Big Ten basketball power rankings: Week of March 10

By Daily Illini Staff Report

Editor’s note: Every week, The Daily Illini basketball staff ranks the basketball teams in the Big Ten 1-14 and compiles the lists into its own Big Ten power rankings.

1. WISCONSIN (Last week: 2)

The No. 6 Badgers steamrolled No. 23 Ohio State 72-48 behind a 20-point performance by forward Frank Kaminsky, a finalist or this year’s Wooden Award.

2. MARYLAND (1)

Riding a seven-game winning streak into the Big Ten tournament, the No. 10 Terrapins’s resume looks strong with a win over No. 6 Wisconsin.

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3. MICHIGAN STATE (3)

Michigan State has shot 44 percent in its final two games of the season, back-to-back wins over Purdue and Indiana.

4. IOWA (5)

The Hawkeyes closed out the season on a six-game winning streak and have double-digit wins in four of those games.

5. OHIO STATE (6)

With defensive struggles against No. 6 Wisconsin on Sunday, Ohio State was outrebounded 41-27 and allowed the Badgers to shoot 50 percent from the field.

6. PURDUE (4)

The Boilermakers grabbed a much-needed victory over Illinois to cap off a 20-win season, erasing a 13-point first-half Illini lead.

7. INDIANA (8)

Despite shooting better than 46 percent from the field, the Hoosiers lost a close game to Michigan State (74-72) .

8. ILLINOIS (7)

Illinois fell apart after a hot start Saturday against Purdue, the loss means an at-large NCAA tournament berth will likely take two or three wins in the Big Ten tournament.

9. NORTHWESTERN (10)

Northwestern pulled out an intense double-overtime win over Michigan last week, but then dropped a must-win game at Iowa a few days later.

10. MINNESOTA (9)

An upsetting regular season for Minnesota ended with a loss to Penn State, sticking the Golden Gophers with the No. 11 seed in this year’s conference tournament.

11. MICHIGAN (9)

The Wolverines couldn’t put Northwestern away in an 82-78 double-overtime loss but finished the regular season with a 10-point win over Rutgers.

12. NEBRASKA (12)

Dropping eight straight to close out their schedule, the Cornhuskers struggled to find relevancy in the Big Ten this season and fell to the No. 12 seed in the conference tournament.

13. PENN STATE (13)

D.J. Newbill’s 20.7 points per game weren’t enough to carry the Nittany Lions throughout the season, dropping to 4-14 in the Big Ten with two six-game losing streaks weighing them down.

14. RUTGERS (14)

The bleeding won’t stop for the Scarlet Knights, who have lost 14 straight games with nine by double-digits.