Big Ten Power Rankings

Here's the first installment of my Big Ten Power Rankings. Michigan State remains no. 1 -- they still have the best league record and the most talented roster. The Hawks debut at no. 10 where they may stay all year. The rest of the Big Ten simply has Iowa outmanned. The league is as deep and athletic as its been in some time.

1. Michigan State (15-3, 5-1): The Spartans’ surprising home loss to Northwestern raises some questions, but Tom Izzo’s club has proven they’re the Big Ten’s best with wins over Texas, Minneosta, Kansas and Illinois. Plus, they boast the best talent in the league.

2. Illinois (16-3, 4-2): The Illini improved as much as any team in the conference since last season. Four Illinois players average 11 points or more on a balanced team. Wins over Missouri, and Purdue in Mackey Arena, will look good come tournament time.

3. Purdue (15-4, 4-2): Matt Painter’s Boilers were an early season disappointment but have turned it around of late, winning four straight. The victory at Minnesota was huge. As was getting Robbie Hummel and Chris Kramer healthy.

4. Minnesota (16-3, 4-3): Ultra quick point guard Al Nolen leads a deep and talented Gophers squad. This may not be a top 25 team but the wins over Louisville and over Wisconsin in Madison show what they are capable of. Tubby has the program rising.

5. Ohio State (13-4, 3-3): The Buckeyes are yet another borderline top 25 Big Ten team. They have the talent to beat almost anyone on a given night but are susceptible to laying an occasional egg (see their games against West Virginia and Illinois). B.J. Mullens’ continued progression is scary for the rest of the league.

6. Michigan (13-6, 3-4): John Belein’s Wolverines were the talk of the Big Ten with early victories over UCLA and Duke, but they’ve found themselves in a funk. They’ve lost three straight by an average of more than 12 points per game. Even so, this is an NCAA Tournament team with a star in Manny Harris.

7. Wisconsin (12-6, 3-3): Marcus Landry and Trevon Hughes have formed a solid core for a decent Bo Ryan team. After winning 61 games the last two seasons, however, the Badgers were bound for a reality check. Not to worry Wisky fans, Bo will have this team competing for league titles (again) in the near future.

8. Penn State (15-5, 4-3): The Nittany Lions' appearance here speaks to the great depth of the league. This team has three really good players in Talor Battle, Jamelle Cornley and Stanley Pringle. Their lack of depth keeps them for being ranked higher, and their soft out-of-conference schedule likely will keep them out of the NCAA Tournament.

9. Northwestern (10-6, 2-4): Where did that come from? Seriously, how the heck did the ‘Cats take out the Spartans in East Lansing? The home win over Minnesota was mildly surprising, but walking away from Michigan State victorious sent shockwaves throughout the league. It’s still difficult to imagine more than six or seven conference victories despite the presence of, little-known but super productive, Kevin Coble.

10. Iowa (12-7, 2-4): Matt Gatens continues to star as one of the conference’s premier freshman. The rest of the young Hawkeyes have struggled mightily against Big Ten foes, save for the thrilling overtime victory over Wisconsin. Point guard Jeff Peterson is averaging 4.5 turnovers per game in Big Ten play.

11. Indiana (5-12, 0-5): It’s ugly in Bloomington. But it’s hardly surprising. Tom Crean inherited a roster basically devoid of any basketball talent. The Hoosiers will make a large leap in year two of the Crean era. Next season they welcome the no. 7 rated recruiting class in the nation, according to rivals.com.