Nick Baumgart and Cole Hanna drop their seventh installment of TheHoosier.com's "Big Ten Power Ranks" for January 27, 2020.
1. Illinois (15-5, 7-2)
NET: 32
Illinois has won six in a row. Nobody in the B1G is any hotter at the moment. --Nick Baumgart
Coming up: Thursday vs Minnesota; Sunday at Iowa
2. Iowa (14-5, 5-3)
NET: 22
The Hawkeyes won their lone game of the week, defeating the 24th ranked Rutgers Scarlet Knights at home on Wednesday night. Junior big man Luka Garza looks set to be one of the finalists for the Big Ten player of the year award. - Cole Hanna
Coming up: Monday vs. Wisconsin; Thursday at Maryland; Sunday vs. Illinois
3. Maryland (16-4, 6-3)
NET: 13
The Terps have won five out of seven including three in a row. The Terps have the same win at Indiana that MSU took for a loss just three days prior. -NB
Coming up: Thursday vs. Iowa
4. Michigan State (15-5, 7-2)
NET: 8
The Spartans suffered a narrow defeat on the road at Indiana, before rebounding with a dominant victory on the road in Minnesota. Despite the loss, the Spartans find themselves tied atop the Big Ten with Illinois. -CH
Coming up: Wednesday vs. Northwestern; Saturday at Wisconsin
5. Rutgers (15-5, 6-3)
NET: 23
Rutgers' only three losses since Dec 3: at Michigan State, at Illinois, and at Iowa. If anything, five feels low for the Scarlet Knights.-NB
Coming up: Tuesday vs. Purdue; Saturday vs. Michigan at Madison Square Garden
6. Wisconsin (12-8, 5-4)
NET: 30
Wisconsin suffered a disappointing road loss to the Boilermakers, but still find themselves in the thick of things in the Big Ten. The Badgers will face an important week of games featuring two teams above them in the standings, Iowa and Michigan State. - CH
Coming up: Monday at Iowa; Saturday vs. Michigan State
7. Penn State (14-5, 4-4)
NET: 27
The Nittany Lions won both games last week after losing three straight prior. Two must-win games face PSU this week. -NB
Coming up: Wednesday vs. Indiana; Saturday at Nebraska
8. Indiana (15-5, 5-4)
NET: 44
Indiana had the chance to move even higher than this, but a heartbreaking loss to Maryland on Sunday afternoon put a damper on things. Never the less, the Hoosiers added another quality win this week by knocking off the Spartans. -CH
Coming up: Wednesday at Penn State; Saturday at Ohio State
9. Minnesota (11-9, 5-5)
NET: 43
The Gophers have lost two of its last three, and Richard Pitino's club was dismantled by the Spartans on Saturday at The Barn. It doesn't get any easier this week. -NB
Coming up: Thursday at Illinois
10. Purdue (11-9, 4-5)
NET: 35
Purdue got back on track this week after a huge home win against the Badgers to keep themselves in the thick of the tournament discussion. With three of their next four contests coming on the road, Purdue will need to find a way to steal a game or two. - CH
Coming up: Tuesday at Rutgers, Saturday at Northwestern
11. Ohio State (13-7, 3-6)
NET: 19
The Buckeyes have lost six-of-eight, and at 3-6 in the B1G, almost every game at this point is a 'must-win.' But Saturday's rematch with the Hoosiers certainly carries extra importance. - NB
Coming up: Saturday vs. Indiana
12. Michigan (11-8, 2-6)
NET: 36
After a dominant start to the season, things are starting to look bleak in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines have now dropped four consecutive games, including a heartbreaking loss at the buzzer to the Illini. - CH
Coming up: Tuesday at Nebraska; Saturday vs. Rutgers at Madison Square Garden
13. Northwestern (6-11, 1-6)
NET: 133
Northwestern has lost 10-of-11 with the only win being over Nebraska. -NB
Coming up: Wednesday at Michigan State; Saturday vs. Purdue
14. Nebraska (7-11, 2-5)
NET: 170
Now losers of five in a row, Nebraska is deserving of their spot at the bottom of the Big Ten. The Huskers were close to a win on the road in Rutgers, but just ran out of gas at the end. - CH
Coming up: Tuesday vs. Michigan; Saturday vs. Penn State
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