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Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings: Illinois Getting No Respect – Nor Should It

The Illini's lame disappearing act against Michigan State hardly helps their cause
Steven Greenberg|
Feb 15, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kasparas Jakucionis (32) drives to the basket against Michigan State Spartans forward Jaxon Kohler (0) and Szymon Zapala (10) during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
Feb 15, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kasparas Jakucionis (32) drives to the basket against Michigan State Spartans forward Jaxon Kohler (0) and Szymon Zapala (10) during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

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Illinois Fighting IlliniOregon DucksUCLA BruinsMichigan State SpartansPurdue BoilermakersMichigan WolverinesWisconsin BadgersMaryland TerrapinsPenn State Nittany LionsIowa HawkeyesIndiana HoosiersNorthwestern WildcatsRutgers Scarlet KnightsDuke Blue Devils

Illinois' men's basketball team can look so very good. We've seen it – against Arkansas, at Oregon, against UCLA – enough times to really tickle the imagination.

As coach Brad Underwood often has put it, the team's ceiling is very high.

But we know what bad looks like, too, don't we? Bad shooting. Bad ball-handling. Bad starts to games. Bad game-changing stretches. Bad coaching, particularly when it comes to in-game adjustments.

The Illini are afterthoughts in the Big Ten, it turns out, which is disappointing. Their dueling collapses in a 79-65 loss at home to Michigan State were egregious. In the first half, they raced out to a 16-point lead only to allow the Spartans to go on a 13-0 run. Over the last eight-plus minutes of the second half, the Illini missed 18 straight shots and gave up a 15-point run to close the game.



The Spartans are much closer to the top of the heap. But two teams – Wisconsin and Michigan – are making all the noise. Purdue is fading a bit.

Let’s take it from the bottom (all times Central):

18. PENN STATE (13-13, 3-12)

The losing streak is at seven for the Nittany Lions. On the other hand, the Blue-White spring football game is only, like, 10 weeks away.

Polls: N/A.

NET ranking: 78.

Next up: 5:30 p.m. Wednesday vs. Nebraska (BTN).

17. NORTHWESTERN (13-13, 4-11)

The Wildcats blew a 20-point second-half lead in a loss to Nebraska, which reminds us: How in the hell did the Wildcats go up 20 on anybody?

Polls: N/A.

NET ranking: 61.

Next up: 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Ohio State (FS1).

16. RUTGERS (12-14, 5-10)

Hey, guess who's losing games again. Three of them in a row, matter of fact.

Polls: N/A.

NET ranking: 80.

Next up: 9:30 p.m. Wednesday at Washington (BTN).

15. IOWA (14-11, 5-9)

When the Hawkeyes are giving up 100-pieces, as they did at Maryland, you know it's bleak.

Polls: N/A.

NET ranking: 64.

Next up: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday vs. Oregon (BTN).

14. WASHINGTON (13-12, 4-10)

Six threes for Mekhi Mason at Penn State? Sheesh, that'll help. The Huskies are 3-2 over their last five.

Polls: N/A.

NET ranking: 93.

Next up: 9:30 p.m. Wednesday vs. Rutgers (BTN).

13. INDIANA (15-11, 4-9)

The Hoosiers are in a 1-6 stretch, but that one win – at Michigan State – let us know they can still be a handful.

Polls: N/A.

NET ranking: 57.

Next up: 12:30 p.m. Sunday vs. Purdue (CBS).

12. USC (14-11, 6-8)

Chibuzo Agbo hadn't led the Trojans in scoring in any game since December. Now he's done it two outings in a row.

Polls: N/A.

NET ranking: 66.

Next up: 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Maryland (FS1).

11. MINNESOTA (13-12, 5-9)

Lu'Cye Pattterson hadn't led the Gophers in scoring in any game since November. How he's done it two outings in a row.

Polls: N/A.

NET ranking: 94.

Next up: 9:30 p.m. Tuesday at UCLA (FS1).

10. OHIO STATE (15-10, 7-8)

The Buckeyes since the start of 2025: Lose one, win one, lose three, win three, lose one, win one, lose one, win one, lose one. Maybe pick a lane, fellas.

Polls: N/A.

NET ranking: 30.

Next up: 5:30 p.m. Thursday vs. Northwestern (FS1).

9. OREGON (18-8, 7-8)

With back-to-back wins – which was an absolute must at home against Northwestern and Rutgers – at least the Ducks have a pulse.

Polls: N/A.

NET ranking: 32.

Next up: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Iowa (BTN).

8. NEBRASKA (17-9, 7-8)

Coach Fred Hoiberg was so ticked off with his team being down big at Northwestern, he punched out a whiteboard and sliced up his hand. Hey, whatever works.

Polls: N/A.

Net ranking: 46.

Next up: 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Penn State (BTN).

7. ILLINOIS (17-9, 9-7)

In the time it takes you to read this sentence, the Illini will clang no fewer than seven more shots off the rim.

Polls: N/A.

NET ranking: 18.

Next up: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Wisconsin (FS1).

6. UCLA (19-7, 10-5)

The Bruins had to hold on for dear life to put away a win at Indiana, but you don't dare ask "how?" or "why?" when you're able to get one on the road.

Polls: N/A.

NET ranking: 23.

Next up: 9:30 p.m. Tuesday vs. Minnesota (FS1).

5. MARYLAND (20-6, 10-5)

The Terrapins got 95 points from their starters in a blowout of Iowa. That's right, the five lazy bums couldn't even crack 100.

Polls: No. 20 AP, No. 20 coaches.

NET ranking: 14.

Next up: 7:30 p.m. Thursday vs. USC (FS1).

4. PURDUE (19-7, 11-4)

Rim protection was a huge missing ingredient in losses to Michigan and Wisconsin. Matt Painter ought to consider recruiting a tall guy once in a while.

Polls: No. 14 AP, No. 14 coaches.

NET ranking: 13.

Next up: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Michigan State (Peacock).

3. MICHIGAN STATE (20-5, 11-3)

Illinois didn't just forget how to play after jumping up big on the Spartans. It took a pretty tough team to claw back. Congrats to Tom Izzo, the Big Ten's all-time leader in conference victories.

Polls: No. 13 AP, No. 13 coaches.

NET ranking: 21.

Next up: 6 p.m. Tuesday vs. Purdue (Peacock).

2. MICHIGAN (20-5, 12-2)

The Wolverines have won six in a row. In close games, they're absolute money. They more than deserve this four-spot bump in the rankings.

Polls: No. 12 AP, No. 12 coaches.

NET ranking: 19.

Next up: 7 p.m. Friday vs. Michigan State (FOX).

1. WISCONSIN (20-5, 10-4)

Well, well, look who's in the top spot. John Tonje can't stop scoring. Everyone else is chipping in nicely. Bucky is on fire.

Polls: No. 11 AP, No. 11 coaches.

NET ranking: 12.

Next up: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday vs. Illinois (FS1).

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

How to Watch: Illinois Basketball at Wisconsin (Game 27)

The Solution for Illinois' Basketball? 'We Should Start Driving the Ball More'

Illinois Issues an Apology for Terrence Shannon Jr. Jersey Ceremony Mistake

Published
Steven Greenberg
STEVEN GREENBERG

Greenberg is a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, has written about college sports since the early 1990s. He covered University of Wisconsin football and basketball in the early 1990s before spending nearly 20 years as a magazine editor and writer. A former managing editor, features writer and college football columnist for The Sporting News, he has written for The New York Times, Rolling Stone and Bleacher Report and joined the Sun-Times in 2013.

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