We are currently formally over midway with the basketball period, along with yet, trouble still has not require the Huge 10. There are 4 groups in the workshop presently placed in the AP leading 10, along with not a particular among those groups has greater than 2 workshop losses. Furthermore, the lowered 4 groups in the workshop — a team that, nevertheless, has Northwestern — have actually actually consisted of for an overall of 5 workshop wins. Similar To Huge 10 football, there is a remarkably clear top of the workshop along with a remarkably clear base of the workshop. Allow’s study it, shall we?

Data: 18-0 (7-0 B1G)

Following video game: vs. Northwestern

Last Setup: 1

What a period for the Buckeyes up formerly. They’ve been secured at 3rd in the AP Survey, behind just seasonal powers South Carolina as well as Stanford, as well as they continue to be secured as the leading group in the seminar in these positions. They’ve just played one video game because the last version, however it was a rather light 76-67 success versus Nebraska when traveling. The Cornhuskers shut the deficiency to simply 3 in the 3rd framework, however the Buckeyes reacted with a 17-5 go to secure the bargain. Ohio State has 6 gamers racking up in dual numbers now as well as the sixth-ranked crime in the country. They won’t fall from this spot until they lose, and that may not be for a long time.

Record: 14-1 (6-1 B1G)

Next game: At No. 24 Illinois

Last Ranking: 2

The team holding the second-longest win streak in the conference now has the second highest ranking in the conference. Mackenzie Holmes, recently named to the Wooden Award’s Midseason Top 25, has gone over 20 points in 10 of her past 13 games, including 29 in a blowout of Wisconsin. The Wisconsin game also marked the eighth time the season that the Hoosier defense has held its opponent under 60 points. However, over these next two weeks, Indiana will be faced with a gauntlet, including road trips to Illinois and Michigan and a home clash against the Buckeyes. If they’re able to survive that stretch with a winning record, there’s no telling how high they could climb.

Record: 14-4 (6-1 B1G)

Next game: At Michigan State

Last Ranking: 4

The Hawkeye offense has been on a tear lately, scoring 80 or more points in their its eight games. The major reason for the Hawkeyes’ incredible offensive output, of course, is Caitlin Clark, the defending All-American who’s currently putting up a video-game stat line of 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists. The one way to stop the Hawkeyes might be, as Illinois demonstrated a few weeks ago, to outrebound them, but as Iowa’s 14-4 record demonstrates, that’s a very rare outcome to achieve.

Record: 15-3 (5-2 B1G)

Next game: At Rutgers

Last Ranking: 5

Michigan is one of the best shooting teams in the nation, with a team percentage sitting at 47.96%. The Wolverines have been pretty consistent offensively, failing to crack the 60-point barrier just once this season. Ever since that game, a 66-57 loss at Ohio State, they have actually been playing Big Ten competition very well. Their lone loss is to Iowa, but it’s understandable given that the Hawkeyes shot 45% from three in that game. If the Wolverines are able to shore up a middle-of-the-pack defense, they should be able to challenge for the Big Ten crown.

Record: 15-3 (5-2 B1G)

Next game: vs. No. 6 Indiana

Last Ranking: 3

The Fighting Illini are finally ranked in the AP Poll (about three weeks too late), just in time to prove that they belong in the fight for the Big Ten. While playing on the road against Indiana and Ohio State, they had the lead with less than a minute left and well into the 3rd quarter, respectively. Illinois is currently 14th in the country in scoring at 81.3 points per game, and outdueled Iowa on New Year’s Day to get its biggest conference victory so far. If the Fighting Illini are able to avenge their loss to Indiana on Wednesday, it should be smooth sailing for them from here on out.

Record: 14-4 (5-2 B1G)

Next game: At Wisconsin

Last Ranking: 6

If there were any doubts about Maryland’s current place in the Big Ten hierarchy, they were answered with their contest against Indiana last Thursday. The Terrapins fought back from a double-digit deficit to tie the game at 50 in the fourth quarter, but then immediately gave up a 9-0 run that decided the game. Despite the excellent play of Diamond Miller, who’s a Wooden Award semifinalist and one of the best defenders in the country, Maryland just isn’t quite in the upper echelon of the conference yet. Only time, and the five games against ranked opponents Maryland has coming up in February, will tell if they can reach that upper echelon.

Record: 12-5 (3-4 B1G)

Next game: vs. Nebraska

Last Ranking: 8

Purdue had some severe struggles against Michigan, with the 80-59 defeat marking its third straight loss to a Big Ten team by double digits. However, they had a nice get-right game against a team that’s been the Big Ten doormat so far this year: Northwestern. Even with leading scorer Lasha Petree scoring just two points in the game, Purdue garnered a 12-point first half lead before blowing it, then made another run to win by 11. The Boilermakers haven’t really been able to hang with the top teams in the conference, but they’ve been beating up on the lower-end teams pretty consistently. That makes right in the middle a good spot for them.

Record: 11-7 (3-4 B1G)

Next game: At Purdue

Last Ranking: 10

After snapping a three game losing streak by demolishing Penn State, the Huskers gave the best team in the conference a run for their money. The Buckeyes never had a real reason to fear an upset — they never trailed during the game — but just led by seven with a minute to go in the third frame. The Huskers’ offense has been relatively middling so far, but if they’re able to start converting more of their 25 three-point attempts per game, they might be able to make some noise in conference play.

Record: 10-8 (2-5 B1G)

Next game: vs. No. 12 Iowa

Last Ranking: 9

It might seem a little bit odd to rank the Spartans above some of the other teams on this list, especially given the fact that they’re on a three-game losing streak. However, they have actually been competitive in all of those losses, including taking Wisconsin to overtime. They’re a solid shooting team, but the biggest issue has been the turnovers, with over 15 a game. Those giveaways, along with shooting just 64% from the charity stripe as a team on the year, have been a big reason why the Spartans have six losses by single digits this year.

Record: 6-12 (2-5 B1G)

Next game: vs. No. 9 Maryland

Last Ranking: 12

Ignore the game yesterday, a 93-56 blowout loss against Indiana. Focus instead on the fact that a team that had lost 10 of 11 games heading into last Sunday managed to string together consecutive victories over the past week or so. Julie Pospisilova has scored in double figures in five of her last seven games, including a 20-point effort in the win over Minnesota. The biggest issue for the Badgers so far has been depth: while all five starters are averaging in double figures, no other player on the team averages over six points per contest.

Record: 11-7 (2-5 B1G)

Next game: vs. Minnesota

Last Ranking: 7

Boy, it’s been a rough week for the Nittany Lions. Penn State went on a road trip through the heart of corn country as well as got absolutely annihilated, losing to Nebraska as well as Iowa by a combined 188-138. Penn State has one of the worst defenses in the country, which is giving up 68.3 points per game, and they’ve now given up 80 or more points to four Big Ten foes. Any time you can’t get stops, you will not be able to win games, and Penn State hasn’t really been able to do either since the calendar flipped to 2023.

Record: 8-11 (2-5 B1G)

Next game: vs. No. 17 Michigan

Last Ranking: 14

Rutgers moving up has more to do with the teams that were ahead of them losing than Rutgers winning. While the Scarlet Knights did manage to defeat a bottom-feeder Minnesota team, their defeat at the hands of Maryland yesterday showed the true quality of this team. Their offense is lucky to be in the leading 200 in the nation and they seem to be playing with a greased basketball — their 21.2 turnovers per game rank 340th in the nation. They’re also 0-5 against ranked teams, with the closest deficit being 12. Considering they’ve still got five games against ranked teams this year, it won’t get much better anytime soon.

Record: 8-10 (1-6 B1G)

Next game: at Penn State

Last Ranking: 11

Make it five straight losses for the Golden Gophers, who would be winless in conference play if not for a double-overtime shocker over Penn State. Minnesota appears to have not yet discovered the art of defense, given that their points allowed mark is the 33rd-worst in the country. As if that wasn’t enough, they also struggle to shoot the ball. The Golden Gophers are currently ranked 13th in the Big Ten in three point percentage, which mark, much like their five-game losing streak, is second-worst to one group and one team just.

Document: 6-11 (0-7 B1G)

Following video game: at No. 3 Ohio State

Last Position: 13

Well, the Wildcats have officially been declawed. After committing 25 turnovers in a home loss to Purdue, Northwestern has lost six straight contests and also is still searching for its first win in seminar play. Every loss brings a new, painful way for the ‘Cats to come up short. Against Michigan State, it was going 3-of-18 beyond the arc. Against Illinois, it was giving up 14 offensive rebounds; against Indiana, getting out rebounded 46-33. Without a Veronica Burton-level player, the offense has been stuck in the mud most games and also often struggles to crack 60 points. The defense has also been sub-par without Burton and is forcing just over 16.5 turnovers per game, a number that’s about right in the middle of the pack. The issue is that a middle of the pack defense needs at least a middle of the pack offense to compete, and Northwestern doesn’t really have that right now. While Caileigh Walsh is an excellent player who leads the group in scoring, when the team’s scoring leader can’t even crack the leading 250 in the country in factors per video video game, there’s an issue. The routine does brighten up in February, as there’s just one ranked opposition on the docket. Up until afterwards, nonetheless, it’ll be severe taking a trip for the Wildcats.