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Jan. 16—The last Big Ten men’s basketball power poll from Illinois beat Scott Richey came a month ago. Let’s just say some things have changed since before the holiday season. Others are frustratingly the same if you’re a fan of, let’s say, Indiana for example. Here’s how Richey, in his 10th season covering the Illini, sees the conference stacking up now:
1. Michigan State (15-2, 6-0 Big Ten)
The Spartans aren’t all that flashy. Probably won’t blow you away offensively. But they embody the typical gritty Tom Izzo team. One that’s now riding a 10-game winning streak into Sunday’s showdown with Illinois at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich. Jaden Akins has emerged as Michigan State’s scoring leader, but Jeremy Fears Jr. running the point — and running it well — has been vital.
2. Illinois (13-4, 5-2)
At this point, Illinois has almost as many Big Ten blowouts as not in league play with wins against Oregon (32 points), Penn State (39 points) and now Indiana (25 points). The Illini are also tied for first with three Big Ten road wins. A critical stat for title contenders. Avoiding more “stinker” home losses is key.
3. Michigan (13-3, 5-0)
The Wolverines rank first nationally in effective field goal percentage. A metric clearly bolstered by having a pair of offensive-minded 7-footers. Vlad Goldin (old-school big) and Danny Wolf (stretch 5) couldn’t be more different in skill set, but choosing to play them together was the best decision Dusty May made.
4. Purdue (13-4, 5-1)
Purdue is undefeated in Big Ten play in the new year with the trio of Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer still responsible for that success. But don’t pencil the Boilermakers in for another conference championship after wins against Minnesota, Northwestern, Rutgers and Nebraska.
5. Oregon (15-2, 4-2)
The Ducks have recovered after getting throttled on their home court by Illinois two weeks ago with three straight Big Ten wins. Three straight close wins — by a combined seven points —…
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Author : The News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill.
Publish date : 2025-01-16 15:51:00
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