Michigan State and Purdue were talk of the regular season sharing the conference title, but Nebraska is quickly becoming the talk of the conference tournament. With back to back victories against both Rutgers and Maryland, the Cornhuskers will play in Friday’s quarterfinals for the first time since 2016. Just how’d Nebraska’s victories influence this week’s power-rankings? Let’s take a look.
Big Ten Power Rankings: March 15th, 2019
## Big Ten Power Rankings: March 15th, 20191 |  | Michigan State 25-6 (16-4) Last: 2 | The Spartans are one of the favorites to win the Big Ten tournament after a strong finish to the regular season against Michigan. Their share of the Big Ten title are putting them as a 1 or 2 seed in NCAA projections.
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2 |  | Purdue 23-8 (16-4) Last: 3 | After a disappointing loss to Minnesota last week, the Boilermakers clinched a share of the Big 10 Championship Saturday in its win over Northwestern. Purdue has a chance to avenge that loss to the Gophers Friday in the quarterfinals of the Big 10 Tournament.
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3 |  | Michigan 26-5 (15-5) Last: 1 | Michigan’s regular season ended in somewhat bumpy fashion, as they did not string together three straight wins after January. However, the Wolverines have played just once in the last twelve days, so they should be fresh for tournament season. No Big Ten team has won more games than the Wolverines in March since 2011, a testament to John Beilein’s coaching ability in the biggest moments.
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4 |  | Wisconsin 22-9 (14-6) Last: 4 | Senior star Ethan Happ finished the regular season leading the Badgers in points (17.8), rebounds (10.4), and assists (4.7), but just how far can he carry them in both the conference and NCAA Tournament??
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5 |  | Nebraska 18-15 (6-14) Last: 14 | The Cornhuskers ended the season with some concerns, but after tallying two big games in the Big Ten tournament, they are looking for one last surge that may put them back in the conversation for the NCAA tournament. Tim Miles is not quite “safe” after two, but another victory will get them serious looks.
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6 |  | Minnesota 20-12 (9-11) Last: 6 | Richard Pitino’s team is one of the higher trending Big Ten teams and has played in the Big Ten as well as anyone would have expected from this Minnesota. With a seven seed intact, the Gophers are looking to spoil a few games and solidify their participation in the NCAA tournament.
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7 |  | Maryland 22-10 (13-7) Last: 5 | After winning Freshman of the Week and achieving first team all-Big Ten, respecitvely, Maryland forwards Jalen Smith and Bruno Fernando struggled against Nebraska in the Terps’ upset loss. Mark Turgeon’s crew will make the Big Dance, but with three losses in four games, they smell like a popular 12 vs. 5 upset pick.
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8 |  | Ohio State 19-13 (8-12) Last: 10 | Ohio State returns back with Kaleb Wesson and they have truly become a completely different team with him on the court. The amount of attention that the 6’9″ 270 lb forward demands forces teams like Indiana to adjust their defensive style completely. He beat Indiana once, and then he beat Indiana again.
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9 |  | Iowa 22-10 (10-10) Last: 8 | After somehow blowing a 9-point lead with :50 left and losing at Nebraska, the Hawkeyes bounced back with aplomb in the BTT opener vs. Illinois. Still one of the most efficient offenses in the country (13th in KenPom), can the Hawkeyes defense deliver in these tough tournament environments?
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10 |  | Penn State 14-18 (7-13) Last: 9 | For most of Thursday night, it looked as if Penn State would win its eigth contest of out the last eleven games. However, being outscored by nine points in the final 25 minutes against Minnesota prevented what would have clearly been a solid conference tournament upset.
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11 |  | Indiana 17-15 (8-12) Last: 7 | After a resounding win over Rutgers, the Hoosiers could not find their rhythm until it was too late against Ohio State. One bright spot against the Buckeyes came in the form of Devonte Green, who lit OSU up for 26 in the defeat. Green, a senior next year, scored in double digits in all four March contests.
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12 |  | Rutgers 14-17 (7-13) Last: 11 | Despite ending its season with three straight losses, it was a somewhat successful season for Rutgers that included two victories over ranked opponents.
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13 |  | Illinois 12-21 (7-13) Last: 12 | The Illini ran out of gas after an inspiring early February stretch, finishing 2-6, with both wins coming against basement-dwelling Northwestern. One of the youngest teams in the country this year, Illinois should improve to at least the middle of the pack in the Big Ten in 2019-20.
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14 |  | Northwestern 13-19 (4-16) Last: 13 | Chris Collins and the Wildcats likely have played their last game of the season after a first round exit in the Big Ten tournament. The Wildcats lose Vic Law and Ryan Taylor among others and have to look to a serious offseason conversation to get their team back in the tournament conversation for 2019-2020 season. Right now, that road ahead seems to be though.
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