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We’ve cracked the halfway point of the Big Ten Conference men’s basketball season, and if some of the preseason championship favorites want to be involved they’d better wake up.
Preseason No. 1 Purdue remains right there in striking distance of still-unbeaten Michigan State. Winning in East Lansing in a couple of weeks might be crucial, though.
The ship has probably sailed for preseason No. 2 Indiana. Hoosiers need to focus on not completely embarrassing themselves and missing the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis.
Mick Cronin already grumbles about preseason No. 3 UCLA’s travel burden and has not yet been to Champaign or West Lafayette. All of the analytics sites still love preseason No. 4 Illinois. Like the Bruins, though, the Fighting Illini already hold four losses and might need to run the table to hoist the trophy.
How I’m ranking them 1-18 this week:
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1. Michigan State (18-2, 9-0)
Prev: 1
Winning percentage of the eight teams Spartans have played so far: .338. Winning percentage of the 10 still to come: .592.
2. Purdue (16-5, 8-2)
Prev: 2
Trey Kaufman-Renn living up to Matt Painter’s preseason All-Big Ten prediction — and then some.
3. Maryland (17-3, 7-4)
Prev: 6
If not for an overtime loss at Northwestern, Terrapins would be working on a seven-game winning streak.
4. Michigan (15-5, 7-2)
Prev: 3
The team that got molly wopped at Purdue last week did not look like a Big Ten championship contender.
5. Illinois (14-6, 6-4)
Prev: 4
Illini are retiring Kofi Cockburn’s jersey in a couple of weeks. Sorry, just wanted to type Kofi Cockburn again.
6. Wisconsin (16-5, 6-4)
Prev: 5
February and March could set up nicely for the Badgers, but only if they survive sneaky road games like Northwestern on Saturday.
7. UCLA (15-6, 6-4)
Prev: 7
Four-game winning streak pushes Bruins’ record back to 14-2 in Pacific time zone, 1-4 everywhere else.
8. Oregon (16-5, 5-4)
Prev: 8
Opened a stretch of four roadies in five games by losing the “easy” one at Minnesota. Sub-optimal.
9. Ohio State (12-8, 4-5)
Prev: 9
It’s only a two-game winning streak, but could the Buckeyes be gearing up for another late-season run?
10. USC (12-8, 4-5)
Prev: 12
While some teams on this list are still looking for their first Big Ten road win, the Trojans and their treacherous travel have tallied three.
11. Penn State (13-8, 3-7)
Prev: 10
Has not won a game played outside the Keystone State since before Thanksgiving.
12. Northwestern (12-8, 3-6)
Prev: 11
Wildcats likely need big surge down the stretch to extend program-record NCAA Tournament streak to three.
13. Nebraska (12-8, 2-7)
Prev: 13
Starting to wonder if there will be actual corn in the ground before the Cornhuskers win again.
14. Iowa (13-8, 4-6)
Prev: 14
It’s almost as if beating up on East Texas A&M — the purchased win formerly known as Texas A&M Commerce — and USC Upstate does not prepare a team for a Big Ten schedule.
15. Indiana (14-7, 5-5)
Prev: 15
When was the last time a Hoosiers coach needed a win at Purdue this desperately?
16. Rutgers (10-10, 3-6)
Prev: 16
Needed Ace Bailey big time at Northwestern on Wednesday, and he turned in his third 30-plus point performance in the last eight games.
17. Minnesota (11-10, 3-7)
Prev: 17
Oregon visited the Land of 10,000 Lakes only to drown in Dawson Garcia’s 31 points.
18. Washington (10-10, 1-8)
Prev: 18
Check out Sub Pop’s old “world headquarters” on 2013 Fourth Street before grabbing some deep fried salmon at the Pike Place Market.
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Big Ten men’s basketball power rankings: Maryland makes jump
After a strong week of performances, the Maryland Terrapins have made a significant jump in the Big Ten men’s basketball power rankings. With key wins over ranked opponents and standout performances from their star players, the Terrapins have solidified their position as a top team in the conference.
Maryland’s impressive victories have been led by their dynamic duo of Eric Ayala and Aaron Wiggins, who have been lighting up the scoreboard and making big plays in clutch moments. Their strong play has propelled the Terrapins to the top of the standings and has caught the attention of the rest of the conference.
As the season continues, Maryland will look to build on their recent success and continue their climb up the rankings. With tough matchups ahead, including games against other top teams in the Big Ten, the Terrapins will have the opportunity to prove themselves as one of the best teams in the conference.
Stay tuned for more updates on the Big Ten men’s basketball power rankings as the season progresses.
Tags:
Big Ten basketball, men’s basketball rankings, Maryland basketball, Big Ten power rankings, college basketball rankings
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