Nick Baumgart and Cole Hanna drop their eleventh installment of TheHoosier.com's "Big Ten Power Ranks" for February 24.
1. Maryland (22-5, 12-4)
NET: 10
Despite a road loss to Ohio State on Saturday the Terrapins remain the clear Big Ten favorites. Holding a two-game lead with four left to play, it's tough to imagine anyone catching Maryland. - Cole Hanna
Coming up: Wednesday at Minnesota; Saturday vs Michigan State
2. Iowa (19-8, 10-6)
NET: 27
The Hawkeyes have bounced back nicely after dropping one on the road in Bloomington. Iowa has now won 3-of-4 and 8-of-11 to hold the second spot this week. Fran Mccaffery has an alpha dog in Luka Garza, too. - Nick Baumgart
Coming up: Tuesday at Michigan State; Saturday vs Penn State
3. Michigan (18-9, 9-7)
NET: 22
The Wolverines have won their last five and currently sit as arguably the hottest team in the Big Ten. A tough slate awaits them this week though, featuring Wisconsin and Ohio State. - CH
Coming up: Thursday vs Wisconsin; Sunday at Ohio State
4. Penn State (20-7, 10-6)
NET: 25
The Nittany Lions fall back a couple spots this week off the heels of a disappointing two-game losing streak that included a loss at home to Illinois.
No word on when sophomore Myreon Jones will return, but they need him soon. Another tough week lies ahead. -NB
Coming up: Wednesday vs Rutgers; Saturday at Iowa
5. Wisconsin (17-10, 10-6)
NET: 29
After a rocky start to the season for the Badgers, they've started to find their stride at just the right time. Winners of five consecutive games, they now find themselves just two games behind Maryland for the Big Ten lead. - CH
Coming up:Thursday at Michigan; Sunday vs Minnesota
6. Ohio State (18-9, 8-8)
NET: 19
After a January slide, the Buckeyes have bounced back to win 6-of-8 including a signature-win over the weekend against Maryland. - NB
Coming up: Thursday at Nebraska; Sunday vs Michigan
7. Michigan State (18-9, 10-6)
NET: 13
Michigan State took care of business in their lone game of the week, dismantling Nebraska on the road for an easy victory. The Spartans' struggles aren't completely behind them, but they've played better of late. - CH
Coming up: Tuesday vs Iowa; Saturday at Maryland
8. Illinois (17-9, 9-6)
NET: 35
The Illini got a big win last Tuesday in Happy Valley to stop a four-game slide and a seven-spot drop in the Power Ranks. With three winnable games this week, the Illini have a big opportunity ahead. - NB
Coming up: Monday vs Nebraska; Thursday at Northwestern; Sunday vs Indiana
9. Rutgers (18-10, 9-8)
NET: 34
A once promising Rutgers season has started to come apart of late, with the Scarlet Knights dropping three of their last four contests. Things don't get any easier moving forward either, with Rutgers drawing Penn State, Maryland, and Purdue to finish the season. - CH
Coming up: Wednesday at Penn State
10. Indiana (18-9, 8-8)
NET: 52
Indiana moves up a spot in our rankings and probably slides off the Bubble for now by winning 3-of-4 including victories over top-tier Iowa and Penn State in the last 10 days. A huge opportunity awaits this week with two tough games on the road. Can the Hoosiers ride the recent momentum and make a statement? -NB
Coming up: Thursday at Purdue; Sunday at Illinois
11. Minnesota (13-13, 7-9)
NET: 42
The Gophers split their games this week, falling at home to Indiana before going on the road for a victory against Northwestern. Whatever narrow path Minnesota had to make the tournament looks all but closed now. - CH
Coming up: Wednesday vs Maryland; Sunday at Wisconsin
12. Purdue (14-14, 7-10)
NET: 36
After winning 4-of-5 and ascending as high as seven in our power ranks just three weeks ago, the Boilers are on a four-game slide and need a bunch of wins in the final weeks of the season, starting on Thursday when the Hoosiers come to town. IU is Purdue's lone game this week, so the Boilers have a chance to regroup before attempting to make a late push. -NB
Coming up: Thursday vs Indiana
13. Northwestern (6-20, 1-15)
NET: 177
Losers of eleven consecutive games now, their January 11th victory over Nebraska is the only thing keeping them off the bottom spot. - CH
Coming up: Thursday vs Illinois; Sunday at Nebraska
14. Nebraska (7-19, 2-13)
NET: 186
The Huskers have a big opportunity to climb out of the B1G purgatory this week when it hosts Northwestern in a "Bottom Bowl" rematch.
It's the little things if you're a Nebraska fan this season. -NB
Coming up: Monday at Illinois; Thursday vs Ohio State; Sunday vs Northwestern
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