Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings (Vol. 10): Purdue Heating Up, UCLA Caving

Michigan State and Michigan still look like the two best teams in the Big Ten right now, but it would appear Purdue has re-entered the conversation. Since conference play has resumed, the Boilermakers look like a completely different team and are playing like a two-time defending league champion.

On the other side of things, UCLA has completely crumbled in recent weeks, perhaps a sign of a disconnect with coach Mick Cronin, who threw his team under the bus after a lackluster performance against Michgian. Can the Bruins recover in the coming weeks?

After another entertaining week of Big Ten basketball, we're ready to look at the power rankings this week.

1. Michigan State Spartans

Records: 14-2 overall, 5-0 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: No. 12; Coaches: No. 12; KenPom: No. 14
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 1 (no change)
Last week: Defeated Washington 88-54; Defeated Northwestern 78-68.
This week: vs. Penn State on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); vs. Illinois on Sunday at noon ET (TV: CBS).
The skinny: Michigan State's impressive winning streak continued last week, getting to nine straight victories after defeating Washington and Northwestern. This team has figured out ways to win games in multiple ways, doing it with transition buckets against Washington and dominating in the painted area against Northwestern. This is nothing new, but the Spartans have a lot of weapons on the floor.

2. Michigan Wolverines

Records: 13-3 overall, 5-0 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: No. 20; Coaches: No. 19; KenPom: No. 10
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 2 (no change)
Last week: Defeated UCLA 94-75; Defeated Washington 91-75.
This week: at Minnesota on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1); vs. Northwestern on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: On the road or at home, it hasn't mattered for Dusty May's squad thus far. The Wolverines already have three Big Ten road victories, defeating USC, UCLA and Wisconsin in their first three conference games away from Crisler Center. Michigan currently has five players averaging 10.9 points or more per game, led by Vladislav Goldin, who is scoring 15.4 points per contest.

3. Purdue Boilermakers

Records: 13-4 overall, 5-1 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP Poll: No. 17; Coaches Poll: No. 15; KenPom: No. 12
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 4 (up 1 spot)
Last week: Defeated Rutgers 68-50; Defeated Nebraska 104-68.
This week: at Washington on Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); at Oregon on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET (TV: NBC/Peacock).
The skinny: Ever since Matt Painter changed his starting lineup, Purdue has been untouchable. The Boilermakers have now won five straight games, all by 18 points or more. After a rocky December, Purdue is beginning to look like a team that can win a third straight Big Ten title. This team faces a tough challenge this week with a West Coast trip to play Washington and Oregon.

4. Illinois Fighting Illini

Records: 12-4 overall, 4-2 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: No. 19; Coaches: No. 20; KenPom: No. 13
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 3 (down 1 spot)
Last week: Defeated Penn State 91-52; Lost to USC 82-72.
This week: at Indiana on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock); at Michigan State on Sunday at noon ET (TV: CBS).
The skinny: Being without Kasparas Jakucionis might have caught up to Illinois over the weekend, dropping a home game to USC. The Illini were just seven-of-32 from 3-point range and converted only 37.1% of their shots from the floor. When Illinois is at full strength, it's capable of competing with anyone it faces. But Jakucionis being out certainly changes the dynamic of this team.

5. Oregon Ducks

Records: 15-2 overall, 4-2 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: No. 13; Coaches: No. 14; KenPom: No. 25
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 7 (up 2 spots)
Last week: Defeated Ohio state 73-71; Defeated Penn State 82-81.
This week: vs. Purdue on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET (TV: NBC/Peacock).
The skinny: Is it fair to start calling them the Cardiac Ducks? Oregon has won each of its last three games by four points or less. It's always good to get experience winning those close games, especially when tournament time rolls around. Dana Altman's team has responded nicely after suffering a blowout loss at home to Illinois, but face another big challenge this weekend, playing a red-hot Purdue team.

6. Wisconsin Badgers

Records: 13-3 overall, 3-2 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: No. 24; Coaches: Received 29 votes; KenPom: No. 23
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 8 (up 2 spots)
Last week: Defeated Rutgers 75-63; Defeated Minnesota 80-59.
This week: vs. Ohio State on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock); at USC on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: Wisconsin has now ripped off five straight victories, winning each of its last three games by double figures, getting some big-time performances from Steven Crowl and John Blackwell. The Badgers have a lot of players who can make an impact on any given night and seem to have found a rhythm offensively. Can they continue to put up big numbers consistently in the Big Ten?

7. Maryland Terrapins

Records: 12-4 overall, 2-3 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: Received 11 votes; Coaches: Received 8 votes; KenPom: No. 22
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 11 (up 4 spots)
Last week: Defeated UCLA 79-61.
This week: vs. Minnesota on Monday at 6:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); at Northwestern on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); vs. Nebraska on Sunday at noon ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: It sure seems like Maryland is on a bit of a roller coaster this season. Really, it boils down to playing games at home. The Terrapins are 0-3 in true road games this season, all Big Ten contests. Julian Reese has provided some consistency in the post, recording three double-doubles in Maryland's last five games.

8. Iowa Hawkeyes

Records: 12-4 overall, 3-2 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 40
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 14 (up 6 spots)
Last week: Defeated Nebraska 97-87 (OT); Defeated Indiana 85-60.
This week: at USC on Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1); at UCLA on Friday at 9 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1).
The skinny: Two big wins for Iowa last week, defeating both Indiana and Nebraska. That's a nice boost for the Hawkeyes' tournament resumé moving forward. It was also a nice bounce-back after suffering a 31-point loss to rival Wisconsin a few weeks ago. The Hawkeyes are getting a lot of production from their starting five, but they need more assistance off the bench to deal with the grind of a Big Ten schedule.

9. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Records: 12-4 overall, 2-3 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 41
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 5 (down 4 spots)
Last week: Lost to Iowa 97-87 (OT); Lost to Purdue 104-68.
This week: vs. Rutgers on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1); at Maryland on Sunday at noon ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: It was a tough week for the Huskers, dropping a pair of road games to Iowa and Purdue. As much as Nebraska has improved over the last three seasons under Fred Hoiberg, this team continues to struggle away from Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska needs to figure something out to be able to steal a win or two on the road to feel good about a March Madness trip.

10. Indiana Hoosiers

Records: 13-4 overall, 4-2 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: Received 3 votes; KenPom: No. 56
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 9 (down 1 spot)
Last week: Defeated USC 82-69; Lost to Iowa 85-60.
This week: vs. Illinois on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock); at Ohio State on Friday at 8 p.m. ET (TV: FOX).
The skinny: Just when you thought Indiana had figured something out, it lays an egg in a road game against Iowa. It's happened a lot in the Big Ten, but a 25-point loss to the Hawkeyes isn't exactly the kind of outcome the Hoosiers expect with such a talented roster. We're going to find out how tough Indiana is this week, hosting an explosive Illinois squad before a road trip to Columbus to play a pesky Ohio State team.

11. UCLA Bruins

Records: 11-5 overall, 2-3 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: Received 12 votes; KenPom: No. 31
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 6 (down 5 spots)
Last week: Lost to Michigan 94-75; Lost to Maryland 79-61.
This week: at Rutgers on Monday at 6:30 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1); vs. Iowa on Friday at 9 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1).
The skinny: Mick Cronin might be losing his locker room. A postgame rant after a loss to Michigan and an ejection during a blowout loss to Maryland are signs that the Bruins are in freefall mode. That's not a good sign with 15 conference games remaining. UCLA is still a really talented group, but how much fight do they have after such a tough week?

12. Penn State Nittany Lions

Records: 12-5 overall, 2-4 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 50
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 10 (down 2 spots)
Last week: Lost to Illinois 91-52; Lost to Oregon 82-81.
This week: at Michigan State on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: Penn State has had a difficult three-game stretch, dropping contests to Indiana, Illinois and Oregon. The Nittany Lions have really struggled to knock down 3-point shots recently, which has led to some of their issues. It's something Mike Rhoades must figure out quickly, with Penn State playing three of its next four games away from the Bryce Jordan Center.

13. Ohio State Buckeyes

Records: 10-6 overall, 2-3 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 32
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 12 (down 1 spot)
Last week: Defeated Minnesota 89-88 (2OT); Lost to Oregon 73-71.
This week: at Wisconsin on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock); vs. Indiana on Friday at 8 p.m. ET (TV: FOX).
The skinny: Well, there was a lot of excitement surrounding Ohio State basketball this week, winning an overtime game against Minnesota but falling short to Oregon. Both games were decided by a bucket. The Buckeyes continue to be a streaky team that struggles to put together consistent performances. We'll see if that changes this week.

14. USC Trojans

Records: 10-6 overall, 2-3 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 68
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 16 (up 2 spots)
Last week: Lost to Indiana 82-69; Defeated Illinois 82-72.
This week: vs. Iowa on Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1); vs. Wisconsin on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: USC picked up a huge road win over the weekend against Illinois, potentially giving Eric Musselman's team some serious momentum moving forward. Desmond Claude has been on a tear in the last three Big Ten games, averaging 21.7 points per game, which includes a 31-point performance against the Fighting Illini.

15. Northwestern Wildcats

Records:10-6 overall, 1-4 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 55
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 13 (down 2 spots)
Last week: Lost to Michigan State 78-66.
This week: vs. Maryland on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); at Michigan on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: Jalen Leach has picked up some of the slack recently, but it's not really helping Northwestern get into the win column. The Wildcats have now dropped three straight conference games. A big reason for their lack of success? There just isn't much of a supporting cast around Nick Martinelli and Brooks Barnhizer.

16. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Records: 8-8 overall, 1-4 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 90
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 15 (down 1 spot)
Last week: Lost to Wisconsin 75-63; Lost to Purdue 68-50.
This week: vs. UCLA at 6:30 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1); at Nebraska on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1).
The skinny: There was a time when Rutgers was thought to potentially be an NCAA Tournament team. That doesn't appear to be the case, despite having a pair of freshmen superstars. The Scarlet Knights have lost three straight games, all by double digits. In order to turn the season around, Steve Pikiell's team is going to have to start shooting the basketball better ... and usually that doesn't happen overnight.

17. Washington Huskies

Records: 10-7 overall, 1-5 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 93
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 17 (no change)
Last week: Lost to Michigan State 88-54; Lost to Michigan 91-75.
This week: vs. Purdue on Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
The skinny: Washington's road trip ended with a pair of blowout losses to Michigan state and Michigan. Right now, there isn't much the Huskies are doing well on the basketball court. Things only get harder, playing Purdue, Oregon and UCLA in their next three games.

18. Minnesota Golden Gophers

Records: 8-8 overall, 0-5 in Big Ten
Rankings: AP: NR; Coaches: NR; KenPom: No. 114
Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 18 (no change)
Last week: Lost to Ohio State 89-88 (2OT); Lost to Wisconsin 80-59.
This week: at Maryland on Monday at 6:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); vs. Michigan on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1).
The skinny: Minnesota had a great chance to pick up its first Big Ten win last week, but allowed Ohio State to steal the game in overtime. At some point the Gophers will probably win a conference game, but there aren't many positive things to say right now.