Big Ten Basketball’s argument for being the top league in 2021-22 season

Big Ten Basketball collectively may have not had the greatest start to the 2021-2022 season but they have proven they are still one of the best conferences overall in college basketball.

Looking at various rankings such as the NET rankings, RPI rankings, and Kenpom rankings, Big Ten Basketball is favorably ranked overall in comparison to other conferences. Ten teams are projected to make the NCAA tournament according to Joe Lunardi which is the most out of any conference and various Big Ten teams continue to win key non-conference games.

Looking at the resumes of all fourteen Big Ten teams, some are clearly better than others. However, ten out of the fourteen Big Ten teams have impressive wins early in the season and they are continuing to play well in the month of December. Other conferences like the Big 12 have collectively a good amount of wins but do they have more tier 1 or quad 1 wins than the Big Ten? Let’s take a look at all fourteen team resumes seeing just how good the Big Ten conference is this season.

Key Victories: No. 18 North Carolina in the Cheez-It Hall of Fame Tip-Off tournament (93-84), Florida State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge (93-65), No. 5 Villanova in the Cheez-It Hall of Fame Tip-Off tournament (80-74), Iowa (77-70), Butler in the Crossroads Classic (77-48), and NC State in the Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational (82-72 OT).

Losses: At Rutgers (70-68)

Net Ranking: 8

RPI Ranking: 28

KenPom Ranking: 3

AP Ranking: 3

Non-Conference Tournament Champions: Cheez-It Hall of Fame Tip-Off Champions

Next Opponent: Incarnate Word on Dec. 20

Key Victories: No. 1 Duke in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge (71-66), No. 21 Seton Hall in the Fort Myers Tip-Off tournament (79-76), and Wisconsin (73-55)

Losses: At Xavier in the Gavitt Tipoff Games (71-65) and No. 23 Florida (71-68)

Net Ranking: 18

RPI Ranking: 3

KenPom Ranking: 16

AP Ranking: 15

Next Opponent: UT Martin on Dec. 21 (Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic game on Dec. 18  was cancelled)

Key Victories: At Virginia in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge (75-74)

Losses: At No. 2 Purdue (77-70), Illinois (87-83), and at No. 17 Iowa State (73-53)

Net Ranking: 32

RPI Ranking: 114

KenPom Ranking: 27

Next Opponent: SE Louisiana on Dec. 21

Key Victories: Georgia in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge (78-62) and at Maryland (67-61)

Losses: Providence in the Roman Legends Classic (77-72) and at Wake Forest in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge (77-73 OT)

Net Ranking: 41

RPI Ranking: 105

KenPom Ranking: 38

Next Opponent: Illinois-Springfield on Dec. 20 (the DePaul game on Dec. 18 was cancelled)

Key Victories: Kansas State in the Hall of Fame Classic tournament (72-64), at Iowa (87-83), and Notre Dame in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge (82-72).

Losses: At Marquette in the Gavitt Tipoff Games (67-66), Cincinnati in the Hall of Fame Classic tournament (71-51), and No. 11 Arizona (83-79).

Net Ranking: 30

RPI Ranking: 37

KenPom Ranking: 13

Next Opponent: Missouri on Dec. 22

Key Victories: St. John’s in the Gavitt Tipoff Games (76-74), Notre Dame in the Crossroads Classic (64-56), and Marshall (90-79)

Losses: Syracuse in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge (112-110 2OT) and at Wisconsin (64-59)

Net Ranking: 42

RPI Ranking: 55

KenPom Ranking: 29

Next Opponent: Northern Kentucky on Dec. 22

Key Victories: Princeton in the Asheville Championship tournament (87-80), at Pitt in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge (54-53), at Mississippi State (81-76), and at Michigan (75-65).

Losses: No. 12 Michigan State (75-67)

Net Ranking: 37

RPI Ranking: 10

KenPom Ranking: 73

Non-Conference Tournament Champions: Asheville Championship Champions

Next Opponent: Green Bay on Dec. 22

Let’s take a look at the other seven teams in the Big Ten.

The Big Ten viewed through analytics and in-depth analysis is rated one of the best conferences in college basketball.

The best part for the Big Ten is teams like Illinois and Michigan are more than likely only going to get better after some early season losses. Teams like Rutgers who have lost numerous close games have shown their potential as the only team to have defeated Purdue at this point of the season.

Teams like Michigan State and Wisconsin have far exceeded preseason expectations at this point of the season and they are both only going to improve as the season continues.  Maryland has a new coach and they just defeated Florida and Minnesota may be the biggest surprise in all of college basketball as they have only one loss thus far.

Let’s take an in-depth look at the other seven Big Ten teams and their resumes and see why the Big Ten is making a strong case in late December as one of the best conferences in all of college basketball.

Key Victories: At Butler in the Gavitt Tipoff Games (73-52), Loyola Chicago in the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis tournament (63-61), at Minnesota (75-67), No. 22 UConn in the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis tournament (64-60), and Louisville in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Losses: Kansas in the State Farm Champions Classic (87-74) and No. 6 Baylor in the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis championship game (75-58)

Net Ranking: 12

RPI Ranking: 1

KenPom Ranking: 17

AP Ranking: 12

Next Opponent: Oakland in Detroit, MI on Dec. 21

Key Victories: UNLV in the Roman Main Event (74-61) and San Diego State (72-58)

Losses: Seton Hall in the Gavitt Tipoff Games (67-65), Arizona in the Roman Main Event (80-62), at North Carolina in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, and Minnesota (75-65).

Net Ranking: 46

RPI Ranking: 48

KenPom Ranking: 18

Next Opponent: Purdue Fort Wayne on Dec. 21

Key Victories: Texas A&M in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational tournament (69-58), at Georgia Tech in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge (70-66), No. 12 Houston in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational tournament (65-63), Marquette (89-76), and Saint Mary’s in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational tournament (61-55).

Losses: Providence in the Gavitt Tipoff Games (63-58) and No. 21 Ohio State (73-55)

Net Ranking: 29

RPI Ranking: 9

KenPom Ranking: 35

Non-Conference Tournament Champions: Maui Jim Maui Invitational Champions

Next Opponent: Morgan State on Dec. 23

Key Victories: Oregon State in the Emerald Coast Classic tournament (60-45) and Cornell (85-74)

Losses: At UMass (81-56), LSU in the Emerald Coast Classic tournament (68-63 OT), Miami in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge (63-58), Ohio State (76-64), and at No. 12 Michigan State (80-64).

Net Ranking: 105

RPI Ranking: 83

KenPom Ranking: 86

Next Opponent: Delaware State Dec. 29 (their previously two scheduled games have been canceled)

Key Victories: Richmond in the Bahamas Championship tournament (86-80) and No. 20 Florida (70-68)

Losses: George Mason (71-66), Louisville in the Bahamas Championship tournament (63-55), Virginia Tech in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge (62-58), and Northwestern (67-61)

Net Ranking: 129

RPI Ranking: 101

KenPom Ranking: 54

Next Opponent: Loyola (MD) on Dec. 28

Key Victory: South Dakota (83-70)

Losses: Western Illinois (75-74), Creighton (77-69), NC State in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge (104-100 4OT), at Indiana (68-55), Michigan (102-67), and No. 18 Auburn in the Holiday Hoopsgiving (99-68)

Net Ranking: 213

RPI Ranking: 233

KenPom Ranking: 125

Next Opponent: Kansas State on Dec. 19

Key Victories: Clemson in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge 74-64) and No. 1 Purdue (70-68)

Losses: At DePaul in the Gavitt Tipoff Games (73-70), Lafayette (53-51), UMass (85-83), at Illinois (86-51), and at No. 23 Seton Hall (77-63)

Net Ranking: 163

RPI Ranking: 140

KenPom Ranking: 99

Next Opponent: Central Connecticut on Dec. 23 (the Rider game on Dec. 18 is postponed)

As Big Ten Basketball play gets near, these teams have collectively had a good non-conference effort, setting them up to get plenty of at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament. While the Big 12, SEC, and Big East have gotten some national attention, the Big Ten remains as strong as ever.