Jan. 16—The last Big Ten men’s basketball power poll from Illinois beat Scott Richey came a month ago. Let’s just say some things have changed since before the holiday season. Others are frustratingly the same if you’re a fan of, let’s say, Indiana for example. Here’s how Richey, in his 10th season covering the Illini, sees the conference stacking up now:
1. Michigan State (15-2, 6-0 Big Ten)
The Spartans aren’t all that flashy. Probably won’t blow you away offensively. But they embody the typical gritty Tom Izzo team. One that’s now riding a 10-game winning streak into Sunday’s showdown with Illinois at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich. Jaden Akins has emerged as Michigan State’s scoring leader, but Jeremy Fears Jr. running the point — and running it well — has been vital.
2. Illinois (13-4, 5-2)
At this point, Illinois has almost as many Big Ten blowouts as not in league play with wins against Oregon (32 points), Penn State (39 points) and now Indiana (25 points). The Illini are also tied for first with three Big Ten road wins. A critical stat for title contenders. Avoiding more “stinker” home losses is key.
3. Michigan (13-3, 5-0)
The Wolverines rank first nationally in effective field goal percentage. A metric clearly bolstered by having a pair of offensive-minded 7-footers. Vlad Goldin (old-school big) and Danny Wolf (stretch 5) couldn’t be more different in skill set, but choosing to play them together was the best decision Dusty May made.
4. Purdue (13-4, 5-1)
Purdue is undefeated in Big Ten play in the new year with the trio of Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer still responsible for that success. But don’t pencil the Boilermakers in for another conference championship after wins against Minnesota, Northwestern, Rutgers and Nebraska.
5. Oregon (15-2, 4-2)
The Ducks have recovered after getting throttled on their home court by Illinois two weeks ago with three straight Big Ten wins. Three straight close wins — by a combined seven points — but wins none the less. Point guard Jackson Shelstad finally playing like the preseason All-Big Ten pick he was has been key.
6. Wisconsin (14-3, 4-2)
Watching Wisconsin score 100-plus against power conference opponents (something accomplished twice so far this year) is still a bit unsettling. Where are the Badgers that grind out wins running nothing but Swing? Going modern has worked, though, with Wisconsin on a six-game winning streak.
7. Maryland (13-4, 3-3)
Returning home after a winless Pacific Northwest swing to restart Big Ten play apparently cured what ailed the Terrapins. Playing UCLA and Minnesota upon doing so certainly didn’t hurt. Maryland has a top 30 offense and defense, and freshman center Derik Queen is a big reason why the Terrapins are successful in both.
8. Southern Cal (11-6, 3-3)
First-year coach Eric Musselman had to build his roster from scratch. Finding chemistry took a hit when USC lost a starter in Terrance Williams II after just seven games and its sixth man Matt Knowling a few weeks later to injuries. But maybe the Trojans are finding their way given big wins against Illinois and Iowa.
9. Iowa (12-5, 3-3)
It’s the same old story in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes boast a high-level offense led by Payton Sandfort and Owen Freeman, who are tied for 10th in the Big Ten in scoring, and have again paired it with the worst defense in the conference. Case in point, Iowa has scored at least 80 points in four of its five losses.
10. Nebraska (12-4, 2-3)
There’s a real argument to be made Nebraska guard Brice Williams should at least be in the running for the Big Ten’s most-improved player. The Charlotte transfer didn’t experience a drop off last year in his first season in the league, and now he’s a top-four scorer in the conference for a potential NCAA tournament team.
11. Ohio State (10-7, 2-4)
Getting waxed by Maryland in their Big Ten opener was the only conference game the Buckeyes haven’t at least been competitive. They have lost three of their last four games — a double overtime win against Minnesota the outlier — but all were by single digits and the last two were by two points each.
12. Penn State (12-6, 2-5)
A soft nonconference schedule outside of facing Clemson on a neutral court (a loss) put all of the Nittany Lions’ eggs in the Big Ten basket. And things were looking promising with a December win against Purdue and a win against Northwestern to start the new year. Four straight losses have followed.
13. UCLA (11-6, 2-4)
It wasn’t that long ago UCLA was ranked as one of the Top 25 teams in the country. Then the Bruins lost four straight in league play as part of five losses in a six-game stretch after a 10-1 start. Mick Cronin wound up calling his own players delusional in the wake of one of those losses. Can you say … Red flag!
14. Northwestern (10-6, 1-4)
Without a gift of an overtime win from Illinois in early December, Northwestern might be slumming in the Big Ten basement with Minnesota. The Wildcats have lost some close conference games and have also gotten knocked around a bit, as they clearly need more from their supporting cast.
15. Rutgers (9-8, 2-4)
The two-man show in Piscataway, N.J., isn’t working. Rutgers might have a pair of lottery picks — perhaps the Nos. 2 and 3 overall picks after Duke’s Cooper Flagg — but the combo of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey hasn’t been enough. Steve Pikiell sacrificed his team’s defensive brand, and it has backfired at the midway point of the season.
16. Indiana (13-5, 4-3)
Record-wise, the Hoosiers should be higher given their place in the middle of the Big Ten. Records can be deceiving. The vibes were not vibing for Indiana on Tuesday night at Assembly Hall, with fans clamoring for Mike Woodson to be fired and more than a few players just going through the motions in its loss to Illinois.
17. Washington (10-7, 1-5)
Life in the Big Ten has been tough for the Huskies. Danny Sprinkle followed up consecutive NCAA tournament appearances with Montana State in 2022 and 2023 with another at Utah State in 2024. The streak is going to end this year. Not even Washington’s $2 million man in Great Osobor can drag the team that far.
18. Minnesota (8-9, 0-6)
How much can you really blame Gophers coach Ben Johnson? The bulk of his best players from last season’s 19-win team — save for Dawson Garcia — left for greener pastures (if you catch my drift). But winless in Big Ten play is one thing. Winless and mostly uncompetitive is another.
