Busting Brackets
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Big Ten Basketball power rankings: Trying to make sense of 12 good teams

By Austin Walther

BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA - JANUARY 23: Tom Izzo the head coach of the Michigan State Spartans gives instructions to Rocket Watts #2 against the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall on January 23, 2020 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA - JANUARY 23: Tom Izzo the head coach of the Michigan State Spartans gives instructions to Rocket Watts #2 against the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall on January 23, 2020 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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EVANSTON, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 21: Ryan Young #15 of the Northwestern Wildcats (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 21: Ryan Young #15 of the Northwestern Wildcats (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

14. Northwestern Wildcats 6-13 (1-8)

Chris Collins is not doing what Patrick Chambers and Steve Pikiell are doing. Collins did lead Northwestern to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance three years ago, but he has four losing seasons out of six. And it’s looking like the fifth one is coming. I know Northwestern got Nebraska in a head-to-head, but that’s the only win for the Wildcats. Sure the Big Ten is tough, but at least another win would’ve helped.

They were the only home team to lose in Big Ten play back in December. It was just a five-point loss to a final four contender. Three losses have been within 10 points since we’ve returned to Big Ten play and they were all on the road. One of them was to Illinois. They recently got pretty beat up by Ohio State. They are a struggling Buckeyes team that Northwestern couldn’t even try and slip up at home.

The Wildcats are about as healthy as they’re going to get this season. Promising sophomore Miller Kopp and surprise freshman Ryan Young has started all 19 games this season. Pete Nance and A.J. Turner both missed a game. And Boo Buie missed five. But they’ve all been back in recent games. Kopp is a nice sharp-shooter, but no one else is consistently making shots. The team is, for the most part, young and inexperienced and it’s reflecting on the offensive side.

They aren’t as inexperienced as Nebraska and that could be the reason why they did beat them. But with the lack of fire-power in the Big Ten won’t get them far. The defense isn’t bad at 67.6 points allowed per game. When the offense does shoot the ball well, like against Maryland going for 50 percent from the field, they allow 77 at home. There are four freshmen and two sophomores in their rotation so maybe if no one leaves, Collins will get one more shot.

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