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Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings: Penn State and Maryland leads the pack

By Ryan Kay

EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 15: Darryl Morsell #11 of the Maryland Terrapins reacts late in the second half of the game against the Michigan State Spartans at the Breslin Center on February 15, 2020 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 15: Darryl Morsell #11 of the Maryland Terrapins reacts late in the second half of the game against the Michigan State Spartans at the Breslin Center on February 15, 2020 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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COLUMBUS, OH – JANUARY 14: Kaleb Wesson #34 of the Ohio State Buckeyes (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH – JANUARY 14: Kaleb Wesson #34 of the Ohio State Buckeyes (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

8. Ohio State 17-8 (7-7)

Best Non-Conference Win

*Defeated Kentucky on a neutral court, 71-65

Key Big Ten Victories

*Beat Penn State, 106-74.

*Won at Michigan by a score of 61-58.

*Defeated Rutgers, 72-66.

Disappointing Losses in Big Ten play

*Got swept by the Golden Gophers losing at Minnesota 84-71 and losing by 3 at home, 62-59.

*Lost at home to Wisconsin by a score of 61-57.

Last Week’s Big Ten Power Ranking: 10 (Up 2 spots)

KenPom Ranking: 9

Net Ranking: 18

As said many times before, the Buckeyes had an astonishing start to their season winning some very notable non-conference games. However, they had a rough January in Big Ten play but they have been playing better in the month of February.

Ohio State overall has depth and different players stepping up at various times this season. However, injuries and a key player taking a leave of absence stalled the momentum that the Buckeyes has earlier at the start of their season.

They truly have been an entertaining team to watch early in the season but they also have lost some games in Big Ten play which they should have won which has been disappointing, to say the least. For a team like Ohio State who started off the season on fire and defeating some really good teams, them hitting a metaphoric wall in the first half of Big Ten conference play has really put them in an uphill battle to secure one of those top 5 seeds for the Big Ten tournament.

For example, Ohio State lost by double digits to a Gopher team that has been highly inconsistent in Big Ten play on the road and lost to Minnesota at home in a game they absolutely should have won. Then the Buckeyes come back and win at Michigan as well as win their last two games as they defeated both Purdue and Rutgers at home.

Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann believe it or not, is turning the program back into a top-tier Big ten basketball program even though their place in the Big Ten standings doesn’t currently reflect it. Looking back at his impressive non-conference victories and his team’s very impressive victories over Penn State and Purdue is evidence of that. Ohio State has easily surprised many college basketball experts this season with their up and downplay thus far but the Buckeyes will be a dangerous team in the Big Ten tournament as well as possibly the NCAA tournament as well. Ohio State next travels to play Iowa on Feb. 20th.

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