Big Ten Rankings Shift After Players Era Tournament

Purdue remains atop the Big Ten men's basketball rankings with a perfect record of seven wins and no losses, following the Players Era tournament. They are set to face Iowa State this weekend in West Lafayette.

Michigan has climbed to second place with a record of seven and zero after a strong performance in Las Vegas over Thanksgiving, making a compelling case for the top spot. Michigan State is in third, also at seven and zero, but fell in the rankings due to Michigan's dominant display.

Indiana, ranked fourth at seven and zero, recently defeated Kansas State and will soon face a challenging stretch with four high-major games, including matchups at Kentucky and Louisville. Iowa has moved up to fifth place, with a record of seven and zero, thanks to key wins against Ole Miss and Xavier, showcasing strong performance metrics both offensively and defensively.

Illinois sits in sixth place with a record of six and two, suffering losses to Alabama and UConn, while still maintaining respect in the rankings. USC makes a notable jump to seventh after winning the Maui Invitational, despite a grueling three-overtime match against Troy.

Nebraska, at eight and zero, is ranked eighth, making strides with two wins over teams in the KenPom top-100. Wisconsin, now in ninth, has faced struggles, suffering losses to BYU and TCU, while Ohio State holds steady at tenth despite a loss to Pitt.

The bottom half of the conference is struggling, with UCLA dropping to eleventh after failing to secure any wins against teams ranked in the KenPom top 200. Northwestern, Washington, Oregon, Maryland, and Rutgers round out the bottom rankings, all facing significant challenges.

The Players Era tournament has significantly impacted the landscape of the Big Ten, indicating a competitive season ahead, with three clear frontrunners and several teams vying for NCAA tournament spots, as reported by IndyStar.