Big Ten Basketball power rankings: Can anyone take Maryland off the No. 1 spot?
By Ryan Kay
With just a week left in the regular season, everyone is looking up at Maryland in Big Ten Basketball. How do the rest of the teams rank in the league?
Big Ten Basketball has projected the most college teams with 10, to make the NCAA Tournament out of any conference. There is some movement in this week’s power rankings as some teams have excelled and others have cooled off. This week’s teams are ranked in these power rankings based on their Big Ten play this season thus far and more especially, their last four games. Let’s take a look at how these 14 Big Ten teams are ranked in this week’s Big Ten power rankings entering the month of March.
14. Northwestern 6-21 (1-16)
Best Non-Conference Win
*Won on the road and beat Boston College 82-64 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
Key Big Ten Victory
*Only Big Ten win being a 62-57 win over Nebraska
Disappointing Losses in Big Ten play
*Had great opportunities to win on the road at Indiana, Rutgers and Illinois but lost by 4 points in both games.
*Lost at home to Minnesota by a score of 83-57.
Last Week’s Big Ten Power Ranking: 14 (No Change)
Ken Pom Ranking: 135
Net Ranking: 177
Northwestern has only three games remaining in Big Ten play before the Big Ten tournament begins. They ended the month of February with zero wins but they have one last legitimate chance to get another victory before the start of the Big Ten tournament when they travel to Nebraska on March 1st. Their only Big Ten win of the season came back in early January against the Cornhuskers.
The lack of wins is not the most concerning part of the Wildcats play in February but looking at how they have not competed in some games this past month that is. Losing at home to Minnesota by 26 and Michigan by 25 is not being competitive but maybe if the Wildcats win at Nebraska that can give the team the confidence they need going into their 1st round game of the Big Ten tournament. The Wildcats look to be competitive in their final games in March to hopefully build on a foundation for next season.
The Big Ten has been very deep in terms of quality teams this season so being in last in the conference is not as bad one may imagine. Being the deepest conference in America this season with the possibility of up to 11 Big Ten teams having a legitimate chance to qualify for the NCAA tournament, Northwestern has played some very tough competition in league play. However, the very likely result for the Wildcats this season will more than likely be a last-place finish in the Big Ten.
Head coach Chris Collins and his Northwestern program have been fighting an uphill battle prior to the start of conference play. His players were competing night in and night out in the month of January but with very little to show in their efforts besides a home victory versus Nebraska in Big Ten play. This season got off to a bad start in non-conference play for Northwestern and there are no excuses for losing at home to Hartford. Some other unlikely early-season upsets don’t look as bad now as Radford and Merrimack have a combined record of 40-20 with both are in 1st place in their conferences that they compete it. Unfortunately, the Wildcats have 21 losses on the season and have been unable to gather victories as they only have six wins thus far entering the month of March.
Collins has three players averaging double-digits per game scoring in got leading scorer and freshman Miller Kopp, transfer Pat Spencer and freshmen Boo Buie. Add in sophomore Pete Nance and freshman Ryan Young, Northwestern has a solid nucleus for next season. The Wildcats this season have not excelled and exceed expectations this year but they have building blocks for next season, assuming current players don’t transfer. It is still possible for Northwestern to pull off an upset in the month of March but it is unlikely. The Wildcats next play at Nebraska on Mar. 1st.