While the race at the top of the Big Ten Conference standings has ramped up, don’t forget about the race at the bottom.
Only the top 15 teams advance to the conference tournament March 12-16 in Indianapolis. This new bracket came about as a result of adding the four West Coast teams through expansion.
Right now, Penn State, Washington and Northwestern are trying to avoid the closest thing the Big Ten has to relegation. A handful of other teams, though, better not get too comfortable.
Here are this week’s rankings, based on games through Feb. 19:
Prev: 5
Badgers became first team to ever win at Mackey when Boilers shoot 50% with 80-plus points and five or fewer turnovers. Ever.
Prev: 2
Bad news: Five of last six are against certain or likely NCAA tournament teams. Good news: Most of them have to come to Crisler.
Prev: 3
With Bob Knight’s former wins record behind him, can Tom Izzo finish off an 11th Big Ten championship?
Prev: 1
Boilers just faced the rest of the conference’s four best teams and went 0-3. What now?
Prev: 6
That Jan. 2 loss at Washington sitting in Terrapins’ stomachs like a bad batch of soft hell crabs — and keeping them out of the conference championship race.
Prev: 4
Still can’t decide if Illini are dangerous or doomed. Maybe they’ll show us something vs. Duke at MSG on Saturday.
Prev: 7
Bruins finally win in true Big Ten country, only to trip on a Gopher hole in their own backyard.
Prev: 9
Last three home losses by six combined points, including one in OT. Are Buckeyes the 10 seed no 2 seed wants on its weekend?
Prev: 10
Ducks finally showing a little more lift in their flight, including their first road victory in a month.
Prev: 11
Trojans will be expected to make a jump next season with the Big Ten’s highest-ranked Class of 2025 prospect: Gilbert Arenas’ son, Alijah.
Prev: 8
Not on the bubble yet, but just to be safe might want to stay away from sharp objects or home losses to Minnesota or Iowa.
Prev: 12
Sunday’s home game against Purdue feels like Rendezvous at the Alamo kind of moment for the Hoosiers.
Prev: 15
Nick Martinelli and the Wildcats trying to gut out the home stretch of a snakebit season.
Prev: 13
Hawkeyes trying to avoid only second losing season in past 14 years, and second Big Ten season of 11-plus losses in same span.
Prev: 16
Turns out the Gophers would have been fine if they only been playing games in California all this time.
Prev: 17
Had not won since inauguration day before electing to beat Nebraska and claim its five electoral votes on Wednesday.
Prev: 14
An overtime win at Washington from being last on this list with two weeks left in the regular season. How?
Prev: 18
Someone must be last, but coach Danny Sprinkle saved some magic dust for the end of the season.
:quality(70):focal(1001x444:1011x454)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/VBJH6DV3HFG2FM4NGW54UYZEBA.jpg "Grace under pressure: Reed-Custer rallies to top JCA for girls basketball regional title")
