Big Ten Basketball: Week 5 conference power rankings

The Buckeyes rise three spots in this week’s power rankings largely due to their awesome victory over Michigan a couple of weeks ago and the mediocre play of the other conference teams. It is not expected that the Buckeyes will maintain this rank, but their performance so far this season has been impressive.

Last week, Ohio State picked up a 97-62 victory over William & Mary. Keita-Bates Diop, who earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors last week, scored a career-high 27 points in the victory.

Bates-Diop is really showing why he was such a highly-sought-after recruit coming out of high school. He is averaging 18.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game so far this season. This comes just a year after he missed the majority of the 2016-17 season after suffering a stress fracture in his left leg.

C.J. Jackson (13.5 ppg), Jae’Sean Tate (12.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg), and freshman Kaleb Wesson (12.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg) are also main contributors for the Buckeyes this season so far. If Bates-Diop continues his stellar play, though, the Buckeyes could end up maintaining their current spot in the power rankings.

Schedule for this week:

Appalachian State (5-6) at Ohio State on Dec. 16