Busting Brackets
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Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings: Purdue, Maryland make huge leaps

By Austin Walther

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 03: Head coach John Beilein of the Michigan Wolverines reacts from the bench while playing the Penn State Nittany Lions at Crisler Arena on January 03, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 68-55. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 03: Head coach John Beilein of the Michigan Wolverines reacts from the bench while playing the Penn State Nittany Lions at Crisler Arena on January 03, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 68-55. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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BLOOMINGTON, IN – JANUARY 14: Tim Miles the head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers gives instructions to his team against the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall on January 14, 2019 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, IN – JANUARY 14: Tim Miles the head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers gives instructions to his team against the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall on January 14, 2019 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

7. Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-4)

Previous Rank: 3

Once again, this isn’t a bracketology piece, talking about resumes and such. Nebraska has wins over two Big East teams that are fighting to be in the Tournament. They also beat Clemson on the road, which seemed nice at the time, but the Tigers are struggling bad. The Cornhuskers resumed Big Ten play and lost consecutive road games to Maryland and Iowa. Luckily they picked up a win over Penn State and looked great against Indiana.

I really like this team. I want to put them as high as a four seed. Their defense is great. Nebraska is showing that they have more than just their top-three. They’ve been barely ranked since the beginning of December which is a shame. Their analytics stack up as a top-15 team. But losses to Minnesota, Maryland and Iowa will push them down the power rankings for now.

Nebraska has had just two home Big Ten games. Illinois and Penn State. Their only Big Ten road win was to Indiana. Nebraska needed to be at least 2-2 to be a little higher than this. All four teams look like Tournament teams, but only one win to show from it isn’t helping.

James Palmer is living up to the hype for his senior year. He’s averaging 19 points per game, over four rebounds and three assists. Glynn Watson is running the point, averaging just under four assists per game and 13.5 points. Isaac Copeland is also in double-figures. Isaiah Roby is continuing to be a defensive juggernaut, but is also averaging double-figures.

I’ve been impressed with Thomas Allen all season. The guy is a big reason why Nebraska is allowing 60 points per game. Four guys have double-digit blocks and all five starters have 20 or more steals this season. It kills me to rank Nebraska this low because they’re still a top-25 team in my mind when it comes to bracketology. But with its best Big Ten win coming on Monday to Indiana, the Cornhuskers take a little hit for now.

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