Big Ten Basketball power rankings: Indiana flies up, Michigan crashes down

9. Wisconsin Badgers – 12-8 (4-6)

When the Badgers were losing without leading scorer and rebounder Tyler Wahl, I and many others were willing to give them a pass. But what excuse can be made now with him back and on a current three-game losing skid? They played three games this past week, with two of them on the road.

The first was against Northwestern, a game where the Badgers haven’t shot well but did take care of the ball and made enough three-pointers to stay in the game. But in the end, they fell to the Wildcats, 66-63. Four players were in double figures, led by Jordan Davis with 15 points and six rebounds.

The next two games weren’t as close, with the offense becoming a disaster. They lost 73-55 to Maryland, shooting 40% from the field as a team. Guard Connor Essegian shot well on his own, scoring a team-high 19 points on 4/6 from three-point range. But in the 61-51 defeat to Illinois this past weekend, the freshman guard went 0/5 from the field overall. Chucky Hepburn was the one to lead Wisconsin in scoring with 15 points.

Wisconsin’s non-conference and first few weeks of Big Ten Basketball play had given them some breathing room. But after losing 6 of the last 7 games, they’re firmly on the cut-line for an at-large bid. They have to find a way to get back on track and will take on another struggling team in Ohio State this week.