Big Ten basketball power rankings: Michigan, Purdue, Nebraska lead the way

Michigan Wolverines basketball stands atop the first edition of the Big Ten power rankings of the 2026 calendar year, even after a 91-88 loss to Wisconsin Saturday in Ann Arbor. Here’s our ranking of the conference teams 1-18.

1. Michigan (14-1 overall, 4-1 Big Ten)

Last week: at Penn State (W, 74-72), vs. Wisconsin (L, 91-88)
This week: at Washington (Wednesday), at Oregon (Saturday)

Michigan didn’t play a close game in 53 days before barely escaping victorious at Penn State, and then the Wolverines suffered their first loss of the season — a home setback to Wisconsin, which was red-hot from deep with 15 made threes.

But those 30- and 40-point wins that Michigan was notching on a regular basis aren’t all that far in the rear view. The Wolverines were on a historic run and off to their best start since 2018-19, still looking like the team to beat in the Big Ten despite needing to get back on track out West.

2. Purdue (15-1 overall, 5-0 Big Ten)

Last week: vs. Washington (W, 81-73), vs. Penn State (93-85)
This week: vs. Iowa (Wednesday), at USC (Saturday)

Matt Painter‘s crew gave up the No. 1 spot in the AP poll by getting embarrassed by Iowa State Dec. 6, but the Boilermakers have plenty of big wins on the resumé, including four over top-40 teams in the nation per KenPom.

The Boilermakers boast the most efficient offense in the sport, featuring a big four instead of last year’s big three. The addition of Oscar Cluff, who has the top offensive rating in the country (156.5) has been big-time, and fellow big man Daniel Jacobsen is the type of shot-blocker the Boilermakers needed a year ago.

3. Nebraska (16-0 overall, 5-0 Big Ten)

Last week: at Ohio State (W, 72-69), at Indiana (W, 83-77)
This week: vs. Oregon (Tuesday), at Northwestern (Saturday)

Nebraska has won 20-straight games — the longest active win streak in America, after winning The Crown to conclude last year and starting off this season 16-0. The Cornhuskers played a non-conference slate that ranked outside the top 300 nationally in strength of schedule but have already taken down Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan State, Ohio State and Indiana in Big Ten play. Fred Hoiberg‘s team is legit and can really defend.

4. Michigan State (14-2 overall, 4-1 Big Ten)

Last week: vs. USC (W, 80-51), vs. Northwestern (W, 76-66)
This week: vs. Indiana (Tuesday), at Washington (Saturday)

One. That’s the number of losses that Duke (1) and Nebraska (0) have this season, and those are the only teams that have beaten Michigan State, which looks like a contender in the Big Ten. The Spartans don’t have great shooting, but they defend and rebound at a high level — a formula that will result in a lot of wins.

5. Illinois (13-3 overall, 4-1 Big Ten)

Last week: vs. Rutgers (W, 81-55), at Iowa (75-69)
This week: at Northwestern (Wednesday), vs. Minnesota (Saturday)

Illinois can score with the best of them, ranking third nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency, with a lineup featuring shooters all over the floor. But the defense has some questions, giving up over 1.1 points per possession in all three losses, including 1.31 to Nebraska.

The Fighting Illini just beat Iowa and led wire-to-wire at Carver-Hawkeye on Sunday, and doing that shows they’ll be ready for the throes of the Big Ten.

6. Wisconsin (11-5 overall, 3-2 Big Ten)

Last week: vs. UCLA (W, 80-72), at Michigan (W, 91-88)
This week: at Minnesota (Tuesday), vs. Rutgers (Saturday)

Any time you splash 25 threes in a week, it’s a good one. Wisconsin protected home court against UCLA and then notched the most impressive win of the season in college basketball, beating Michigan in Ann Arbor on the heels of red-hot shooting.

The Badgers rely on the three-point shot quite a bit, ranking 14th nationally in volume, but have some stud players in guards Nick Boyd and John Blackwell who will be able to carry them when needed. This is a group with potential that is already battle-tested due to Greg Gard scheduling tough in non-conference play and some big boy matchups early in the Big Ten season.

7. Indiana (12-4 overall, 3-2 Big Ten)

Last week: at Maryland (W, 84-66), vs. Nebraska (L, 83-77)
This week: at Michigan State (Tuesday), vs. Iowa (Saturday)

First-year head coach Darian DeVries doesn’t have a marquee win yet, but the Hoosiers have handled their business, more or less, since losing three of four in December (Minnesota, Louisville, Kentucky). DeVries and Co. almost got that big victory Saturday at Assembly Hall, but they blew a 16-point second-half lead to Nebraska.

8. Iowa (12-4 overall, 2-3 Big Ten)

Last week: at Minnesota (L, 70-67), vs. Illinois (L, 75-69)
This week: at Purdue (Wednesday), at Indiana (Saturday)

The Hawkeyes just had a rough week with two losses after beating UCLA Jan. 3. First-year head coach Ben McCollum‘s team looks completely different than what we all came to expect over so many years with Fran McCaffery at the helm. Iowa has been strong on defense (and plays at a slow tempo), but hasn’t been able to score efficiently in its losses.

9. UCLA (11-5 overall, 3-2 Big Ten)

Last week: at Wisconsin (L, 80-72), vs. Maryland (W, 67-55)
This week: at Penn State (Wednesday), at Ohio State (Saturday)

Mick Cronin apparently still hasn’t figured out to win in the midwest, and it’s not easy to play at a consistently high level when having to endure so much travel throughout the season. The Bruins haven’t lost at home, but haven’t won outside of their own time zone, with their lone road win coming at Washington Dec. 3.

Star guard Skyy Clark going down with a hamstring injury doesn’t help, either, putting more pressure on New Mexico transfer Donovan Dent in the back court on a team without much firepower at the big man spots.

10. Washington (10-6 overall, 2-3 Big Ten

Last week: at Purdue (L, 81-73), vs. Ohio State (W, 81-74)
This week: vs. Michigan (Wednesday), vs. Michigan State (Saturday)

Washington has a talented roster after making big-time transfer portal additions but are taking a while to put the puzzle pieces together. The defense has been atrocious against Big Ten teams, and there aren’t many shooters on the roster.

11. USC (13-3 overall, 2-3 Big Ten)

Last week: at Michigan State (L, 80-51), at Minnesota (W, 70-69 in OT)
This week: vs. Maryland (Tuesday), vs. Purdue (Saturday)

USC needed its overtime win over Minnesota as much as any team could need a win on January 9. The Trojans lost to Michigan and Michigan State by a combined 59 points in the previous two games.

With the way things have gone recently, it’s hard to envision USC making the NCAA Tournament or finishing in the top half of the Big Ten, with the season-ending shoulder injury to star guard and Maryland transfer Rodney Rice looming large. Five-star freshman Alijah Arenas, however, seems like he’s trending toward being healthy enough to make his college debut soon, and that could change the calculus.

12. Minnesota (10-6 overall, 3-2 Big Ten)

Last week: vs. Iowa (W, 70-67), vs. USC (L, 70-69 in OT)
This week: vs. Wisconsin (Tuesday), at Illinois (Saturday)

Niko Medved is exceeding expectations in year one, already having beaten Indiana and Iowa. The Golden Gophers don’t have a lot of great pieces but do lead the nation in assist rate and are starting to form an identity.

13. Ohio State (11-5 overall, 3-3 Big Ten)

Last week: at Oregon (W, 72-62), at Washington (L, 81-74)
This week: vs. UCLA (Saturday)

Ohio State is 0-4 against KenPom top-50 teams this season after going 5-13 in such matchups a year ago. Second-year head coach Jake Diebler hasn’t lived up to the hype to this point. The Buckeyes have a lot of talent but it hasn’t come together, and the defense has real issues.

14. Rutgers (8-9 overall, 1-5 Big Ten)

Last week: vs. Oregon (W, 88-85 in OT), at Illinois (L, 81-55)
This week: vs. Northwestern (Sunday)

Rutgers has a young group that struggles mightily on the defensive end and is one of the worst rebounding teams at the high-major level. Plus, the Scarlet Knights don’t have the shot-makers they did last year. They’ve won two overtime games lately, showing that Jersey Mike’s Arena won’t be an automatic win for foes, but it’s hard to imagine this team making much noise.

15. Oregon (8-8 overall, 1-4 Big Ten)

Last week: at Rutgers (L, 88-85 in OT), vs. Ohio State (L, 72-62)
This week: at Nebraska (Tuesday), vs. Michigan (Saturday)

Oregon has been without point guard Jackson Shelstad (right hand) in the last three games and has dropped two in a row, including a brutal one at Rutgers. The Ducks look different with him in the lineup, but nobody is soon to forget their five-straight losses from late-November into December, and their best win came in the season-opener against No. 96-ranked Hawaii … by one point.

16. Penn State (9-7 overall, 0-5 Big Ten)

Last week: vs. Michigan (L, 74-72), at Purdue (L, 93-85)
This week: vs. UCLA (Wednesday), at Maryland (Sunday)

Penn State has played Indiana, Michigan State, Illinois, Michigan and Purdue so far — a ridiculously tough start to the Big Ten slate. Things will lighten up soon, and we’ll learn more about what the Nittany Lions are. Credit them for hanging in and losing by single digits against MSU, Michigan, Illinois and Purdue.

17. Northwestern (9-7 overall, 1-4 Big Ten)

Last week: at Michigan State (L, 76-66), at Rutgers (L, 77-75 in OT)
This week: at Rutgers (Sunday)

Northwestern scheduled light in the non-conference and only has one win over a high-major opponent, a two-point victory over South Carolina Nov. 23. The Gamecocks, by the way, rank No. 71 on KenPom, so that isn’t much to write home about. Chris Collins’ group will absolutely pull off an upset or two this season but is off to a dismal start.

18. Maryland (7-9 overall, 0-5 Big Ten)

Last week: vs. Indiana (L, 84-66), at UCLA (L, 67-55)
This week: at USC (Tuesday), vs. Penn State (Sunday)

Maryland hasn’t beaten a high-major opponent and has won just two games since the start of December. Buzz Williams’ roster lacks talent, and stud big man Pharrel Payne has been out ever since going down with an injury against Michigan in December.