The Big Ten inexplicably begins conference play in late November, so in anticipation of that I have the power rankings for the conference thus far. I haven't gotten a chance to see every team, but I have a good feel for what range I think most teams will finish in. I think that spots 3-10 are up for grabs, so the conference should be very competitive and fun to watch this year, especially with the top possessing more quality than year's past. I'm excited to see a lot of these teams play against quality competition more often and get a better feel for them, as well as see how the conference looks come January.
- Michigan
Record: 7-0
Notable Results: W @ Villanova 73-46, W vs Providence(neutral) 66-47, W vs UNC 84-67
My Thoughts: What a start this has been for the Wolverines. After losing key pieces from last season’s team, John Beilein has continued his defensive renaissance and it’s been working wonders. They are only allowing 51 points a game thus far, and the defense shows no signs of cracks. They have stifled some very good teams in Villanova and North Carolina, and they look ready to do the same to any other team that comes into their path. Offensively, they are playing like a typical John Beilein team and it looks good. While their number don’t jump off the page, they rarely take bad shots or turn the ball over, giving them one of the most efficient offenses in the country. Freshman Ignas Brazdeikis has been a revelation offensively, scoring nearly 16.9 points a game on 54.9% shooting. Center Jon Teske has stepped into the huge shoes left behind by Mo Wagner well, becoming a force on the defensive end. He has 17 blocks, almost of many as Wagner had all of last season, and leads the team in steals with 8 as well as collecting 5.9 rebounds a game. And I have to talk about Zavier Simpson, a player for whom I have expressed my love many times in the past. He’s an excellent floor general, dishing out 6 assists a game, and is a menace on the ball. He’s got 7 steals and always locks down whoever he is covering that game. His matchup against Carsen Edwards when Michigan takes on Purdue this Saturday will be fascinating as he’ll have to contain one of the best players in the country. As of now, he and the rest of the team seem up to the challenge, and they look capable of stopping any team in the nation on the defensive end.
- Michigan State
Record: 5-2
Notable Results: L vs Kansas(neutral) 92-87, W vs UCLA(neutral) 87-67, W vs Texas(neutral) 78-68, L @ Louisville 82-78
My Thoughts: Unlike their in-state rivals, the Spartans have made noise on the offensive end. They are scoring 88 points a game, good for 15th in the nation, and they have been getting it done from deep. They are making 42.4% of their shots from deep, 17th best in the nation, and they’re making over 10 a game. I said in the offseason that Joshua Langford needed to emerge as a go-to scorer, and he’s certainly showed that potential this year. He’s leading the team averaging 18 points a game, and making 45.5% of his threes. The big name on the team is of course Cassius Winston, and he’s been living up to the hype. He’s scoring 17.3 points a game to go along with 7.3 assists, which is seventh in the country, and 1.7 steals. Their defense has been solid, but it’s certainly exploitable, which was shown in their two losses. I also haven’t been impressed with the supporting cast around Langford, Winston, and Nick Ward, and they’ll need more from their bench to compete with elite competition They’re going to compete in the Big Ten once again, although I don’t think they possess the ceiling to win it right now.
- Iowa
Record: 6-0
Notable Results: W vs Oregon(neutral) 77-69, W vs UConn(neutral) 91-72, W vs Pitt 69-68
My Thoughts: I was higher than the consensus on Iowa this season, and they have been proving me right so far this year. With a shocking win over Oregon, who was ranked 13th at the time, and winning the 2k Classic in MSG over UConn the next night. They’ve been solid on both ends of the court, but their offense has really been clicking. They have 4 players scoring in double digits, and another at 9 points a game. Their balance makes it so teams can’t focus in on one player, and four different player have led the team in scoring through six games. Although their balance provides advantages, I would like to see more from Jordan Bohannon. The point guard was a star for the Hawkeyes last year, especially towards the end of the season, and he’s yet to really get going. If he can get back to his best, alongside freshman Joe Wieskamp, who’s been impressive thus far shooting the ball, then Iowa’s offense could hit new heights. Their next three games against Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Iowa State should tell us a lot about this team and just how good they can be.
- Wisconsin
Record: 6-1
Notable Results: W @ Xavier 77-68, W vs Stanford(neutral) 62-46, W vs Oklahoma(neutral) 78-58, L vs Virginia(neutral) 53-46, W vs NC State 79-75
My Thoughts: The Badgers are off to a very good start to their season, thanks to a good showing at the Battle 4 Atlantis, where they knocked off Stanford and Oklahoma before losing to Virginia. Side note, but the Wisconsin Virginia season has provided some of the most yawn inducing games of the past two seasons, with this year’s installment finishing 53-46, an offensive explosion compared to Virginia’s 49-37 win last season. Those scores are very indicative of how Wiscy has been playing this year, with a slow pace and good defense. They are allowing only 60.3 points a game, the 21st best mark in the nation, and have been very good on the defensive end. They have also been lighting it up from deep, making 43.8% of their shots from three point range, eighth best in the country. A large part of that has been D’Mitrik Trice, who is making 60% of his shots from deep, and he’s caught fire in multiple games. His floor spacing has been key for Ethan Happ who is having a typically great season, averaging 18 points, 12.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2 blocks a game. Their upcoming games against Iowa and Marquette will be big tests as they will face two potent offenses, and we’ll see what they are really made of. I’m personally a believer in them this season and I think they’ll be at the top of the Big Ten and in the top 25 for the majority of the year.
- Maryland
Record: 6-1
Notable Results: W vs Marshall 104-67, L vs Virginia 76-71
My Thoughts: It’s pretty tough to judge the Terps thus far, as they haven’t played against a lot of top-tier competition so far this season, and when they did, they lost. However, I’m buying into their early success. They have a lot of talent, and they are all playing well. They have 6 players scoring over 9.3 points a game, including 5 in double digits. What’s been really impressive to me is how well they’ve been rebounding, getting 42.6 boards, and they feature the fourth best offensive rebounding percentage in the country per KenPom. I think Anthony Cowan is one of the least appreciated players in the nation, scoring 16.6 points a game to go along with 4.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds. Bruno Fernando and Jalen Smith are proving they can play together, which is a major reason for the great rebounding numbers, and Eric Ayala has begun to show the shooting stroke that was hyped up out of high school after struggling early. Maryland features a key test against Purdue before finishing up a relatively weak non-conference schedule. They’ll need to prove they can beat good teams if they want to hold this spot in the Big Ten and compete for a spot in the top 25.
- Ohio State
Record: 6-1
Notable Results: W @ Cincinnati 64-56, W @ Creighton 69-60, L vs Syracuse 72-62
My Thoughts: The Buckeyes have been very good thus far, but I’m skeptical that they can continue their success. Their wins over Cincinnati and Creighton were impressive, and I definitely underestimated this team coming into the year. More importantly, I underestimated Chris Holtmann, which was foolish after the Buckeyes exceeded expectations last season. I’m looking foolish for not buying in right now, but I think things could change for Ohio State. Kaleb Wesson and CJ Jackson are going to continue to be excellent for Holtmann, but beyond them, I don’t see any consistent players on the roster. Luther Muhammad has been great early on, playing excellent defense and contributing 8.9 points and 2.7 assists a game on the offensive end, but he suffered a dislocated shoulder against Syracuse and could miss extended time. With him out, a lot of the offensive impetus will fall on Duane Washington and Keyshawn Woods, who have been very inconsistent thus far. It will also hurt the defense, which has been stellar, as neither is as talented as Muhammad. When Washington and Woods are on, Ohio State will be very good. When they are off, it’s hard to see them scoring enough to win games. I’m selling Ohio State as a top 25 team, and I think they’ll settle into the 7-10 seed range come March.
- Purdue
Record: 5-2
Notable Results: W vs Davidson(neutral) 79-58, L vs Virginia Tech(neutral) 89-83, L @ Florida State 73-73
My Thoughts: I think the Boilermakers have been massively overrated early this year. They’ve played two teams of a comparable talent level, and lost both games, including a melt down late against Florida State. They went scoreless in the final 3:30 and blew an 8 point lead in that time, and turned the ball over down 1 with 5 seconds left after a questionable timeout by Matt Painter. They also turned it over 3 times in the final minute, and Carsen Edwards missed two free throws that would’ve pushed their lead to 3 with 1:18 left. Edwards is hardly the problem, however, scoring 19 or more points in every game, along with leading the team with 4.1 assists. He’s one of the best players in the country, but he’s lacking a quality supporting cast. Ryan Cline has emerged as a very nice secondary scorer and knockdown shooter, but the rest of the roster hasn’t been special. Evan Boudreaux has been fine, but Painter was surely expecting more from Matt Haarms, who is getting under 5 rebounds a game despite being 7’3” and is only playing 17.7 minutes a game due to foul trouble. They need someone else to take a step forward to help Edwards and Cline, and they need Haarms to stay on the court, because they are worse defensively without his shot blocking abilities. Their next three games comne against Michigan, Maryland, and Texas, and I wouldn’t be shocked if they went 0-3 over that stretch. I need to see them beat another top team before I buy into the Boilermakers as anything more than a mid-tier Big Ten team with an All-American on the roster.
- Nebraska
Record: 6-1
Notable Results: W vs Seton Hall 80-57, L vs Texas Tech(neutral) 70-52, W @ Clemson 68-66
My Thoughts: The Cornhuskers came into the year with depth issues, and they definitely still persist. It doesn’t help that Isaiah Roby is struggling with fouls, as he is one of their most talented players. They rely on 3 players for the majority of their scoring, and for as good as James Palmer, Isaac Copeland, and Glynn Watson have been this year, they do need some help. Neither Thomas Allen or Nana Akenten have been reliable options, and Roby leaves a big hole in the frontcourt. Despite this, the Huskers hold quality wins with a blowout of Seton Hall and a victory at Clemson. Their defense has been a major strength, not allowing over 70 points in any game this year, and if they can keep that up, they will continue to win despite the lack of scoring from role players. They have the ability to knock off top teams, but don’t be shocked if they drop games to bottom feeders in the Big Ten. Their upcoming games against Minnesota, Creighton, and Oklahoma State will reveal a lot about how good this team is.
- Indiana
Record: 5-2
Notable Results: W vs Marquette 96-73, L @ Arkansas 73-72, L @ Duke 90-69
My Thoughts: The Hoosiers have been a bit up and down this year, as you can see by their results. They ran a good Marquette offense out of the gym, and then turned around and lost to a rebuilding Arkansas team. They also couldn’t hang with Duke, but then again not many teams can. I think this team has a very high ceiling, but they will be inconsistent all year. Stud freshman Romeo Langford has been just as good as advertising, leading the team in scoring with 17.7 a game, and senior big Juwan Morgan has been just as good. He’s scoring 16.1 points a night along with getting 8.1 rebounds. Those two are complimented by some solid, if unspectacular, role players. Robert Phinisee has been good at the point guard position, and sophomores Justin Smith and Aljami Durham have been up and down. As with a lot of the teams in the Big Ten, we’ll see if they are for real with a stretch of Northwestern, Penn State, Louisville, and Butler coming up. They should win all of those games, but a slip up or two certainly wouldn’t be shocking.
- Minnesota
Record: 5-1
Notable Results: W vs Utah 78-69, W vs Texas A&M(neutral) 69-64, W vs Washington(neutral) 68-66, L @Boston College 68-56
My Thoughts: I think some people have looked at Minnesota’s schedule and seen wins over 3 Power 5 opponents, and been tricked into thinking this team is better than they are. They have beaten Utah, who is a middling Pac 12 team this season, Texas A&M, who lost a lot of production, and Washington, which is a fairly nice victory, before losing to Boston College, who is one of the worst ACC teams. I just don’t see the talent on this roster to sustain a lofty record. That’s not to say the cabinet is completely bare for Richard Pitino, as he’s got some nice pieces to work with. Jordan Murphy is a walking double double, averaging 14.3 points and 12.2 rebounds a game. Amir Coffey has also looked much better this season, scoring 14 points a game. The most shocking things to me have been the emergence of Gabe Kalscheur over Isaiah Washington. Kalscheur, a freshman, has emerged as a good shooter who provides necessary floor spacing for this team, while Washington, a formerly hyped up recruit, is scoring just 4.3 points a night. He’s simply looked bad, shooting 20.9% from the field, and he’s slowly seeing his minutes decrease. I think the Golden Gophers will come back down to earth in their next three games, as they face challenging matchups with Oklahoma State, Ohio State, and Nebraska.
- Northwestern
Record: 6-1
Notable Results: L vs Fresno State(neutral) 78-59, W vs Utah 79-57, W vs Georgia Tech 67-61
My Thoughts: The Wildcats have been better than I thought in spurts, but I don’t see them doing much in the Big Ten. They haven’t really been tested thus far, with matchups against 2 teams in KenPom’s top 75, and they were number 74 and 75 in Fresno State and Georgia Tech. There are some really good players on this team in Vic Law and Ryan Taylor, who have been excellent. Law is doing everything for the Wildcats, scoring 17 points, getting 6.1 rebounds, and dishing out 3.1 assists a game while shooting 44.1% from three. Dererk Pardon has also been solid, but I don’t think he’ll hold up well against Big Ten centers. I also haven’t been impressed with AJ Taylor, and I think some of the poor performance will start to catch up with Northwestern against Indiana and Michigan to start Big Ten play.
- Rutgers
Record: 5-1
Notable Results: L vs St. John’s 84-65, W @Miami 57-54
My Thoughts: How about those Scarlet Knights? Have they been great? No, but they’re winning games. Are they playing great teams? Not really, but once again, a win is a win, and there are certainly lots of positives to take away. For one, they are tenth in adjusted defensive efficiency per KenPom, which may be a result of the teams they are playing, like Eastern Michigan, who only managed 4 points in the first half, but credit has to go Rutgers. Offensively, Geo Baker and Eugene Omoruyi have been standouts, both averaging over 15 points a game. They are the only two players scoring in double digits, but they do have Peter Kiss and Issa Thiam getting 9.7 points a game. Now I don’t expect Rutgers to be a Big Ten powerhouse by any stretch, but I’ve gotta say, I think they will win some games in the Big Ten this year, and maybe, just maybe, sneak into the NIT.
- Penn State
Record: 4-2
Notable Results: L @ DePaul 72-70, L vs Bradley 59-56, W vs Virginia Tech 63-62
My Thoughts: I was ready to completely write Penn State off this year after losses to DePaul and Bradley, but then they go out and beat Virginia Tech. Like Rutgers, they rank in the top 10 of KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency, but also like Rutgers, they aren’t playing great teams. Their offense is pretty one dimensional, but it’s a good dimension. Lamar Stevens has been otherworldly for the Nittany Lions, scoring 23 points a game to partner with 8.7 rebounds. He scored nearly half of the team’s points against Bradley with 23, and ironically the one time he scores under 20, they beat Virginia Tech. After him, Penn State needs to hope Josh Reaves or one of the freshman trio of Rasir Bolton, Myles Dread, or Myreon Jones has a good game. I think they will really struggle in the Big Ten this year with limited offensive options, and I don’t expect much from them.
- Illinois
Record: 2-5
Notable Results: L vs Georgetown 88-80, L vs Gonzaga(neutral) 84-78, L vs Iowa State(neutral) 84-68, L vs Xavier(neutral) 83-74, L @ Notre Dame 76-74
My Thoughts: Easily the worst team thus far, Illinois has had the misfortune of playing against some very tough opponents. However, they also dropped winnable games to Georgetown, Xavier, and Notre Dame, so they only have themselves to blame for their 2-5 record. That being said, there have been two bright spots in Ayo Dosunmu and Trent Frazier. Dosunmu specifically looks like a future pro and he may decide to leave Champagne after his freshman year, while Frazier is continuing his great play from last season, scoring 15.7 points a game. After those two, things aren’t great for the Fighting Illini, and I think they’ll struggle all year in the Big Ten.
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