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Big Ten basketball power rankings Jan. 19

The Boilermakers sit on top in our first rankings.

By Inside NU Archives
NCAA Basketball: Illinois at Purdue Sandra Dukes-USA TODAY Sports

We’re about a third of the way through the Big Ten slate, plenty of time to pass judgment on the conference as a whole. While some teams (Indiana, Michigan) have struggled early, others (Northwestern, Nebraska) have been pleasant surprises. Here’s how we view to conference from top to bottom.

1

Purdue Boilermakers

RECORD: 15-4 (4-2)
NEXT: vs. Penn State
AVERAGE RANK: 1.45
Purdue just thrashed Illinois at home, and with Caleb Swanigan playing at a Big Ten Player of the Year level, the Boilermakers certainly belong in the top tier.
Zach Pereles 1 Will Ragatz 2
Chris Grismer 2 Zach Wingrove 2
Josh Burton 1 Sam Brief 1
Isaac Bushnell 2 Ian McCafferty 1
Tristan Jung 2 Henry DaMour 1
Caleb Friedman 1

2

Wisconsin Badgers

RECORD: 15-3 (4-1)
NEXT: at Minnesota
AVERAGE RANK: 1.55
Wisconsin is the only Big Ten team in Kenpom's top 10, coming in at No. 9.
Zach Pereles 2 Will Ragatz 1
Chris Grismer 1 Zach Wingrove 1
Josh Burton 2 Sam Brief 2
Isaac Bushnell 1 Ian McCafferty 2
Tristan Jung 1 Henry DaMour 2
Caleb Friedman 2

3

Maryland Terrapins

RECORD: 16-2 (4-1)
NEXT: at Iowa
AVERAGE RANK: 3.45
Led by Melo Trimble, Maryland has been a pleasant surprise thus far. Freshman point guard Anthony Cowan is legit.
Zach Pereles 3 Will Ragatz 3
Chris Grismer 4 Zach Wingrove 3
Josh Burton 4 Sam Brief 3
Isaac Bushnell 3 Ian McCafferty 3
Tristan Jung 5 Henry DaMour 3
Caleb Friedman 4

4

Michigan State Spartans

RECORD: 12-7 (4-2)
NEXT: at Indiana
AVERAGE RANK: 3.73
The Spartans seemed to be rounding into form after a tough, injury-plagued start, but then they lost to Penn State.
Zach Pereles 4 Will Ragatz 4
Chris Grismer 3 Zach Wingrove 4
Josh Burton 3 Sam Brief 4
Isaac Bushnell 5 Ian McCafferty 4
Tristan Jung 3 Henry DaMour 4
Caleb Friedman 3

5

Northwestern Wildcats

RECORD: 15-4 (4-2)
NEXT: at Ohio State
AVERAGE RANK: 5.82
Northwestern has a week off after its 35-point win over Iowa. Ohio State will be an important test.
Zach Pereles 6 Will Ragatz 5
Chris Grismer 5 Zach Wingrove 6
Josh Burton 5 Sam Brief 7
Isaac Bushnell 6 Ian McCafferty 5
Tristan Jung 6 Henry DaMour 6
Caleb Friedman 7

T-6

Minnesota Golden Gophers

RECORD: 15-4 (3-3)
NEXT: vs. Wisconsin
AVERAGE RANK: 6.09
The Golden Gophers have come back to Earth a bit and now sit at 3-3 in conference.
Zach Pereles 5 Will Ragatz 7
Chris Grismer 8 Zach Wingrove 7
Josh Burton 7 Sam Brief 5
Isaac Bushnell 7 Ian McCafferty 7
Tristan Jung 4 Henry DaMour 5
Caleb Friedman 5

T-6

Indiana Hoosiers

RECORD: 12-6 (2-3)
NEXT: at Penn State
AVERAGE RANK: 6.09
What is wrong with the Hoosiers, exactly? Turnovers and a porous defense are two big problems.
Zach Pereles 7 Will Ragatz 6
Chris Grismer 7 Zach Wingrove 5
Josh Burton 6 Sam Brief 6
Isaac Bushnell 4 Ian McCafferty 6
Tristan Jung 7 Henry DaMour 7
Caleb Friedman 6

8

Nebraska Cornhuskers

RECORD: 9-8 (3-2)
NEXT: vs. Ohio State
AVERAGE RANK: 8.36
After jumping out to a 3-0 record in the Big Ten, Nebraska has lost two in a row.
Zach Pereles 11 Will Ragatz 8
Chris Grismer 6 Zach Wingrove 9
Josh Burton 8 Sam Brief 9
Isaac Bushnell 8 Ian McCafferty 8
Tristan Jung 8 Henry DaMour 8
Caleb Friedman 9

9

Illinois Fighting Illini

RECORD: 12-7 (2-4)
NEXT: at Michigan
AVERAGE RANK: 9.55
The Illini have talent, that much is obvious, but they play no defense.
Zach Pereles 10 Will Ragatz 9
Chris Grismer 11 Zach Wingrove 8
Josh Burton 9 Sam Brief 8
Isaac Bushnell 12 Ian McCafferty 10
Tristan Jung 11 Henry DaMour 9
Caleb Friedman 8

10

Ohio State Buckeyes

RECORD: 11-7 (1-4)
NEXT: at Nebraska
AVERAGE RANK: 10.73
Ohio State got off to a horrendous 0-4 B1G start. Was a win over MSU a fluke or a sign the Buckeyes have turned things around?
Zach Pereles 8 Will Ragatz 11
Chris Grismer 12 Zach Wingrove 12
Josh Burton 11 Sam Brief 12
Isaac Bushnell 11 Ian McCafferty 9
Tristan Jung 10 Henry DaMour 12
Caleb Friedman 10

T-11

Penn State Nittany Lions

RECORD: 11-7 (3-2)
NEXT: vs. Indiana
AVERAGE RANK: 11.27
The Nittany Lions have losses to Northwestern and Michigan and wins over Michigan State and Minnesota.
Zach Pereles 9 Will Ragatz 12
Chris Grismer 9 Zach Wingrove 13
Josh Burton 12 Sam Brief 13
Isaac Bushnell 9 Ian McCafferty 12
Tristan Jung 9 Henry DaMour 13
Caleb Friedman 13

T-11

Iowa Hawkeyes

RECORD: 11-8 (3-3)
NEXT: vs. Maryland
AVERAGE RANK: 11.27
The Hawkeyes are really young, and if Peter Jok isn't scoring, his team isn't, either.
Zach Pereles 12 Will Ragatz 13
Chris Grismer 10 Zach Wingrove 11
Josh Burton 10 Sam Brief 10
Isaac Bushnell 10 Ian McCafferty 13
Tristan Jung 13 Henry DaMour 11
Caleb Friedman 11

13

Michigan Wolverines

RECORD: 12-7 (2-4)
NEXT: vs. Illinois
AVERAGE RANK: 11.64/span>
Michigan battled hard but lost at the Kohl Center. Defense is a major issue.
Zach Pereles 13 Will Ragatz 10
Chris Grismer 13 Zach Wingrove 10
Josh Burton 13 Sam Brief 11
Isaac Bushnell 13 Ian McCafferty 11
Tristan Jung 12 Henry DaMour 10
Caleb Friedman 12

14

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

RECORD: 11-8 (0-6)
NEXT: vs. Nebraska
AVERAGE RANK: 14.0
Rutger.
Zach Pereles 14 Will Ragatz 14
Chris Grismer 14 Zach Wingrove 14
Josh Burton 14 Sam Brief 14
Isaac Bushnell 14 Ian McCafferty 14
Tristan Jung 14 Henry DaMour 14
Caleb Friedman 14

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