No. 3-1
The Illini have lost two of its last three games, including playing arguably its worst game of the season against Maryland. That said, head coach Brad Underwood and the Illini are learning to play and win without star guard Terrance Shannon, Jr. Illinois has two games they should win, against Rutgers and Michigan. Those wins will help them keep pace with Purdue and Wisconsin.
Outside of its loss to Penn State, the #11 Wisconsin Badgers have played some of the best basketball of any team in the Big Ten. They could easily be number one in the Power Rankings this week had it not been for a dominant win by the top team on this list. The x-factor for the Badgers is Steven Crowl. If he can give the Badgers near a double-double every night, that will be the perfect complement for AJ Storr.
The Boilermakers went to Assembly Hall and dominated their arch-nemesis, the Indiana Hoosiers, 87-66. Anytime you have a skilled 7-foot-4, 300-pound center in the middle of the paint, you will be hard to beat. Purdue is playing the best basketball of the season and it looks, like they want to make some noise come March.