By Connor Muldowney @Connormuldowney on January 26, 2015
Big Ten Power Rankings: Week 12
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Week 12 of the college basketball season has already approached and it's time to start looking at the home-stretch of the regular season, heading into the NCAA Tournament. As one of the top conferences in the nation, the Big Ten will likely send a handful of teams to the Big Dance.
Let's take a look at the week 12 power rankings.
14. Northwestern Wildcats (10-10, 1-6); Last week: 13
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14. Northwestern Wildcats (10-10, 1-6); Last week: 13
Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
It was another two-loss week for the Wildcats in week 11 as Northwestern had to face Ohio State and Maryland, taking extremely close defeats to both. This team was 9-4 heading into conference play and six straight losses have lit a fire to the 'maybe next year' talks.
This week: vs. Purdue
13. Penn State Nittany Lions (13-7, 1-6); Last week: 14
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13. Penn State Nittany Lions (13-7, 1-6); Last week: 14
Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports
Penn State is no longer in the bottom of my power rankings and the sole reason for that is the Nittany Lions defeated the Scarlet Knights for their first conference win of the year.
This week: vs. Minnesota, at Illinois
12. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (10-11, 2-6); Last week: 12
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12. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (10-11, 2-6); Last week: 12
Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports
Rutgers has had a rude awakening in its first season in the Big Ten, winning just two games in the first eight conference battles -- although one was against the best team in the league. However, Rutgers is 0-4 since defeating Wisconsin in a huge upset win on January 11.
This week: vs. Michigan State, at No. 22 Indiana
11. Minnesota Golden Gophers (13-8, 2-6); Last week: 10
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11. Minnesota Golden Gophers (13-8, 2-6); Last week: 10
Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Heading into conference play with an 11-2 record with only losses coming against St. John's and No. 8 Louisville, Minnesota looked like a real contender. After starting the conference season with a 2-6 mark, the Gophers are looking to prove they are more than just a flash in the pan.
This week: at Penn State, vs. Nebraska
10. Purdue Boilermakers (12-8, 4-3); Last week: 8
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10. Purdue Boilermakers (12-8, 4-3); Last week: 8
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Purdue had to get a big win over Iowa in order to make up for a tough loss on the road to Illinois. This team is young and talented, but maybe still a few years away from being serious contenders.
This week: vs. No. 22 Indiana, at Northwestern
9. Illinois Fighting Illini (13-8, 3-5); Last week: 9
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9. Illinois Fighting Illini (13-8, 3-5); Last week: 9
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Illinois is another team that can beat anyone, but recent struggles have derailed a team that was destined for a tournament birth. Last week, Illinois lost to an even more reeling Minnesota team.
This week: vs. Penn State
8. Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-7, 4-3); Last week: 11
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8. Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-7, 4-3); Last week: 11
Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Nebraska finally had the 2-0 week that it was looking for, taking down Minnesota and Michigan State. The Cornhuskers have gone from no hope to promising future for the rest of 2015.
This week: at Michigan, at Minnesota
7. Michigan State Spartans (13-7, 4-3); Last week: 5
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7. Michigan State Spartans (13-7, 4-3); Last week: 5
Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Michigan State is a head-scratcher of a team. They have all the talent in the world, but the pieces on the team aren't working together to make the machine run smoothly. This could be the year Michigan State ends their consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances run.
This week: at Rutgers, vs. Michigan
6. Michigan Wolverines (12-8, 5-3); Last week: 7
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6. Michigan Wolverines (12-8, 5-3); Last week: 7
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Michigan took the conference's top team into overtime and nearly escaped with an upset win for the ages. However, Michigan lost Caris LeVert for the season and that might be the final nail in the 2014-15 season coffin for the Wolverines.
This week: vs. Nebraska, at Michigan State
5. Iowa Hawkeyes (13-7, 4-3); Last week: 3
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5. Iowa Hawkeyes (13-7, 4-3); Last week: 3
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Iowa was 13-5 heading into week 11, finally cracking the Top 25, but the Hawkeyes lost two consecutive games in week 11 -- a blowout loss to Wisconsin and a tough loss to a lesser Purdue team. Iowa can be elite in the Big Ten, but they can't get blown out by fellow elite teams.
This week: vs. No. 5 Wisconsin
4. Indiana Hoosiers (15-5, 5-2); Last week: 4
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4. Indiana Hoosiers (15-5, 5-2); Last week: 4
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Indiana is surely a team that has come on strong in recent weeks -- ever since a tough loss to Michigan State by 20 points. Since that loss, the Hoosiers are 4-1 with wins over No. 22 Ohio State and No. 14 Maryland at home.
This week: at Purdue, vs. Rutgers
3. Ohio State Buckeyes (16-5, 5-3); Last week: 6
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3. Ohio State Buckeyes (16-5, 5-3); Last week: 6
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Ohio State was dropped to No. 6 in my power rankings a week ago and they managed to prove my ranking wrong right away, winning two games in week 11. A close win over Northwestern was overshadowed by a nice 12-point win against No. 23 Indiana.
This week: vs. No. 16 Maryland
2. Maryland Terrapins (18-3, 6-2); Last week: 1
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2. Maryland Terrapins (18-3, 6-2); Last week: 1
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Maryland was blown out by Indiana earlier in week 12, basically asking to be moved to No. 2 in the power rankings after I had upped them to No. 1 just one week ago for the first time all year. This team is good, but Wisconsin in the king of the conference this year.
This week: at Ohio State
1. Wisconsin Badgers (18-2, 6-1); Last week: 2
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1. Wisconsin Badgers (18-2, 6-1); Last week: 2
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Wisconsin had yet another 2-0 week, destroying No. 25 Iowa and taking down a tough Michigan team on the road in overtime. This team will likely run away with the conference title in a down year for the Big Ten, but there are still teams in the conference out for blood.
This week: at Iowa