You want to win a Big Ten Conference men’s basketball championship, you better be able to beat the league’s other top teams on the road.
If we go by the rankings below, Michigan has more road wins against teams I have ranked in the top half of the league than all of the other contenders combined. The Wolverines beat Wisconsin and UCLA in their gyms and go to Purdue next week.
Illinois won at Oregon, but that victory has already been undercut but a home loss to USC. Michigan State, the Boilermakers and the Ducks have yet to play a road game against any of my top 10 teams below.
However, that changes when Purdue plays at Oregon on Sunday. The Spartans will attempt to defend home court against Illinois but don’t play any truly troubling road games until February.
1. Michigan (13-3, 5-0)
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The Wolverines’ formula travels, with Tre Donaldson bombing away over the league’s best 7-foot combo.
2. Purdue (14-4, 6-1)
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Won by 18 while scoring only 68 point one night, won by 36 while allowing 68 the next.
3. Michigan State (15-2, 6-0)
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Spartans are taking care of business, but so far that business has not asked them to play a sure-fire NCAA tournament team in league play.
4. Illinois (13-4, 5-2)
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After some extreme ups and downs for a couple of weeks, heads to East Lansing for a massive game Sunday.
5. Oregon (15-2, 4-2)
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Remember back-to-back wins at Ohio State and Penn State by three total points when looking at the league standings in early March.
6. Maryland (13-4, 3-3)
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Easy to get overshadowed by freshman big man Derik Queen, but Ja’Kobi Gillespie is having a tremendous season.
7. Wisconsin (14-3, 4-2)
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Taking a six-game winning streak and hopefully some cheese curds out to Los Angeles this week.
8. UCLA (11-6, 2-4)
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Bruins are 0-4 in games played east of the Rocky Mountains, but do not cross them again until Feb. 11.
9. Iowa (12-5, 3-3)
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Josh Dix shooting 62% from 3 over his last three games, and he better keep it up if the Hawkeyes keep defending like this.
10. Ohio State (10-7, 2-4)
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One of the weirder stats in the league: Buckeyes rank first on KenPom in number of steals allowed and 338th in other turnovers committed.
11. Nebraska (12-4, 2-3)
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Allowed 201 points in last week’s losses at Iowa and Purdue and still No. 21 in adjusted defensive efficiency.
12. Penn State (12-6, 2-5)
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Nittany Lions probably peaked with that Dec. 5 whooping of Purdue. Now 0-4 in Big Ten games away from Bryce Jordan Center.
13. USC (11-6, 3-3)
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Finally some good news in L.A. as the Trojans have won six of eight – including last week’s upset in Champaign.
14. Northwestern (10-6, 1-4)
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Will Bears have a new coach before the Wildcats win another game? Three straight losses with Maryland and Michigan up next.
15. Indiana (13-5, 4-3)
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Could we have a Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis with no IU? Toughest stretch of Hoosiers’ schedule remains on horizon.
16. Rutgers (9-8, 2-4)
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Scarlet Knights’ trajectory took a turn – a right turn, since it’s New Jersey – with win over UCLA.
17. Washington (10-8, 1-6)
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Great Osobor is just that, but Huskies needed a couple other guys to claim the title of Consistently Above Average.
18. Minnesota (8-9, 0-6)
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Hit the happy hour at Red Cow before heading over to The Barn for your team’s win over the Gophers.
Exciting news in the world of sports as two new teams have emerged as leaders in their respective leagues.
In the NFL, the undefeated Arizona Cardinals have taken the league by storm with their dominant performances on both offense and defense. Led by star quarterback Kyler Murray and a formidable defense, the Cardinals have quickly risen to the top of the standings and are looking like serious contenders for the Super Bowl this season.
Meanwhile, in the NBA, the Chicago Bulls have surprised everyone with their impressive start to the season. With a revamped roster featuring all-star talents like DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, the Bulls have quickly become one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Their fast-paced style of play and strong team chemistry have made them a force to be reckoned with on the court.
It’s always exciting to see new teams rise to the top and shake up the status quo in sports. Will the Cardinals and Bulls be able to maintain their dominance throughout the season? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure – these two teams are ones to watch.
Tags:
- Top new teams in sports
- Rising stars in the league
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- Fresh talent making waves
- Teams to watch this season
- New contenders for the championship
- Up-and-coming teams in the spotlight
- Top performers in the league
- Teams on the rise
- Latest updates on the top teams
#teams #top
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