Big Ten Power Rankings: Late January edition

The halfway point of Big Ten play is near and contenders are beginning to separate themselves from pretenders for the regular-season title.

Here’s our updated look at how the league stands as we approach the end of January:

18. Penn State (9-10, 0-8)

The Nittany Lions are still searching for their first Big Ten win after losing their last two games by a combined 50 points to Maryland (road) and Wisconsin (home).

KenPom only has Penn State favored in one game the rest of the season: Rutgers at home on February 18. The Nittany Lions haven’t beaten a team ranked higher than No. 181 on KenPom.

17. Maryland (8-12, 1-8)

The Terps got their first Big Ten win against Penn State in College Park on January 18 and followed that up with a 19-point loss at Illinois and a 43-point loss at Michigan State.

The Buzz Williams experiment in College Park has been a complete bust so far.

16. Oregon (8-12, 1-8)

Injuries have derailed Oregon’s season as Nate Bittle and Jackson Shelstead, the program’s two best players, have both missed time. Shelstad is likely out for the season and Bittle is expected to be out until at least mid-February.

After beating Maryland in College Park on January 2, the Ducks have lost six in a row and only one game was closer than 10 points. Without Shelstad and Bittle, Oregon could be the worst team in the league the rest of the way.

15. Rutgers (9-11, 2-7)

The Scarlet Knights are the lowest-ranked Big Ten team in KenPom, but have a pair of conference home wins over Oregon and Northwestern in overtime.

A bright spot for Steve Pikiell in an otherwise dreary season has been the play of NJIT transfer guard Tariq Francis. The 6-foot-1 Francis had 30 points in the wins against Oregon and Northwestern and is averaging 15.9 points off the bench.

14. Northwestern (9-11, 1-8)

The Wildcats got in the win column for the first time in Big Ten play last week at USC with a 74-68 win against the Trojans.

Northwestern has been competitive in most conference games, but a mix of poor offense (28.9 percent on 3s, 50.3 percent on 2s) and defense (1.18 PPP allowed) has Chris Collins headed for a second straight NCAA tournament miss.

13. Minnesota (10-10, 3-6)

A 3-1 start to Big Ten play for Niko Medved and the Gophers is now a distant memory. Minnesota has lost five in a row, including three at Williams Arena in that stretch.

Minnesota has a thin rotation and fatigue could be a real problem in the back half of the Big Ten schedule. Medved, however, is too good a coach for Minnesota to go entirely in the tank and the Gophers will likely pick off a few more teams at home down the stretch.

12. Washington (11-9, 3-6)

Washington has one of the Big Ten’s most talented young players in Hannes Steinbach, but has been without guard Wesley Yates for a good part of Big Ten play. And now the Huskies will be without Desmond Claude for the remainder of the season.

Fortunately for Danny Sprinkle, Yates is back, which should be a boost for the backcourt as his minutes ramp back up. A favorable close to the schedule – KenPom projects wins in Washington’s final seven games – will make the Huskies a team to watch in mid-February and beyond.

11. Indiana (13-7, 4-5)

The Hoosiers snapped a four-game losing streak with a beatdown of Rutgers on Friday night, but the schedule doesn’t ease up for a while for Darian DeVries.

IU’s defense has cratered in Big Ten play against the league’s top teams. In its four-game losing streak, the Hoosiers gave up at least 1.23 points per possession in each loss.

10. Ohio State (13-6, 5-4)

The Buckeyes are currently a bubble team for the NCAA tournament, but need a few signature wins to boost their resume.

Opportunities are plentiful the rest of the season, as Ohio State has home games against Michigan and Purdue, a neutral-court game against Virginia and a road game at Michigan State.

9. Wisconsin (14-6, 6-3)

The Badgers had their five-game winning streak snapped on Sunday at the Kohl Center against USC. A poor outing by John Blackwell was an issue as the junior shot just 3-for-13 from the field and had five turnovers.

A six-game stretch beginning on January 31 could be season-defining for Wisconsin. The Badgers host Ohio State, travel to IU and Illinois, host Michigan State, travel to Ohio State and host Iowa.

8. USC (15-5, 4-5)

USC’s performance has been Jekyll and Hyde, as evidenced by its last two games. The Trojans lost at home to Northwestern on Wednesday and then beat Wisconsin at the Kohl Center on Sunday behind 29 points from Chad Baker-Mazara.

USC is the worst 3-point shooting team in the Big Ten at 26.2 percent in league games.

7. Iowa (14-5, 4-4)

The Hawkeyes lack a signature win but are on track to make the NCAA tournament.

Despite ranking in the bottom four in the Big Ten in turnover percentage, offensive rebounding percentage and free-throw rate, Iowa is .500 in Big Ten play. It has a chance to rack up wins over its next five games: USC, at Oregon, at Washington, Northwestern and at Maryland.

6. UCLA (14-6, 6-3)

Mick Cronin never seems satisfied with his team, but the Bruins have won four of five and are KenPom favorites in their next four: at Oregon, Indiana, Rutgers and Washington.

Donovan Dent has played better as of late, recording 25 assists over his last three games and a 25-point effort in a win against Purdue on January 20.

5. Purdue (17-3, 7-2)

The Boilermakers started Big Ten play 7-0 but have dropped their last two games at UCLA and to Illinois at Mackey Arena.

The preseason Big Ten favorite is still in the hunt for the league crown, but is currently behind four teams in the standings. With a veteran group led by Braden Smith, Purdue has an opportunity to bounce back and make a statement in Tuesday’s rivalry game at Indiana.

4. Michigan State (18-2, 8-1)

Tom Izzo’s team owns the best defense in the Big Ten and has ripped off six straight wins.

That streak will likely extend to seven on Tuesday at Rutgers before the Spartans return home to host rival Michigan on January 30. That game will have significant implications in the conference title race.

3. Illinois (17-3, 8-1)

Keaton Wagler’s 46-point effort at Purdue on Saturday was the best individual performance by a player in college basketball this season. The true freshman made nine 3-pointers in the win at Mackey Arena, silencing one of college basketball’s best home crowds.

The Fighting Illini are a joy to watch offensively and lead the Big Ten with 1.25 points per possession in conference games.

2. Michigan (18-1, 8-1)

Michigan has lost its grip on the top spot in KenPom and has looked mortal in recent weeks. The Wolverines suffered a stunning home loss to Wisconsin on January 10 and haven’t won a game by more than 14 points since. Given how this team was dominating through early January, the level of play has dropped off significantly in recent weeks.

So what’s changed? The defense has regressed. After giving up more than one point per possession in three of its first 13 games, Michigan has allowed more than a point per possession in five of its last six.

1. Nebraska (20-0, 9-0)

The Huskers started the season No. 51 in KenPom and are closing in on the top 10 after 20 games. Nebraska leads the Big Ten in 3-point shooting percentage and has the second-lowest turnover percentage.

But it’s the defense that stands out. The Huskers are allowing only .986 points per trip in league play, the second-best mark in the conference. A huge week awaits Fred Hoiberg’s team. Nebraska travels to Michigan on Tuesday before hosting Illinois on Sunday.

(Chart via UMHoops)

See More: Commentary, Big Ten Power Rankings