Big Ten men’s basketball power poll | Fierce competition at the top | Satisfied

The last Big Ten men’s basketball power poll from Illinois beat Scott Richey came a month ago. Let’s just say some things have changed since before the holiday season. Others are frustratingly the same if you’re a fan of, say, Indiana. Here’s how Richey, in his 10th season covering the Illini, sees the conference stacking up now:

1. Michigan State (15-2, 6-0 Big Ten)

The Spartans are not that flashy. Probably won’t blow you away offensively. But they embody the typical gritty Tom Izzo team. One that now rides a 10-game winning streak into Sunday’s showdown with Illinois at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich. Jaden Akins has emerged as Michigan State’s scoring leader, but Jeremy Fears Jr. running the point — and running it well — has been vital.

2. Illinois (13-4, 5-2)

At this point, Illinois has almost as many Big Ten blowouts as non-league play with wins against Oregon (32 points), Penn State (39 points) and now Indiana (25 points). The Illini are also tied for first with three Big Ten road wins. A critical statistic for title contenders. Avoiding more “stinky” home losses is key.

3. Michigan (13-3, 5-0)

The Wolverines rank first nationally in effective field goal percentage. A metric clearly bolstered by having a pair of offensive-minded 7-footers. Vlad Goldin (old-school big) and Danny Wolf (stretch 5) couldn’t be more different in skills, but choosing to play them together was the best decision Dusty May made.

4. Purdue (13-4, 5-1)

Purdue is undefeated in Big Ten play in the new year with the trio of Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer still responsible for that success. But don’t write off the Boilermakers for another conference championship after wins against Minnesota, Northwestern, Rutgers and Nebraska.

5. Oregon (15-2, 4-2)

The Ducks have rebounded from being throttled at home by Illinois two weeks ago with three straight Big Ten wins. Three close wins in a row – with a combined seven points – but wins nonetheless. Point guard Jackson Shelstad, finally playing like the preseason All-Big Ten selection he was, has been key.

6. Wisconsin (14-3, 4-2)

It’s still a bit disconcerting to see Wisconsin score 100-plus against power conference opponents (something accomplished twice so far this year). Where are the Badgers grinding out wins riding nothing but Swing? However, going modern has worked with Wisconsin on a six-game winning streak.

7. Maryland (13-4, 3-3)

Returning home after a winless Pacific Northwest swing to restart Big Ten play seemingly cured what ailed the Terrapins. Playing UCLA and Minnesota after doing that certainly didn’t hurt. Maryland has a top 30 offense and defense, and freshman center Derik Queen is a big reason the Terrapins are successful in both.

8. Southern Cal (11-6, 3-3)

First-year coach Eric Musselman had to build his roster from scratch. Finding chemistry took a hit when USC lost a starter in Terrance Williams II after just seven games and its sixth man, Matt Knowling, a few weeks later to injuries. But perhaps the Trojans are finding their way with big wins against Illinois and Iowa.

9. Iowa (12-5, 3-3)

It’s the same old story in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes boast a high-level offense led by Payton Sandfort and Owen Freeman that ranks 10th in the Big Ten in scoring, and have once again paired it with the worst defense in the conference. For example, Iowa has scored at least 80 points in four of its five losses.

10. Nebraska (12-4, 2-3)

There’s a real argument to be made, Nebraska guard Brice Williams should at least be in the running for Big Ten Most Improved Player. The Charlotte transfer didn’t suffer a slump last year in his first season in the league, and now he’s a top-4 scorer in the conference for a potential NCAA Tournament team.

11. Ohio State (10-7, 2-4)

Getting outscored by Maryland in their Big Ten opener was the only conference game the Buckeyes haven’t been at least competitive. They’ve lost three of their last four games — a double-overtime win against Minnesota outstanding — but all were by single digits and the last two were by two points each.

12. Penn State (12-6, 2-5)

A soft non-conference schedule outside of facing Clemson on a neutral court (a loss) put all of the Nittany Lions’ eggs in the Big Ten basket. And things looked promising with a December win against Purdue and a win against Northwestern to start the new year. Four straight losses have followed.

13. UCLA (11-6, 2-4)

It wasn’t that long ago that UCLA was ranked as one of the top 25 teams in the country. After that, the Bruins lost four straight in league play as part of a five-game losing streak after a 10-1 start. Mick Cronin ended up calling his own players delusional in the wake of one of those losses. Can you say… Red Flag!

14. Northwestern (10-6, 1-4)

Without a gift in the form of an overtime win from Illinois in early December, Northwestern could be slumbering in the Big Ten basement with Minnesota. The Wildcats have lost some close conference games and have also been knocked around a bit as they clearly need more from their supporting cast.

15. Rutgers (9-8, 2-4)

The two man show in Piscataway, NJ is not working. Rutgers might have a few lottery picks — maybe no. 2 and 3 overall after Duke’s Cooper Flagg – but the combination of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey hasn’t been enough. Steve Pikiell sacrificed his team’s defensive fire and it has backfired midway through the season.

16. Indiana (13-5, 4-3)

Record-wise, the Hoosiers should be higher given their place in the middle of the Big Ten. Records can be deceiving. The mood wasn’t tense for Indiana Tuesday night at Assembly Hall, with fans calling for Mike Woodson to be fired and more than a few players just going through the motions in their loss to Illinois.

17. Washington (10-7, 1-5)

Life in the Big Ten has been tough for the Huskies. Danny Sprinkle followed up consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances with Montana State in 2022 and 2023 with another at Utah State in 2024. The streak ends this year. Not even Washington’s $2 million man in Great Osobor can pull the team that far.

18. Minnesota (8-9, 0-6)

How much can you really blame Gophers coach Ben Johnson? The majority of his top players from last season’s 19-win team — except for Dawson Garcia — left for greener pastures (if you catch my drift). But winless in Big Ten games is one thing. Windless and mostly uncompetitive is another.