Big Ten basketball Update and Power Rankings

Big Ten Conference fans probably have just one question. How weird is Illinois this season? At 10-5 in conference play, the Fighting Illini has at times, certainly not looked like a team that was only 1½ games out of first place. From the team that brought you a 33-point, no free throw performance in a loss to Penn State on Feb. 18, the Illini bounced back nicely Sunday at Ohio State. They shot 58 percent in a 70-68 victory. The win marked the 150 th for Coach Bruce Weber in his time in Champaign. Illinois (22-6, 10-5) has thrown out the ugly this season. The Illini were also held to 36 points in a loss at Minnesota earlier this year and looked really poor in a loss at Wisconsin. But Illinois also has a sweep of Purdue and a sweep of the Buckeyes. Although the Illini have looked random this season, they have also been very balanced. Four players average 10 or more points. But Demetri McKamey is the team’s leading scorer at 11.8 points per game.

Minnesota’s rough ride

The Golden Gophers finished a streak of four of six on the road with a 72-45 win over Northwestern. It could not have come at a better time. Minnesota reached 20 wins, but the Gophers (8-7 in conference play) lost all of their road games at Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan. They were blown out at Michigan State and Michigan, played Ohio State tough only to lose and couldn’t hold a late lead at Penn State.

Now, the Gophers went from being foregone conclusions to make the NCAA tournament to being back on the bubble.

Their final three games are at Illinois and home games to Wisconsin and Michigan. If the Gophers can grab two of those, they probably still make the tournament. What helps them is that their 78-74 win at Wisconsin is looking stronger since the Badgers are playing better and the conference is having a balanced season and appears to be deeper.

Spartans’ Magical Win

Michigan State’s come-from-behind 61-50 win over Wisconsin came in front of members of the 1979 national championship team that included Coach Jud Heathcote and Magic Johnson. The Spartans (21-5, 11-3) lead the conference by one game over Purdue with four games to play.

Briefly…

Purdue’s Robbie Hummel has played the last three games for the Boilermakers against Iowa, Michigan State and Indiana. But his effectiveness is in question because he has been dealing with so many back issues this year….because of the oddity of the scheduling; Purdue’s 81-67 victory over Indiana on Feb. 21 was the in-state rivals’ only meeting of the season.

Power Rankings

1. Michigan St.
2. Purdue
3. Illinois
4. Penn State
5. Ohio State
6. Minnesota
7. Wisconsin
8. Michigan
9. Northwestern
10. Iowa
11. Indiana

> Find more Big Ten football news online at Big Ten Fans!