The Big Ten regular-season is officially over. It's time for the conference tournament and then, for some teams, the NCAA tournament. It's hard to believe the season is nearing its end already. It feels like it just started.
That's why it saddens me to say these are the last version of the Most Prestigious Big Ten Power Rankings on the Internet. I feel like I could write 10 more if I needed to.
Alas, this is all she wrote for this year in the Big Ten — and what a wild one it was. We saw Indiana win the league outright by two full games and a logjam in the middle of the league throughout the year. We almost (!!) saw a winless conference team. There were dunks, 3-pointers and Tom Izzo faces galore. It was an extremely competitive season in the Midwest.
So without forcing you to read any more of this introduction, I present to you the final Big Ten power rankings of the year.
1. Michigan State (26-5, 13-5)
Last week: 97-66 win at Rutgers; 91-76 win vs. Ohio State
Big Ten tournament: No. 2 seed; plays winner of No. 7 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Penn State on Friday
Stop me if you've heard this before: Michigan State is playing its best basketball as the college basketball calendar turns to the postseason.
The Spartans have won six-straight games heading into this week's Big Ten tournament and should they win it, they'll likely play themselves into a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
— Michigan St. on BTN (@MichiganStOnBTN) March 3, 2016
That's a @B1GMBBall single-game record 11 3s for @MSU_Basketball's Bryn Forbes! https://t.co/whWGDyom99
2. Indiana (25-6, 15-3)
Last week: 81-78 win at Iowa; 80-62 win vs. Maryland
Big Ten tournament: No. 1 seed; plays winner of No. 8 Michigan vs. No. 9 Northwestern on Friday
Indiana coach Tom Crean deserves a lot of credit for turning this season around because in the nonconference it certainly looked like Indiana was going to be one of the more disappointing teams in the country. But the Hoosiers have been brilliant in Big Ten play and won the league by two full games.
I wasn't completely sold on Indiana for much of the conference season because it looked like a different team when playing away from home, but the last few weeks have made me comfortable with what I'm about to say: Michigan State would be the first Big Ten team I'd pick to make the Final Four, but if you're asking me to choose a second, right now it's Indiana.
3. Wisconsin (20-11, 12-6)
Last week: 62-49 win at Minnesota; 91-80 loss at Purdue
Big Ten tournament: No. 6 seed; plays winner of No. 11 Nebraska against 14th-seeded Rutgers on Friday
I'm not really sure Wisconsin is the third-best team in the Big Ten, but the truth is spots 3 through 6 are about as impossible to rank as it gets.
The Badgers closed their regular-season with a loss by double digits on the road at Purdue, but overall Wisconsin has won 11 of its last 13 games so that's why they get the No. 3 spot over the next three teams.
4. Purdue (24-7, 12-6)
Last week: 81-62 win at Nebraska; 91-80 win vs. Wisconsin
Big Ten tournament: No. 4 seed; plays winner of No. 5 Iowa against Minnesota/Illinois winner
Purdue has struggled against top competition away from Mackey Arena this year which is why I kept it below Wisconsin despite beating the Badgers on Sunday.
I think the Boilers are a solid team with the potential to make it out of the first weekend of the NCAA tournament, but I don't see them advancing further than the Sweet 16.
Highlights! Caleb Swanigan scored 27 points to help lead @BoilerBall to a 91-80 win over Wisconsin. https://t.co/0nzN1cjKxB
— Purdue On BTN (@PurdueOnBTN) March 7, 2016
5. Maryland (24-7, 12-6)
Last week: 81-55 win vs. Illinois; 80-62 loss at Indiana
Big Ten tournament: No. 3 seed; plays winner of No. 6 seed Wisconsin vs. Rutgers/Nebraska winner
I'm not even sure Maryland makes it out of the first weekend of the NCAA tournament anymore. That's how many questions I have about the Terrapins right now.
I've long said I believed Maryland is the most talented team in the Big Ten and ultimately has the highest ceiling of anybody in the conference, but the Terps haven't even played close to that level over the last month or so and an 18-point loss to close out the regular-season doesn't certainly ease my concerns.
6. Iowa (21-9, 12-6)
Last week: 81-78 loss vs. Indiana; 71-61 win at Michigan
Big Ten tournament: No. 5 seed; plays winner of No. 12 seed Illinois vs. 13th-seeded Minnesota
I'll be honest, I didn't think Iowa was going to beat Michigan on Saturday night. The Hawkeyes just looked like they had been a mess in recent weeks and, even though the Wolverines weren't exactly setting the world on fire themselves, I still didn't feel Iowa could get it done.
But the Hawkeyes pulled through and got to 12 wins in the league and secured the No. 5 seed in the Big Ten tournament. They were the league favorites midway through the conference season, but this will have to do. Perhaps that win over Michigan sparks a league tourney run for the Hawkeyes and propels them on an NCAA tournament run, too. Or maybe it was just the outlier of games here in the last few weeks and we shouldn't expect much going forward from Iowa.
7. Ohio State (19-12, 11-7)
Last week: 91-76 loss at Michigan State
Big Ten tournament: No. 7 seed; plays 10th-seeded Penn State at 6:30 p.m. Thursday
When you look where Ohio State was back in November and December, it's somewhat unbelievable the Buckeyes got to 11 wins in the Big Ten. Ohio State was a bad team at the beginning of the year and, throughout multiple peaks and valleys, they found themselves fighting for an NCAA tournament berth during the final week of the season.
In the end, though, the Buckeyes just didn't get enough quality wins to overcome some of those early-season blunders and they'll likely need to win the whole tournament in Indianapolis to hear their names called on Selection Sunday.
8. Michigan (20-11, 10-8)
Last week: 71-61 loss vs. Iowa
Big Ten tournament: No. 8 seed; plays No. 9 seed Northwestern noon Thursday
For weeks I said I believed Michigan would be in the NCAA tournament field when things were all said and done because I thought the Wolverines would get just enough wins over the last month of the season to solidify themselves.
I don't think that's the case anymore and it's looking more like Michigan is going to have to pull and upset or two in Indianapolis to hear its name called on Selection Sunday.
9. Northwestern (20-11, 8-10)
Last week: 71-61 win at Penn State; 65-54 win vs. Nebraska
Big Ten tournament: No. 9 seed; plays No. 8 seed Michigan at noon Thursday
Northwestern took full advantage of the weak ending to its regular-season schedule by closing out the year with three-straight wins heading into the Big Ten tournament. The Wildcats are looking to end Michigan's NCAA tournament hopes Thursday.
10. Penn State (16-15, 7-11)
Last week: 71-61 loss vs. Northwestern; 86-79 win vs. Illinois (2OT)
Big Ten tournament: No. 10 seed; plays No. 7 seed Ohio State at 6:30 p.m. Thursday
Penn State is 4-2 over its last six games with a victory over Iowa in that stretch so the Nittany Lions are no pushover. Ohio State needs to be very careful with this one.
ICYMI: Shep Garner scored 22 points to help lead @PennStateMBB to an 86-79 double-overtime win against Illinois. https://t.co/hNGJCbHf1x
— Penn State On BTN (@PennStateOnBTN) March 6, 2016
11. Nebraska (14-17, 6-12)
Last week: 81-62 loss vs. Purdue; 65-54 loss at Northwestern
Big Ten tournament: No. 11 seed; plays 14th-seeded Rutgers at 7 p.m. Wednesday
It has been a long season in Lincoln and with Sunday's loss to Northwestern the Huskers couldn't avoid playing on Wednesday in the Big Ten tournament. Shavon Shields can win Nebraska a game. But two? That'll be difficult.
12. Illinois (13-18, 5-13)
Last week: 81-55 loss at Maryland; 86-79 loss vs. Penn State (2OT)
Big Ten tournament: No. 12 seed; plays 13th-seeded Minnesota at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday
New Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman shook up the college football world a bit Saturday when he fired football coach Bill Cubit. Many thought Illini basketball coach John Groce was also on the hot seat, but Groce reportedly will be retained next season.
We'll see if that actually happens, though. It certainly wouldn't hurt if Illinois is at least competitive at the Big Ten tournament.
13. Minnesota (8-22, 2-16)
Last week: 62-49 loss vs. Wisconsin; 75-52 loss at Rutgers
Big Ten tournament: No. 13 seed; plays 12th-seeded Illinois at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday
I know Minnesota is down to like five scholarship players, but it lost to Rutgers and that's not a very good thing to do..
14. Rutgers (7-24, 1-17)
Last week: 97-66 loss vs. Michigan State; 75-52 win vs. Minnesota
Big Ten tournament: No. 14 seed; plays 11th-seeded Nebraska at 7 p.m. Wednesday
Rutgers won a game. I repeat, Rutgers won a Big Ten basketball game.
What a time to be alive.
