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Big Ten: Pretenders Or Contenders?

By Aaron Ferguson

Feb 22, 2015; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard Yogi Ferrell (11) brings the ball up court during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at the Louis Brown Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim O
Feb 22, 2015; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard Yogi Ferrell (11) brings the ball up court during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at the Louis Brown Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim O /
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Nearly a month away from Selection Sunday, the Big Ten has six teams within three games of one another at the top of the conference. Who is separating themselves as contenders and who are the pretenders?

Feb 22, 2015; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard Yogi Ferrell (11) brings the ball up court during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at the Louis Brown Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim O
Feb 22, 2015; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard Yogi Ferrell (11) brings the ball up court during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at the Louis Brown Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim O /

The Big Ten basketball season is nearing the end of its regular season. Each team has played 10 or more games during their conference season. Several teams have emerged to the top. The usual suspects, Michigan State, Maryland, and Purdue, are all fighting at the top. Iowa, Indiana and Michigan have come as a little bit of a surprise this season.

All six of these teams are separated by three games at the top of the Big Ten conference. Before Big Ten action tips off again on Tuesday, let’s evaluate whether or not these six teams are contenders for the Big Ten championship, or even the National Championship.

Iowa and Maryland are sitting at the top of the Big Ten standings, separated by a half game. Iowa’s only loss has come at the hands of the Terrapins with one meeting still ahead. Both teams are ranked inside the top five, with Maryland ranked fourth and Iowa fifth. Indiana is one game behind the conference-leading Hawkeyes. However, they are ranked 22nd.

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The next tier in the Big Ten standings features Michigan State, Purdue and Michigan, who are all 7-4 in conference play this season. Each of these teams have interesting storylines to this point in the season, whether it’s battling with injuries or a drop-off in production. Perhaps one of these three teams could rise to the top.

Wisconsin is currently on a five-game winning streak. They have beaten Michigan State and Indiana at home during that stretch. They sit at 6-4 in Big Ten play, and they could certainly play spoilers to a team’s chances of winning the Big Ten or making the NCAA Tournament.

For now, it’s best to focus on the top six teams in the conference. All have positioned themselves to make a run at the Big Ten championship and great conference tournament seeding, but who will rise to the top?

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