Big Ten Basketball power rankings: Illinois soars up, Indiana keeps sliding

Jan 16, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard RJ Melendez (15), forward Dain Dainja (42), forward Matthew Mayer (24), and guard Jayden Epps (3) looks on during the second half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports /

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Big Ten Basketball Iowa Hawkeyes forward Filip Rebraca Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports /

7. Iowa Hawkeyes – 12-6 (4-3)

When the Hawkeyes lost three straight games and starting forward Patrick McCaffery left the team due to mental health-related issues, they looked to be in a dire situation. But they found a way to rebound in a huge way, currently on a four-game win streak. The first two wins were against Indiana and Rutgers on the road.

Last week, Iowa was at home against Michigan, which turned into an offensive thriller that needed extra time. In the end, the Hawkeyes were able to win 93-84, thanks to 27 points and eight rebounds from Kris Murray. But the MVP of the game was Payton Sandfort, who scored 26 points off the bench, including a game-tying four-point play via a 3 and a foul in the final 10 seconds to send it to OT.

Sandfort had been struggling from the field in Big Ten Basketball play but seems to have found his groove. He had 12 points and seven rebounds on 5/7 shooting in Iowa’s 81-67 win over Maryland. Murray had another 19 points, while guard Tony Perkins had a game-high 22 points on an efficient 10/13 shooting.

The Hawkeyes look to stay on the winning side, taking on Northwestern at home, followed by a road game versus Ohio State. With Sandfort emerging as a key piece off the bench, the team looks to be in good shape.

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