Big Ten Basketball: Michigan’s rout puts them on top of Power Rankings

5. Wisconsin Badgers (10-3, 4-2 Big Ten)

Wisconsin probably merits a higher ranking here. But the taste of that horrendous blowout at the hands of Michigan is still fresh.

At one point in Tuesday’s game, Michigan went on a ridiculous 43-6 run. The best college basketball teams in the country shouldn’t be able to be outscored by 37 points in any stretch of a game, no matter the opponent.

Wisconsin isn’t damaged by one bad loss. They have just two losses this conference season, although the other was a home defeat to Maryland, which is also far from ideal. Still, they’ve beaten Minnesota and won at Michigan State and also crushed a Louisville team rising in the rankings.

It’s mentioned virtually any time Wisconsin plays a game on national television, but the Badgers have a big thing going for them: experience. The team’s core consists almost entirely of seniors. They’ve been here before and know what to expect as the season drags on, even in this unusual year.

Wisconsin will look to get back on track at Rutgers on Friday night. The team has a relatively light stretch after that, which does include a home tilt with Ohio State, before a big trip to Illinois on February 6.