The Big Ten was vaunted as the top basketball conference in the country in the preseason by many analysts, fans, and players. It was thought by most to be the deepest conference in the country, while also having top teams in the mix such as Ohio State and Michigan State. As I type this article on February 4th, the Big Ten has one true National Championship contender, and that is Ohio State. The Big Ten is a fraud right now, and trails considerably behind top conferences such as the Big East and Big XII. Here are my Big Ten Power Rankings through February 4th:
1. Ohio State- Ohio State is by far the best team in the conference. The Buckeyes are undefeated in conference, and are the last undefeated team in Division 1 Basketball. The 2nd team in the Big Ten standings, Purdue, has 3 losses in conference, and trails the Buckeyes by a full 3 games. Jared Sullinger is a sensational freshman forward who is averaging 18 points and a double-double per game. He is one of the best players in the country, and is in a fight with Jimmer Fredette (BYU) and Kemba Walker (UConn) for Player of the Year. Guards on the perimeter for Ohio State benefit greatly from all the attention given to Sullinger. Jon Diebler, David Lighty, William Buford, and Aaron Craft are solid outside threats that have made teams pay for double teaming Sullinger in the paint. The dynamic combination of good outside shooters and a dominating inside presence has fueled Ohio State. My concern with Ohio State is the fact that the team plays to its competition, and rarely is impressive in its victories. In addition, the guards are good, but not great. Besides David Lighty, I do not trust the others to make plays on their own if Jared Sullinger is matched with a forward or center who can guard him one-on-one. Whether such a player exists is debatable, but if he does exist, Ohio State’s outside players will have trouble creating points, and Ohio State could run into trouble.
2. Wisconsin- The Badgers are an unimpressive second-best team in the Big Ten. They play a slow, burn-type offense, and rely on mistakes made by the opponent and solid play on the offensive end. The team is not particularly athletic, but rely on the Bo Ryan system to win games. Jordan Taylor is the lone player on that team that is a star athlete. The offense runs through him, and many times he needs to put the team on his back to give the Badgers a win. Jon Leuer is also a big factor for the Badgers, averaging just under 20 points per game. However, the Badgers’ style of play is not built for an NCAA tournament run. Bo Ryan teams that were far better than this one have struggled in the NCAA tournament in recent years, including just last year, when the team was nearly beaten by #13 seeded Wofford (The Badgers lost in the subsequent round to Cornell). The slow type of play and the fact that the team is not built on athletic ability increases the possibility of an early round upset loss in the NCAA tournament.
3. Purdue- The Boilermakers have played admirably this season without star player Robbie Hummel, who was lost for the season with a torn ACL, a re-aggravation of the injury he suffered at the end of last season. JaJuan Johnson has picked up his game after the loss of Hummel, and has played at an All-American level, averaging over 20 points per game and carrying Purdue’s inside game. E’Twaun Moore has become Johnson’s sidekick, averaging over 17 points per game. These two players average over half the team’s scoring per game. I also worry about Purdue’s NCAA tournament prospects, as the loss of Hummel prevents the Boilermakers from having a consistent double digit third scorer.
4. Illinois- At this point, the conference heads into mediocrity. The Illini have certainly struggled this season, losing 7 games and 4 of the last 6. Demitri McCamey is a very talented guard, and big men Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis help to control the inside. Illinois is much more talented that it has been playing, and this team could turn the season around and could make a decent run in the NCAA tournament. Essential to the success of the Illini is the performance of role players such as D.J. Richardson and Jereme Richmond, who can take pressure off the always tightly guarded and highly scouted Demetri McCamey.
5. Minnesota- The Golden Gophers began the season very impressively, with an 11-1 record in the non-conference, including wins against North Carolina and West Virginia. Since that point, however, the Gophers have stagnated, posting a 5-5 conference record, including the team’s most recent loss at Indiana. The Gophers are led by Blake Hoffarber, Trevor Mbakwe, Devoe Josepth, and Ralph Sampson III, who all contribute over 10 points per game for a very balanced scoring attack. My concern with Minnesota is the lack of a dominant scorer. The team plays a great system under Tubby Smith, but I do not think the team is talented or athletic enough to make any type of run in March.
6. Penn State- The Nittany Lions have been playing much better as of late, barring the most recent game on the road at Illinois. Prior to that game, the Lions went 4-2 in the previous 6 games, with 3 wins against ranked teams and the only losses coming by 1 possession at Ohio State and at Purdue. The Lions missed several opportunities in the non-conference to build the tournament resume, but missed out on every important game. At this point, seniors Talor Battle, David Jackson, Andrew Jones, and Jeff Brooks need to lead the team to a 5-2 record in the final 7 regular season games with at least 1 win in the Big Ten tournament to accomplish their dream of reaching the NCAA tournament.
7. Michigan State- The Spartans are not a very good team right now. The team was ranked #2 entering the season, but lost nearly every game against a ranked opponent in the non-conference. Then, when conference play started, the Spartans continued with their mediocre play, and began 4-1 with a bad loss to Penn State. However, in the last 5 games, Michigan State has collapsed. The Spartans have a 1-4 record in their last 5, with the only victory coming in overtime against Indiana at home. In the team’s most recent game, Michigan State lost in a rout at Iowa, 72-52. Kalin Lucas, Durrell Summers, and Draymond Green have been inconsistent all season long, and Korie Lucious was suspended last week for the remainder of the season.
8. Michigan- The Wolverines began the conference season 1-6, but have won 2 of their last 3, with the loss coming at Ohio State by 9 points. Michigan is led by Darius Morris and Tim Hardaway Jr., both of whom average over 10 points per game. John Beilein still has work to do with his rebuilding effort in Ann Arbor, and the next opportunity will come this Sunday at Penn State.
9. Northwestern- The Wildcats began the season 8-0, but are 5-8 since. Northwestern posts an unimpressive 3-7 conference record, with wins over Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan. John Shurna leads the Wildcat offense with 19 points per game, and Juice Thompson leads the backcourt with his impressive ball handling and passing skills.
10. Indiana- The Hoosiers are 12-11, and are still looking to return to the prominence the program has boasted throughout history. If nothing else, Head Coach Tom Crean has his team playing hard every game. After beginning the conference season 1-8, the Hoosiers have played 2-1 in the last three, with wins against ranked Illinois and ranked Minnesota.
11. Iowa- The Hawkeyes are 9-13, and by all accounts the season has been a disappointment. However, the surprise of the season came just two nights ago, when Iowa handed Michigan State a 20 point loss. First year Head Coach Fran McCaffery hopes to restore the program to respectability over the next few years.
Stay tuned next week for an other edition of Conference Power Rankings!