No. 10-7
No. 10 Maryland Terrapins (15-13,7-10)
This was not the season expected in College Park. However, there is still some hope for the Terps with a strong finish and deep run in the Big Ten Tournament. Winning their last three games gets them even in conference and would mean a solid win against Northwestern.
No. 9 Iowa Hawkeyes (15-11, 8-9)
Much like Maryland, the Iowa Hawkeyes likely need to win its last three games and a deep run in the Big Ten tournament to keep any hope of a NCAA at-large berth alive. The issue with Iowa is the same they've had all season. They can score in droves but can't stop anyone. Their record and lack of consistency prove that.
No. 8 Penn State Nittany Lions (14-14, 8-9)
Don't look now, but the Nittany Lions are playing incredible basketball. They did an excellent job following up their upset of Illinois with a dominant win against Indiana. Ace Baldwin has stepped up without leading scorer Kanye Clary, who is no longer with the team.
No. 7 Minnesota Golden Gophers (17-10, 8-8)
The Golden Gophers are better this season. They are on the bubble with four games left. If they can get to 20 wins and pick off a couple of top teams in the conference tournament, they could be dancing for the first time in six seasons.