.2 PPG scorer hasn’t played since, but Minnesota still continues to win against lower-ranked opponents.
The Golden Gophers have built up a respectable record thus far, but once Big Ten play gets into full swing, they may not be able to maintain that, especially if Garcia isn’t 100%. But so far, they’ve done enough to sit above the teams that have had disappointing years.
11. Michigan Wolverines (6-6, 1-1 Big Ten)
It’s been an unfortunate campaign so far for the Wolverines. Michigan, without head coach Juwan Howard for most of the season, underperformed in a number of key matchups.
The Wolverines’ schedule hasn’t been handled well, with back-to-back losses to mid-major programs Long Beach State and the University of Memphis. Michigan won against Stanford, but then dropped the next three games to Texas Tech, Oregon State, and Indiana, losing the last two by three points. Most recently, on Tuesday, the Wolverines were trailing 106-101 in double overtime against Florida.
Michigan relies on 3-pointers, leading the Big Ten with 9.3 attempts per game. Sophomore guard Doug McDaniel led the offense, shooting 38.9 percent from behind the arc. After all the adversity they’ve faced thus far, the Wolverines will need to keep that momentum going if they are to have a chance of making it to the conference.
12. Maryland Terrapins (7-4, 1-1 Big Ten)
Despite the return of three of its top four scorers, Maryland has already taken a step back from last year’s team in dramatic fashion. The Terrapins started the year 1-3, with blowout losses to Davidson and UAB in the Asheville Championship Tournament.
Maryland has gotten better since then, but they did it with the second-easiest schedule in the Big Ten. Through two conference games, the Terrapins lost to Indiana by double digits and needed overtime to beat Penn State.
Maryland has players near the top of the Big Ten. Junior forward Julian Reese and senior guard Jameel Young each averaged over 15 points per game, and Reese also averaged 10.2 rebounds per game. But through 11 games, they haven’t shown any signs of worrying too much.
13. Penn State Nittany Lions (6-6, 1-1 Big Ten)
The Nittany Lions earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament with a Cinderella-like performance in last season’s Big Ten Tournament. But Penn State, with an all-new starting five, couldn’t recreate that magic.
After starting the year 4-0, the Nittany Lions had a dismal five-game stretch, led by a 3-8 loss to Bucknell. They finally ended their winning streak with a win over Ohio State, but lost the next game against Georgia Tech in overtime due to a controversial decision.
Sophomore guard Kanye Clary and VCU transfer guard Ace Baldwin Jr. have played but have yet to produce winning basketball. Penn State has shown some much-needed competitiveness lately, but it’s still a long way from a team of this caliber making noise in the Big Ten.
14. Iowa Hawkeyes (7-5, 0-2 Big Ten)
Luka Garza, Keegan Murray and Chris Murray have helped the Hawkeyes qualify for the past four NCAA Tournaments, but Iowa State is in a big hole without them this year. .
The Hawkeyes were underperforming in non-conference play, dropping three key games against No. 8 Creighton, Oklahoma and Iowa State. They fared even worse through two conference games, losing by double digits to Purdue and Michigan.
Senior forward Ben Kricke, who transferred to Valparaiso, averaged 16.7 points per game on 58.1% shooting and did his best to keep the Hawkeyes alive. Iowa State’s overall offense ranks at the top of the Big Ten, but they have not won many games due to poor defense. The Hawkeyes still have time, but they need to get wins early in the conference to avoid falling too far behind.
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