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SEC basketball is staking its dominance over the Big Ten in ways the league’s football teams must envy.
Ken Pomeroy’s top 25 features eight teams from the SEC and seven from the Big Ten. However, Auburn (2), Florida (5), Tennessee (6) and Alabama (8) all show up before the first Big Ten teams, Illinois and Purdue at 9-10.
Also, the Big 12 has three with Houston (3), Iowa State (4) and Kansas (6).
Maybe schedule dynamics will help some Big Ten teams pick up the kinds of winds necessary to climb higher. So far we’ve seen only one game between any of the top four teams on my list below: Michigan State’s narrow home victory over Illinois last Sunday.
Purdue and Michigan can make a statement on Friday night at Mackey Arena.
Jan 19, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Jaden Akins (3) and forward Frankie Fidler (8) celebrate as the clock expires and the Michigan State Spartans defeat the Illinois Fighting Illini at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images
1. Michigan State (16-2, 7-0)
Prev: 3
Spartans should be 9-0 heading into their L.A. getaway, but things get hairy from there.
2. Purdue (15-5, 7-2)
Prev: 2
Something about the Boilermakers, and maybe only the Boilermakers, brings out the best in Ohio State.
3. Michigan (14-6, 6-1)
Prev: 1
After back-to-back overtime games, Wolverines step into the Mackey Arena pressure cooker on Friday.
4. Illinois (13-5, 5-3)
Prev: 4
If Brad Underwood can keep his emotions in check Thursday, maybe Illini can get a winning streak going at Maryland.
5. Wisconsin (15-4, 5-3)
Prev: 7
Badgers only lose to the best teams around, but might want to think about beating another one of them at some point.
6. Maryland (14-5, 4-4)
Prev: 6
Terrapins’ desperate search for a Big Ten road win visits Champaign and Bloomington before the end of the weekend.
7. UCLA (15-6, 4-4)
Prev: 8
Seems to have righted the ship a bit with back-to-back wins heading into this weekend’s Pac-12 nostalgia tour.
