Busting Brackets
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Big Ten Basketball: 2021 power rankings heading into conference tournament

By Ryan Kay

Ohio State Buckeyes guard Duane Washington Jr. (4) is guarded by Michigan Wolverines forward Isaiah Livers (2) during Sunday's NCAA Division I Big Ten conference basketball game at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio, on February 21, 2021.Ceb Osu Mbk Mich Bjp 17
Ohio State Buckeyes guard Duane Washington Jr. (4) is guarded by Michigan Wolverines forward Isaiah Livers (2) during Sunday's NCAA Division I Big Ten conference basketball game at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio, on February 21, 2021.Ceb Osu Mbk Mich Bjp 17 /
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Big Ten Basketball Micah Potter Wisconsin Badgers (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Big Ten Basketball Micah Potter Wisconsin Badgers (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

team. 493. . 16-10. . Badgers . 6

Wins

*Eastern Illinois
*Arkansas-Pine Bluff
*Green Bay
*Rhode Island
*Loyola Chicago
*Louisville
*Nebraska (twice)
*@Michigan State
*Minnesota
*Indiana
*@Rutgers
*Northwestern (twice)
*@Maryland
*@Nebraska

Losses

*@Marquette
*Maryland
*Michigan (twice)
*Ohio State
*@Penn State
*Illinois (twice)
*Iowa
*@Purdue

Net ranking: 25

KenPom ranking: 12

AP ranking: 25

Reasons for Hope: They have some quality wins in non-conference and Big Ten play. The Badgers beat two good teams Loyola Chicago and Louisville and their dominating win against the Cardinals was impressive. Wisconsin also in Big Ten play defeated on the road Maryland and Michigan State.

Statistically speaking, Wisconsin has one of the best defenses in the Big Ten. Only one team has scored more than 77 points on them this season and They have not allowed more than 67 points against them 16 times this season. They are in the top 25 in the NET rankings currently and are a lock for the NCAA tournament.

Reasons to be Pessimistic: Wisconsin should have beat Marquette and Penn State and they don’t have a win against a team in the top five of the Big Ten standings. The Badgers have also not played well lately. They have lost six of their last nine games and their offense has not put up a lot of points in their past five games, failing to score more than 69 points in any of those games.  They may need to score in the high 70s to win games against top-tier Big Ten opponents in the Big Ten tournament.

Brief Overview of the Season

Wisconsin returned three key players this year in D’Mitrik Trice, Brad Davison, and Nate Reuvers. The Badgers have also is getting a major contribution from their second-leading scorer Micah Potter. They have utilized and leaned on their veteran leaders to get them some hard-fought victories this season.

This season the Big Ten has been the most difficult to win games in due to it being so competitive from top to bottom. The Badgers last year was 14-6 in Big Ten play and shared the Big Ten regular-season title with Michigan State and Maryland. Wisconsin having this season to compete with up-and-coming teams like Illinois and Michigan has made it that much more difficult as they finish the gauntlet of Big Ten regular-season play.

Wisconsin, however, may surprise many in the Big Ten by playing well in the Big Ten tournament. The Badgers may even when it is all said and done get a No. 5 or 4 seed in the NCAA tournament. However, there will be obstacles and difficult games still ahead but the Badgers should be ready for the challenges moving forward. Wisconsin next plays at Iowa on Sunday.

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