The top of the Big Ten has taken a few surprise shots, while things at the bottom continue to find new ways to get worse.
Purdue remains looking down at everyone, but it allowed a crack in the armor by getting outplayed in a surprising loss at Ohio State. The Boilermakers had won nine straight only to lose to a team that had lost nine of its last 11 games and fired its coach. It briefly narrowed the gap for Illinois, but the Fighting Illini couldn’t take advantage when a 14-point second-half lead at Penn State somehow morphed into a one-point, last-second loss.
It beats lift at the bottom of the standings, though. Ohio State knocked off Purdue in an emotional first game after firing coach Chris Holtmann only to go lose a program-record 17th straight road game. Michigan has lost nine of 10, and each defeat is by double digits. Indiana has somehow managed to lose three straight games at Assembly Hall.
Here’s how the Big Ten shakes out to this point of the season. Rankings reflect games played through Feb. 22.
1. Purdue (Last week: 1)
The Boilermakers almost certainly weren’t going to run the table, but having a nine-game winning streak snapped on the road against an Ohio State team with an interim coach was certainly a surprise. Responding by blasting Rutgers wasn’t.
2. Illinois (Last week: 2)
Coleman Hawkins giveth, and Coleman Hawkins taketh. After averaging around 16 points per game and turning it over only six times in the first four games of the month, he had 9 points and 5 turnovers in a loss to Penn State. Worse: he missed two free throws with 18 seconds left, then fouled on a 3-pointer with 4.2 left to allow the Nittany Lions to win, 90-89.
3. Wisconsin (Last week: 3)
The Badgers might not be the world-beating team the first three months of the season indicated, but they’re still better than most in the Big Ten. Beating Maryland after an overtime loss at Iowa that could’ve torpedoed the season is a strong step.
4. Northwestern (Last week: 4)
Congrats to Boo Buie, who in addition to forever being immortalized on the Big Ten’s all-name team is now the most prolific scorer in Wildcats history on a team that will be a tough out in March.
5. Michigan State (Last week: 5)
Just when it seems like the Spartans are a team you can trust, they do something like fall behind by double digits and lose at home to Iowa. So long, three-game winning streak.
6. Minnesota (Last week: 6)
Any team that has Dawson Garcia, Pharrel Payne and Elijah Hawkins has a chance. The trio combined for 61 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists in a wire-to-wire, 88-79 win against Ohio State.
7. Nebraska (Last week: 7)
With a three-game winning streak and road games remaining only at Ohio State and Michigan, the Cornhuskers are a legit candidate to get to 13 Big Ten wins after winning nine in coach Fred Hoiberg’s first three seasons combined.
8. Iowa (Last week: 11)
Not only did the Hawkeyes win consecutive games for the first time since mid-January, they did it against two teams almost certainly ticketed for the NCAA Tournament: at home against Wisconsin and at Michigan State. Iowa might be playing itself onto the bubble.
9. Penn State (Last week: 8)
Coach Mike Rhoades dismissed leading scorer Kanye Clary from the program with Penn State on a three-game losing streak, and the Nittany Lions responded with a thrilling upset of Illinois. Rhoades is acquitting himself well in year one.
10. Maryland (Last week: 9)
The Terrapins are the latest in a line of Big Ten teams that seemed to turn a corner only to faceplant into a wall. Maryland has lost two straight and five of six and is shooting 28.8% from 3 this season – 347th-best nationally.
11. Rutgers (Last week: 10)
Someone had to pay for Ohio State’s sins, and Rutgers got to be the sacrificial lamb. The Scarlet Knights had their worst defensive game of the season in allowing Purdue to score 96 points four days after the Boilermakers lost at Ohio State.
12. Ohio State (Last week: 13)
Since a win at Northwestern on Jan. 1, 2023, the Buckeyes have now lost at each Big Ten arena while compiling a school record for road futility. But that Purdue win was something else, and enough to bump them up one spot.
13. Indiana (Last week: 12)
It’s a slugfest between perennial powers Indiana and Michigan at the bottom. Indiana has lost seven of its last nine after starting 12-5 overall and 4-2 in the league.
14. Michigan (Last week: 14)
How low can it go? After losing Olivier Nkamhoua to a season-ending injury, the Wolverines led by 11 at Northwestern early only to take a 14-point loss. Michigan has lost nine of its last 10 games and each of those losses is by double figures.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Big Ten power rankings: Purdue, Illinois take surprising losses
