Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings (Vol. 11): Michigan State Continues Undefeated Run

Michigan State remained undefeated with a big win over Illinois, Rutgers gets two wins, and Purdue extends its win streak to seven. How it all impacts the Big Ten power rankings.

Michigan State's Frankie Fidler, left, celebrates with Coen Carr, right, after Carr's 3-pointer against Illinois / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Do you need a few extra minutes to catch your breath from all the Big Ten action last week? It was quite a run, with 12 of the 17 games being decided by eight points or less, with four contests going into overtime.

Last week was one of the more exciting weeks of the Big Ten season thus far.

Michigan State remained undefeated with a huge victory over Illinois on its home court. It was one step closer to a Big Ten regular season title, although there's still plenty of league play remaining.

Purdue extended its winning streak to seven games with a 2-0 West Coast road trip, defeating both Washington and Oregon. And Rutgers picked up a pair of huge wins, beating both UCLA and Nebraska to get on the right side of .500.

On the other end, Penn State, Nebraska and Ohio State have all struggled recently. The Nittany Lions and Huskers are both riding four-game losing streaks and the Buckeyes have dropped each of their last three games.

How did an exciting week of Big Ten basketball affect the power rankings? Here's the latest look.

1. Michigan State Spartans

• Records: 16-2 overall, 7-0 in Big Ten
• Rankings: KenPom: No. 13; NET: No. 16
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 1 (no change)
• Last week: Defeated Penn State 90-85; Defeated Illinois 80-78.
• This week: at Rutgers on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET (TV: CBS).
• The skinny: There were some scary moments in the Breslin Center last week, but Michigan State survived both. The most impressive performance came on Sunday, overcoming a 10-point deficit to defeat Illinois and add another signature win to the resume. The Spartans continue to use their depth to overpower teams, getting a lot of production from Frankie Fidler and Coen Carr in the two victories.

2. Purdue Boilermakers

• Records: 15-4 overall, 7-1 in Big Ten
• Rankings: KenPom: No. 10; NET: No. 10
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 3 (up 1 spot)
• Last week: Defeated Washington 69-58; Defeated Oregon 65-58.
• This week: vs. Ohio State on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock); vs. Michigan on Friday at 8 p.m. ET (TV: FOX).
• The skinny: During this seven-game winning streak, Purdue has really locked down defensively. It's an old-school style of Boilermaker basketball, forcing teams into turnovers and making life miserable on the offensive end for opponents. Trey Kaufman-Renn had a big week on the West Coast, scoring 42 total points and grabbing 17 rebounds.

3. Michigan Wolverines

• Records: 14-4 overall, 6-1 in Big Ten
• Rankings: KenPom: No. 11; NET: No. 12
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 2 (down 1 spot)
• Last week: Lost to Minnesota 84-81 (OT); Defeated Northwestern 80-76 (OT).
• This week: at Purdue on Friday at 8 p.m. ET (TV: FOX).
• The skinny: Winning on the road is always a difficult chore in the Big Ten, regardless of opponent. A desperation heave from Dawson Garcia at the buzzer ended Michigan's undefeated run in conference play. The Wolverines bounced back with a victory over Northwestern, though. Vladislav Goldin continues to play like one of the best players in the league, scoring 31 points, grabbing eight rebounds and blocking four shots in Michigan's win over the Wildcats. He's been almost unstoppable for the Wolverines.

4. Illinois Fighting Illini

• Records: 13-5 overall, 5-3 in Big Ten
• Rankings: KenPom: No. 9; NET: No. 8
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 4 (no change)
• Last week: Defeated Indiana 94-69; Lost to Michigan State 80-78.
• This week: vs. Maryland on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1); vs. Northwestern on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
• The skinny: Illinois certainly isn't out of the running for a Big Ten title with a road loss to Michigan State, but its chances undoubtedly took a hit. The Illini couldn't take advantage of a 10-point lead, allowing the Spartans to surge back and steal a win. Brad Underwood still has one of the most explosive offensive teams in the league, it just has to get a little more consistent. Illinois could find that this week with a pair of home games on the docket.

5. Wisconsin Badgers

• Records: 15-3 overall, 5-2 in Big Ten
• Rankings: KenPom: No. 21; NET: No. 21
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 6 (up 1 spot)
• Last week: Defeated Ohio State 70-68; Defeated USC 84-69.
• This week: at UCLA on Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock); vs. Nebraska on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
• The skinny: Quietly, Wisconsin has resurfaced as one of the top teams in the league. The Badgers started 0-2 in conference play but have won seven straight games, including five consecutive against Big Ten opponents. John Blackwell has provided a huge spark for the Badgers during this streak, averaging 21 points per game over the last five games, including a 28-point performance in the win over USC.

6. Oregon Ducks

• Records: 15-3 overall, 4-3 in Big Ten
• Rankings: KenPom: No. 25; NET: No. 22
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 5 (down 1 spot)
• Last week: Lost to Purdue 65-58.
• This week: vs. Washington on Tuesday at 11 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); at Minnesota on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
• The skinny: Can the Ducks handle the physicality that comes with playing teams at the top of the Big Ten? So far, it doesn't appear to be the case. Oregon has now dropped home games to UCLA, Illinois and Purdue. Those are all skilled teams, but you have to be able to defend home court to compete at the top of the league. What will life be like when the Ducks start to travel against some of the better teams in the league?

7. Maryland Terrapins

• Records: 14-5 overall, 4-4 in Big Ten
• Rankings: KenPom: No. 23; NET: No. 24
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 7 (no change)
• Last week: Defeated Minnesota 77-71; Lost to Northwestern 76-74 (OT); Defeated Nebraska 69-66.
• This week: at Illinois on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1); at Indiana on Sunday at noon ET (TV: CBS).
• The skinny: Going 3-0 would have been nice, but Maryland will take a 2-1 record during a busy week. The Terrapins aren't getting much off their bench, but there's been a distribution of wealth among their starters over the last three games. Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Rodney Rice have provided a lot of consistency in the backcourt, which is exactly what you want from your starting guards.

8. UCLA Bruins

• Records: 12-6 overall, 3-4 in Big Ten
• Rankings: KenPom: No. 31; NET: No. 34
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 11 (up 3 spots)
• Last week: Lost to Rutgers 75-68; Defeated Iowa 94-70.
• This week: vs. Wisconsin on Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock); at Washington on Friday at 11 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1).
• The skinny: Finally, UCLA was able to get back in the win column last week, pummeling Iowa and snapping a four-game skid. Now that the Bruins have tasted success again, can they carry some of that momentum into an important six-game stretch, not leaving the West Coast again until Feb. 11? This feels like a huge opportunity for UCLA to build momentum heading into the second half of the conference season.

9. Iowa Hawkeyes

• Records: 12-6 overall, 3-4 in Big Ten
• Rankings: KenPom: No. 54; NET: No. 55
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 8 (down 1 spot)
• Last week: Lost to USC 99-89; Lost to UCLA 94-70.
• This week: vs. Minnesota on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); vs. Penn State on Friday at 9 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1).
• The skinny: The West Coast was unkind to the Hawkeyes, suffering a pair of double-digit losses to USC and UCLA. Was it jetlag? Is Iowa just not that good away from Carver-Hawkeye Arena? It sounds like a broken record, but Fran McCaffery's team has to do something different to create some discomfort for opponents on the defensive end. Iowa is allowing 91.2 points per game in the month of January. It's hard to win basketball games that way.

10. Indiana Hoosiers

• Records: 14-5 overall, 5-3 in Big Ten
• Rankings: KenPom: No. 59; NET: No. 61
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 10 (no change)
• Last week: Lost to Illinois 94-69; Defeate Ohio State 77-76 (OT).
• This week: at Northwestern on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); vs. Maryland on Sunday at noon ET (TV: CBS).
• The skinny: Right now, Indiana might be the most inconsistent team in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers were embarrassed on their home court by Illinois but turned around and picked up a nice road win against Ohio State — and all conference road wins are important. Luke Goode and Oumar Ballo showed how dangerous they can be when they're clicking, combining for 44 points in the win over Ohio State.

11. USC Trojans

• Records: 11-7 overall, 3-4 in Big Ten
• Rankings: KenPom: No. 70; NET: No. 76
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 14 (up 3 spots)
• Last week: Defeated Iowa 99-89; Lost to Wisconsin 84-69.
• This week: at Nebraska on Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
• The skinny: Desmond Claude was huge in a win over Iowa, scoring 25 points, grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out nine assists. But he was shut down in the loss to Wisconsin, and so too were USC's chances of getting a third consecutive Big Ten win. For a team that's enduring some growing pains, a 1-1 week in the league feels like a positive step.

12. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

• Records: 10-8 overall, 3-4 in Big Ten
• Rankings: KenPom: No. 82; NET: No. 85
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 16 (up 4 spots)
• Last week: Defeated UCLA 75-68; Defeated Nebraska 85-82.
• This week: at Penn State on Monday at 6:30 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock); vs. Michigan State on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET (TV: CBS).
• The skinny: Is Rutgers starting to jell at the right time? It's still too early to tell, but picking up wins over UCLA and Nebraska certainly helps this team's confidence. Having a healthy Dylan Harper was big for the Scarlet Knights, as the freshman scored 39 total points in the two games last week. It's another important week for Steve Pikiell's team, which travels to Penn State before hosting a red-hot Michigan State squad at Jersey Mike's Arena.

13. Nebraska Cornhuskers

• Records: 12-6 overall, 2-5 in Big Ten
• Rankings: KenPom: No. 46; NET: No. 49
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 9 (down 4 spots)
• Last week: Lost to Rutgers 85-82; Lost to Maryland 69-66.
• This week: vs. USC on Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); at Wisconsin on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
• The skinny: Close, but not cigar. That has been the theme for Nebraska over the last two weeks. The Huskers have dropped four straight games, with both of last week's defeats coming by three points. Nebraska has to find some of that early season magic if it wants to remain in the hunt for a second straight NCAA Tournament berth. This feels like a make-or-break week for Fred Hoiberg's team, needing to get at least one win to gather some confidence moving forward.

14. Penn State Nittany Lions

• Records: 12-6 overall, 2-5 in Big Ten
• Rankings: KenPom: No. 49; NET: No. 47
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 12 (down 2 spots)
• Last week: Lost to Michigan State 90-85.
• This week: vs. Rutgers on Monday at 6:30 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock); at Iowa on Friday at 9 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1).
• The skinny: Penn State is another Big Ten team that has fallen on hard times. Despite a great effort at Michigan State, it wasn't enough to pull the upset and dropping a fourth straight game. During this skid, the Nittany Lions have surrendered 77 points or more in every game, with Michigan State and Illinois both reaching the 90-point mark. Penn State just doesn't have the offensive prowess to overcome those point totals.

15. Northwestern Wildcats

• Records:11-7 overall, 2-5 in Big Ten
• Rankings: KenPom: No. 51; NET: No. 51
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 15 (no change)
• Last week: Defeated Maryland 76-74 (OT); Lost to Michigan 80-76 (OT).
• This week: vs. Indiana on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); at Illinois on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
• The skinny: Apparently, Northwestern isn't interested in only playing 40-minute games. Both of Northwestern's games went to overtime last week, with the Wildcats defeating Maryland and falling to Michigan. Even though it was a 1-1 week, it was a solid effort from Chris Collins' team. The bench continues to be a problem in Evanston, with the Wildcats getting a grand total of three points in their two games last week.

16. Ohio State Buckeyes

• Records: 10-8 overall, 2-5 in Big Ten
• Rankings: KenPom: No. 34; NET: No. 36
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 13 (down 3 spots)
• Last week: Lost to Wisconsin 70-68; Lost to Indiana 77-76 (OT).
• This week: at Purdue on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock).
• The skinny: The same issue that plagued Ohio State a year ago appears to be rearing its ugly head. The Buckeyes struggled to close games last season and it's been more of the same in January. Ohio State has now lost three straight games to Oregon, Wisconsin and Indiana. Those defeats have come by a combined five points. It's the difference between the bottom of the Big Ten and being at the top of the conference.

17. Minnesota Golden Gophers

• Records: 9-9 overall, 1-6 in Big Ten
• Rankings: KenPom: No. 101; NET: No. 121
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 18 (up 1 spot)
• Last week: Lost to Maryland 77-71; Defeated Michigan 84-81 (OT).
• This week: at Iowa on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); vs. Oregon on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network).
• The skinny: Minnesota finally picked up its first Big Ten win of the season, stunning Michigan in overtime. Dawson Garcia finished that game with 27 points and 12 rebounds, as well as hitting the half-court buzzer beater. Talk about dramatic. This is still a struggling Golden Gophers squad, but maybe this will give them some confidence entering a rivalry game against Iowa.

18. Washington Huskies

• Records: 10-8 overall, 1-6 in Big Ten
• Rankings: KenPom: No. 95; NET: No. 93
• Last Week's Power Ranking: No. 17 (down 1 spot)
• Last week: Lost to Purdue 69-58.
• This week: at Oregon on Tuesday at 11 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network); vs. UCLA on Friday at 11 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1).
• The skinny: Only one game was on the schedule for the Huskies last week and they couldn't take advantage. Washington blew an eight-point halftime lead to Purdue, ending the game with 17 turnovers. Great Osobor continues to play well, but there's not much consistent production from the rest of the crew in Seattle.