Every other team in the Big Ten is still looking up at Purdue when it comes to NCAA Tournament outlook. That’s not likely to change this season, especially with the Boilermakers seemingly figuring out their pecking order (more on that in a second).
But there are still plenty of questions left to answer this season. Will Wisconsin or Illinois take the upper hand in their battle for second place in the conference’s power rankings? Can Michigan State make it into that second tier of the conference? Which bubble teams will solidify their spot and which will be on the outside looking in?
Read on for more:
Purdue: 1-seed
Games this upcoming week: vs. Michigan on Tue. (Peacock), at Rutgers on Sun.
The Boilermakers just keep rolling along, posting two double-digit victories over Big Ten rivals Indiana and Iowa in the last week. As established as Purdue is, the three games since their loss to Nebraska indicate they’ve found an offensive hierarchy: Zach Edey is averaging 32 points, Lance Jones and Fletcher Loyer are averaging 16 and 14, respectively, and Braden Smith has gone for 9.7 assists per night.
Wisconsin: 3-seed
Games this week: at Minnesota on Tue., vs. Michigan State on Friday
Dropping a game at Penn State isn’t going to do wonders for the Badgers’ resume. That being said, they bounced back with a solid home win over Indiana and are still atop the Big Ten standings as the only team with one conference loss. Friday’s matchup with the Spartans will test Wisconsin’s 10-1 home record (including a 4-0 mark in conference play).
Illinois: 4-seed
Games this week: at Northwestern on Wed., vs. Indiana on Sat.
The Illini went 4-2 while Terrence Shannon Jr. was suspended by the university after he was arrested and charged with rape. After being granted a temporary restraining order, Shannon is now back and knocked some rust off in Sunday’s blowout win over Rutgers. Illinois is clearly a better team with Shannon out there, but with associate chancellor Robin Kaler saying the university will continue to monitor the case, the story is certainly not over.
Michigan State: 8-seed
Games this week: at Wisconsin on Fri.
Tyson Walker hitting a three and Tre Holloman poking the ball away from Jahmir Young in the final minute of Sunday’s 61-59 win at Maryland showcased why the Spartans are a scary matchup: They have the institutional knowledge to win any close game. Michigan State’s three-game win streak and four days of rest will have them tuned up to go into Madison on Friday.
Nebraska: 10-seed
Games this week: vs. Ohio State on Tue. (Peacock), at Maryland on Sat.
If you’re going to lose to Rutgers, it might as well be on the road and in overtime. The Cornhuskers’ road record (0-4 in conference) and untimely poor defense (allowing 86.8 points per game in losses vs. 64.1 in wins) may be their undoing. They can keep playing to their strengths, though, as they follow a home win over Northwestern Saturday with a Tuesday matchup in Lincoln against another potential bubble team in Ohio State.
Northwestern: 10-seed
Games this week: vs. Illinois on Wed., vs. Ohio State on Sat.
The Wildcats continue to tread water since their early-season win over Purdue, mostly beating the worse teams and losing to the better teams on their schedule. They’re entering a tough mini-stretch of the slate, hosting Illinois and Ohio State this week before heading to Purdue next week. Adding to their undefeated home record will be crucial with that tough road game looming.
Iowa: 11-seed (First Four game)
Games this week: vs. Maryland on Wed., at Michigan on Sat.
Saturday’s home loss to Purdue seemed to confirm that the Hawkeyes can’t hang with the country’s elite, but they don’t have to in order to stack up wins. They don’t play any of the conference’s three ranked teams (or the always-dangerous Michigan State) until their Feb. 17 matchup with Wisconsin, giving Iowa a seven-game stretch to build up that overall record.
Ohio State: Out (on the bubble)
Games this week: at Nebraska on Mon. (Peacock), at Northwestern on Sat.
We could look back on this week as the most important of the Buckeyes’ season. After getting off the schneid of a three-game losing streak by beating Penn State Saturday, Ohio State plays two other potential bubble teams in-conference on the road. The offense will need to look more like the one that dropped 79 on Penn State than the one that averaged 63.3 points during the skid.
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