Busting Brackets
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Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings: Iowa, Wisconsin joining top-tier

By Austin Walther

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - FEBRUARY 09: Head coach John Beilein of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates with Charles Matthews as he leaves the game while playing the Wisconsin Badgers at Crisler Arena on February 09, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 61-52. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - FEBRUARY 09: Head coach John Beilein of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates with Charles Matthews as he leaves the game while playing the Wisconsin Badgers at Crisler Arena on February 09, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 61-52. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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LINCOLN, NE – FEBRUARY 6: Anthony Cowan Jr. #1 of the Maryland Terrapins attempts a shot against Nana Akenten #25 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Isaiah Roby #15 at Pinnacle Bank Arena on February 6, 2019 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE – FEBRUARY 6: Anthony Cowan Jr. #1 of the Maryland Terrapins attempts a shot against Nana Akenten #25 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Isaiah Roby #15 at Pinnacle Bank Arena on February 6, 2019 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /

6. Maryland Terrapins (18-6)

Previous rank: 5

Maryland is kind of sitting idle right now. This is the part of the power rankings where each team is pretty comfortable that they’re going to be dancing in a month or so. They’re fluctuating around the four and five seed line right now. There’s no way they get to a three and a seven seed seems too low for them. They were riding a seven-game winning streak until they ran into the sixth-ranked Spartans on the road. But that’s not where it went wrong.

One would think losing to Illinois is going to send a team way down the standings. Instead, it worked the opposite way. The Illini have won five Big Ten games now. Much more than what was expected a month ago. It was a neutral court game at Madison Square Garden. They did beat Northwestern by 18, but lost to Wisconsin in a rematch, splitting a home and home with them. The Terps responded the best way possible by beating Nebraska on the road by 15.

During the winning streak, we got to see why Maryland is going to be a lock in the NCAA Tournament. They have a great point guard who can really knock down shots. Anthony Cowan is a poor-man’s Cassius Winston. There’s the beast in the middle that is Bruno Fernando. Their power forward Jalen Smith scan stretch the defense. Freshmen Eric Ayala and Aaron Wiggins can really knock down the outside shot.

Maryland though will start to struggle when Cowan can’t hit and Fernando turns the ball over. If we want to stay on the Michigan State comparison, Fernando is very similar to Nick Ward. Both dominant power forwards, but can get into some serious foul and turnover trouble. This is still a young team. Maryland is relying on a freshman to be their third guy in their big-three. Smith is going to go through growing pains along with the other two freshmen wing players. But the Terps should maintain this position in the Big Ten and get into the Tournament.

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