Power rankings Big Ten basketball teams entering March Madness: Who is set for a deep run?
The 2025 NCAA Tournament field is set. After Sunday's conclusion of the Big Ten Tournament, a narrow Michigan win over Wisconsin, eight Big Ten teams made the official March Madness field.
Those teams, with their seed and region, are as follows: Michigan State (South, No. 2), Wisconsin (East, No. 3), Maryland (West, No. 4), Purdue (Midwest, No. 4), Michigan (South, No. 5), Oregon (East, No. 5), Illinois (Midwest, No. 6) and UCLA (Midwest, No. 7).
Wisconsin and Michigan each enter with major momentum after deep conference tournament runs. For Michigan, its string of victories halted a significant end-of-season losing skid and capped off a remarkable first-year turnaround under head coach Dusty May. For Wisconsin, despite the final loss, it returned the team to the top form it flashed during the regular season. The Badgers should be a popular pick to make a deep run. If that comes to fruition, it would be the program's first in a decade.
Meanwhile, Big Ten teams Washington (13-18), USC (16-17), Minnesota (15-17), Rutgers (15-17), Penn State (16-15), Northwestern (17-16), Iowa (17-16), Ohio State (17-15), Nebraska (17-14) and Indiana (19-13) all missed the 68-team field. Nebraska's fate is especially noteworthy. The team was 16-8 on Feb. 9 after a big home win over Ohio State. It then went 1-6 to close the season, capped off by five consecutive losses. Its late-season collapse dropped it from a tournament lock to several steps below the bubble. Both Indiana and Ohio State, meanwhile, missed the field after early Big Ten Tournament exits.
With eight Big Ten teams in the big dance, it's time for a fresh look at our weekly power rankings. Michigan State is already the conference regular-season champion and Michigan is the tournament victor. Given that those races are decided, these updated power rankings are ordered solely on which teams have the best chance to make a deep NCAA Tournament run.
8. Oregon Ducks (24-9)
Big Ten Tournament Result: Second-round win over Indiana, quarterfinal loss to Michigan State
NCAAT First-Round Matchup: No. 12 Liberty
Analysis: Oregon has a challenging regional draw, with No. 1-seed Duke, No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Wisconsin and No. 4 Arizona all ranked ahead of it. The team should take care of Liberty in the first round. After that, a second-round matchup against the Wildcats may be as far as it can go. Even if Dana Altman's team somehow wins that game, Duke would be up next. In theory, Oregon may need to face Liberty, Arizona, Duke and Alabama/Wisconsin en route to the Final Four.
Get more (Oregon) news, analysis and opinions on Ducks Wire
7. Michigan Wolverines (25-9)
Big Ten Tournament Result: Quarterfinal win over Purdue, semifinal win over Maryland, final win over Wisconsin
NCAAT First-Round Matchup: No. 12 UC San Diego
Analysis: Michigan is the hottest team in the Big Ten after its conference tournament title. While Dusty May deserves immense credit for turning the program around, don't expect a deep NCAA Tournament run to follow. Michigan's guard play is far worse than you'd expect from a Big Ten contender. It is in serious danger of a first-round exit.
Get more (Michigan) news, analysis and opinions on Wolverines Wire
6. UCLA Bruins (22-10)
Big Ten Tournament Result: Quarterfinal loss to Wisconsin
NCAAT First-Round Matchup: No. 10 Utah State
Analysis: UCLA could be a dangerous team, given its depth of contributors and strong guard play. However, a second-round matchup against Tennessee may mark the end of the road. The Volunteers are the No. 5 team in KenPom and should be a popular Final Four pick. If UCLA does get past Tennessee, No. 3-seed Kentucky will likely wait. Entering the NCAA Tournament as a No. 7 seed is no easy task.
Get more (UCLA) news, analysis and opinions on UCLA Wire
5. Purdue Boilermakers (22-11)
Big Ten Tournament Result: Second-round win over USC, quarterfinal loss to Michigan
NCAAT First-Round Matchup: No. 13 High Point
Analysis: Purdue's NCAA Tournament hopes rest on the shoulders of star guard Braden Smith. In all likelihood, the team will go as far as he can take it. It'll need to beat High Point and Clemson to reach the Sweet Sixteen. I'll predict that to be the case. The road would then likely end against No. 1 seed Houston.
4. Illinois Fighting Illini (21-12)
Big Ten Tournament Result: Second-round win over Iowa, quarterfinal loss to Maryland
NCAAT First-Round Matchup: No. 11 Texas/Xavier
Analysis: Illinois has the guard play, rebounding ability and star power to make a deep run -- as long as it isn't facing Maryland. I think many will look past the Fighting Illini after their Big Ten Tournament loss to the Terrapins. But they were blown out twice by Maryland this season -- it's a bad matchup for Brad Underwood's team.
I think Illinois makes at least the Sweet Sixteen. If star guard Kasparas Jakucionis is at the top of his game, that run could extend further.
3. Maryland Terrapins (25-8)
Big Ten Tournament Result: Quarterfinal win over Illinois, Semifinal loss to Michigan
NCAAT First-Round Matchup: No. 13 Grand Canyon
Analysis: Maryland received a somewhat favorable regional draw, with No. 1-seed Florida, No. 2 St John's and No. 3 Texas Tech. All three of those teams are deserving of the top seed. However, they create less of a gauntlet than what Oregon, for example, faces in Duke, Alabama, Wisconsin and Arizona.
All signs should point to Maryland making a deep run. Like Illinois, some may look past the team due to its conference tournament loss to Michigan. Grand Canyon (KenPom No. 93) and Memphis (No. 51) stand between it and the Sweet Sixteen. At that point, an upset win over No. 1-seed Florida could ignite a Final Four run.
2. Michigan State Spartans (27-6)
Big Ten Tournament Result: Quarterfinal win over Oregon, Semifinal loss to Wisconsin
NCAAT First-Round Matchup: No. 15 Bryant
Analysis: Michigan State is No. 2 in this ranking due to one simple fact: the Spartans aren't good enough at consistently scoring the basketball. They are an elite defensive team with strong fast-break ability. In the half-court, however, they have the propensity to struggle. That reality will hurt the team's March Madness chances.
The Spartans will get past Bryant in the first round. No. 7 Marquette presents a dangerous matchup in the second. Next, No. 3-seed Iowa State will be far from full health, which should tip the scales toward Michigan State. While the Spartans don't fit the profile of a national champion, their path to the Elite Eight is pretty clear.
Get more (Michigan State) news, analysis and opinions on Spartans Wire
1. Wisconsin Badgers (26-9)
Big Ten Tournament Result: Second-round win over Northwestern, quarterfinal win over UCLA, Semifinal win over Michigan State, final loss to Michigan
NCAAT First-Round Matchup: No. 14 Montana
Analysis: Wisconsin will either lose to No. 6 BYU in the second round or make a run to the Elite Eight/Final Four. The Badgers are one of the hottest teams in the sport, with Big Ten Tournament wins over Northwestern, UCLA and Michigan State. The loss to Michigan in the tournament final isn't a concern -- the team was clearly tired, playing its fourth game in as many days.
The Badgers have the recipe for a deep tournament run. They can score with the best teams in the sport, have the necessary star power (John Tonje) and are a sneaky-good defensive team. If the three-point shot falls, it can beat any team in the field. Again, Wisconsin's problem may be exiting its first weekend pod site in Denver. BYU is a strong team and will be a tough out, plus Wisconsin hasn't reached the second weekend since 2017.
Past that, Wisconsin would likely meet No. 2 Alabama in the Sweet Sixteen, then No. 1 Duke in the Elite Eight. It's a gauntlet. But Wisconsin is well-equipped to make a run. Wisconsin also deserves a few bounces of the basketball in a potential matchup against Duke, given the events of the 2015 national championship game.
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