It doesn’t get much worse than what Michigan State basketball did this week.
The Spartans dropped a pair of home games as heavy favorites this week, losing on Sunday off a buzzer-beater to Ohio State. Michigan State had led the entire game and blew a 12-point second half lead in the loss.
With a pair of losses this week, Michigan State’s chances of making the NCAA Tournament took a hit but how did it affect our power rankings position?
See where Michigan State and the rest of the league lands in our weekly Big Ten basketball power rankings below:
14
Michigan
Record: 8-20 (3-14 in Big Ten)
It’s perplexing how bad Michigan has been this year because every time I watch them I see a lot of good things from the Wolverines. It just never seems to be sustainable for them, which again happened this week in their two losses to Northwestern and Purdue.
13
Indiana
Record: 14-13 (6-10 in Big Ten)
It’s been a rough go for the Hoosiers as of late with the last week essentially being the final nail in their coffin. Indiana has lost four straight games and eight of their last 10 to plummet to the bottom of our power rankings.
12
Rutgers
Record: 14-13 (6-10 in Big Ten)
A lot can change in a week’s time as Rutgers has now lost three straight games and has once again fallen off the bubble. The Scarlet Knights had been looking like an improved team before this skid but it apparently was a bit of false hope for Rutgers.
11
Ohio State
Record: 16-12 (6-11 in Big Ten)
Ohio State used a stifling defense in the final six minutes of Sunday’s road game at Michigan State to pull off the massive upset. That win keeps the Buckeyes somewhat alive for an at-large NCAA Tournament bid, and further proves they will be tough to beat in any game the rest of this year.
10
Maryland
Record: 15-13 (7-10 in Big Ten)
Maryland has been struggling as of late but this week was a better one for the Terps. Maryland got a much-needed win over Rutgers on Sunday, which gives themselves a little bit of life going into the final three games of the regular season.
9
Penn State
Record: 14-14 (8-9 in Big Ten)
Penn State seems to be a very streaky team that continues to be good enough on any given night to beat anyone. The Nittany Lions again showed that this week with an upset of Illinois during the week and a dominant win over Indiana on the weekend.
8
Iowa
Record: 16-12 (8-9 in Big Ten)
This feels a little low for Iowa who is starting to play its best ball late in the year — which included a road win over Michigan State this past week. But the Hawkeyes still need to show me more consistency before I move them up much higher than this.
7
Minnesota
Record: 17-10 (8-8 in Big Ten)
Minnesota had a golden opportunity to boost its resume in a road game at Nebraska over the weekend but came up well short. The Golden Gophers are much improved from last year but don’t seem likely to find themselves in the NCAA Tournament this year.
6
Michigan State
Record: 17-11 (9-8 in Big Ten)
I could probably drop the Spartans even further in our power rankings this week but I won’t go with a rash decision out of Sunday’s loss. But regardless, that was a brutal loss and means the Spartans are once again on the bubble and probably need to win at least two of their final three games in the regular season to feel good going into Selection Sunday. Right now, I don’t think that’s possible when I look at the schedule…
5
Wisconsin
Record: 18-9 (10-6 in Big Ten)
Wisconsin staved off an upset bid from Maryland earlier this week to pick up a much-needed home win in its lone game of the week. I’m still not sure what to make of the Badgers, but they at least appear to have somewhat leveled out after a recent brutal stretch.
4
Northwestern
Record: 19-8 (10-6 in Big Ten)
I keep waiting for Northwestern to fall off after losing Ty Berry but that just hasn’t happened — at least not yet. The Wildcats took care of business against Michigan in its lone matchup this week and continue to look like a team that’ll easily make the NCAA Tournament this year.
3
Nebraska
Record: 20-8 (10-7 in Big Ten)
Nebraska may have locked up a bid in the NCAA Tournament this week — at the very minimum moved to a point where one more win should probably seal the deal. The Cornhuskers picked up a pair of double-digit wins this week, including a road blowout of Indiana during the week. Nebraska is a dangerous team right now.
2
Illinois
Record: 20-7 (11-5 in Big Ten)
Illinois remains the clear No. 2 team in the Big Ten right now but they probably saw their chances of winning a regular-season championship go down the drain in State College, Penn. this week. The Fighting Illini blew a late lead and now will need some help to catch Purdue down the stretch.
1
Purdue
Record: 25-3 (14-3 in Big Ten)
The Boilermakers took care of business yet again this week — dominating both Rutgers and Michigan for easy wins. Purdue appears destined for another Big Ten regular season title and I don’t see them losing this top spot in our power rankings anytime soon.
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