See where the Hawkeyes end up ahead of a key week of games.
Welcome to the final Big Ten power rankings of February!
It's hard to believe we're almost to March, but a thrilling finish to the regular season awaits.
Your Iowa Hawkeyes got off the mat with a signature victory over Nebraska on Tuesday, but followed it up with a disappointing defeat to then-No. 24 Wisconsin in Madison on Sunday.
Splitting a pair of ranked games is nothing to be ashamed of, but where does that leave the Hawkeyes in our latest batch of Big Ten power rankings?
Keep reading to find out!
1. Michigan (25-2, 15-1)
If I was an AP voter, I still would've kept Michigan at No. 1. Yes, Duke did just beat them head-to-head, but no one in the country has a better resume than the Wolverines. Going to Purdue and handling the Boilermakers is far from easy, but Michigan did just that.
The Wolverines can lock up the Big Ten crown this week.
2. Michigan State (22-5, 12-4)
UCLA coach Mick Cronin's postgame tirade towards a reporter overshadowed a terrific outing by the Spartans, who coasted to a 23-point home win. The week finale against Ohio State was a struggle, but give credit to Michigan State for fighting off a desperate Buckeye squad.
3. Illinois (22-6, 13-4)
Illinois showed little fatigue in its West Coast opener, throttling USC 101-65 on Wednesday. The Fighting Illini jumped out to an early 23-point lead against UCLA, but allowed the Bruins to roar back and win the game in overtime at the buzzer - a defensive play that likely gave Iowa fans flashbacks of the Fran McCaffery era.
4. Purdue (22-5, 12-4)
Purdue has been playing good basketball of late, but the doubters are still very much out there after Tuesday's disappointing home loss to Michigan. That was the Boilers' chance to prove they were again worthy of their preseason No. 1 ranking, but they fell flat.
The response against archrival Indiana was a good one, but Purdue needs to show it can beat some of the league's best. Thursday's showdown against Michigan State at Mackey Arena is a great start.
5. Nebraska (23-4, 12-4)
The Cornhuskers haven't played as well as they did earlier in the year, but a favorable schedule down the stretch should help Nebraska get on its feet before postseason play begins. This has to be the year the Huskers get an NCAA tournament win, right?
6. Wisconsin (19-8, 11-5)
Wisconsin looked bad in Tuesday's 17-point loss in Columbus, but returned home to knock off a scrappy Iowa squad on Sunday. Greg Gard's team can score the basketball at will, but defense will ultimately define how far this team can go in March.
7. Iowa (19-8, 9-7)
Iowa got the signature win it needed against Nebraska, but Ben McCollum's group has struggled to string consecutive games together over the last few weeks. That showed in Sunday's loss to Wisconsin, but the Hawkeyes are in a great position to return to the NCAA tournament.
8. Ohio State (17-10, 9-7)
For the second straight year, Ohio State is outside the NCAA bubble at the end of the regular season. The Buckeyes gained a nice win against Wisconsin on Tuesday but couldn't pull off the upset at Michigan State.
Ohio State doesn't have a Quadrant 1 win, but it will have a chance to get one when it travels to Iowa City to take on the Hawkeyes on Wednesday.
9. Indiana (17-10, 8-8)
Just when it looked like the Hoosiers had some momentum, they suffered back-to-back 20-point losses. The 29-point loss at Purdue on Friday was especially embarrassing, as it was Indiana's worst loss to the Boilers in 57 years.
The Hoosiers would likely be in the NCAA tournament if the season ended today, but they've still got work to do in order to secure a bid.
10. UCLA (18-9, 10-6)
I've been following the Big Ten for a long time, and this UCLA team might be one of the strangest teams I've seen. The conference record looks shiny on paper, but the Bruins have struggled mightily against some of the Big Ten's top teams. That, combined with Cronin's fiery antics, has created a negative spotlight on the program.
UCLA subdued the light with a dramatic win over Illinois on Saturday, but this team needs to go on a hot streak to avoid sweating out Selection Sunday.
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