Big Ten Basketball: Power Rankings for the 2022 New Year

By Ryan Kay | Jan 4, 2022

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 19: Trevion Williams #50 and Mason Gillis #0 of the Purdue Boilermakers celebrate a shot during the Crossroads Classic college basketball game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on December 19, 2020 at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

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Boo Buie #0 of the Northwestern Wildcats (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

Tier 3 Teams in the Big Ten

These are teams that can still make the NCAA tournament but they have some work to do and they need to start winning some key games in Big Ten conference play.

485. . 7-5. . Wolverines . 10. team

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

Defeats: No. 24 Seton Hall in the Gavitt Tipoff Games (67-65), No. 8 Arizona in the Roman Main Event (80-62), at North Carolina in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, at UCF (85-71), and Minnesota (75-65).

Big Ten Record: 1-1

Current Streak: One straight loss

RPI Ranking: 58

KenPom Ranking: 21

College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 29

Net Ranking: 43

AP Poll Ranking: N/R

Next Opponent: At Rutgers on Jan. 4

. 8-3. . Wildcats . 9. team. 489

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

Defeats: No. 16 Providence in the Roman Legends Classic (77-72), at Wake Forest in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge (77-73 OT), and No. 10 Michigan State (73-67)

Big Ten Record: 1-1

Current Streak: One straight loses

RPI Ranking: 109

KenPom Ranking: 43

College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 46

Net Ranking: 50

AP Poll Ranking: N/R

Next Opponent: Penn State on Jan. 5

. Hawkeyes . 8. team. 483. . 11-3

Best Wins: At Virginia in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge (75-74), Maryland (80-75), and Utah State (94-75)

Defeats: At No. 3 Purdue (77-70), Illinois (87-83), and at No. 11 Iowa State (73-53)

Big Ten Record: 1-2

Current Streak: Four straight wins

RPI Ranking: 81

KenPom Ranking: 25

College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 17

Net Ranking: 27

AP Poll Ranking: N/R

Next Opponent: At Wisconsin on Jan. 6

7. team. 482. . 10-3. . Hoosiers

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

Defeats: Syracuse in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge (112-110 2OT), at Penn State (61-58), and at No. 23 Wisconsin (64-59)

Big Ten Record: 1-2

Current Streak: One straight loss

RPI Ranking: 61

KenPom Ranking: 31

College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 35

Net Ranking: 48

AP Poll Ranking: N/R

Next Opponent: Ohio State on Jan. 6

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