The Big Ten basketball schedule restarted in earnest last week, and so shall our weekly power rankings.
Right now this league features the No. 1 KenPom offense (Purdue), the No. 1 defense (Michigan) and the country’s most surprising still-undefeated team (Nebraska). Yet as the Wolverines’ white-knuckle 74-72 victory at Penn State last Tuesday showed, there are no guarantees on any given night in this conference.
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Note: Records through Jan. 8
1. Michigan (14-0, 4-0)
Prev: 1
That stumble at Penn State doesn’t ruin the country’s best resume.
2. Purdue (14-1, 4-0)
Prev: 2
Is C.J. Cox the most invaluable player in the Big Ten hardly anyone talks about?
3. Nebraska (15-0, 4-0)
Prev: 4
If you didn’t believe in the Cornhuskers before, the win over Michigan State should have your attention.
4. Michigan State (13-2, 3-1)
Prev: 3
Only losses to one-loss national championship contender Duke and at undefeated Nebraska.
5. Illinois (11-3, 2-1)
Prev: 5
Reminded everyone of their upside when they won the border war vs. Missouri in a rout.
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6. Iowa (12-3, 2-2)
Prev: 6
Ben McCollum should be required to earn one technical foul per month so we can wean off of the Fran years slowly.
7. Indiana (12-3, 3-1)
Prev: 8
Wait until football season ends and Hoosier fans realize they have a basketball team, too.
8. Wisconsin (10-5, 2-2)
Prev: 11
Not quite the sum of its parts yet, but Nick Boyd plus John Blackwell plus that frontcourt has upside.
9. Minnesota (10-5, 3-1)
Prev: 14
This might still be wildly off. Gophers have two home victories over teams ranked above them here.
10. UCLA (10-5, 2-2)
Prev: 7
Hope the Bruins at least brought some cheese curds home from that 0-fer road trip to Iowa and Wisconsin.
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11. Ohio State (10-4, 2-2)
Prev: 10
Three losses by a combined five points, yet still waiting for their first impressive victory.
12. Washington (9-6, 1-3)
Prev: 12
If the Huskies have lost Wesley Yates for the season, it seriously limits their ceiling.
13. USC (12-3, 1-3)
Prev: 9
Endured 59 combined points of losing on the dreaded Wolverine-Spartan roadie.
14. Rutgers (8-7, 1-3)
Prev: 16
Can Steve Pikiell keep this group together long enough for these freshman growing pains to pay off down the road?
15. Oregon (8-7, 1-3)
Prev: 15
Just when it seemed the Ducks had pulled out of the tailspin, their plane set a course for Piscataway.
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16. Northwestern (8-6, 0-3)
Prev: 13
Only 1-5 against power conference opponents and it looks like another long winter in Evanston.
17. Penn State (9-6, 0-4)
Prev: 17
Nittany Lions aren’t beating anyone but they sure are scaring the daylights out of some good teams.
18. Maryland (7-8, 0-4)
Prev: 18
Grab a burger and shake at Good Stuff Eatery when in D.C. for your team’s Terrapin road trip.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Big Ten men’s college basketball rankings: Nebraska rises near Michigan
