SiriusXM Big Ten Radio’s basketball power rankings entering final week of the season

Pete Pistone and the rest of the SiriusXM Big Ten Radio team will unveil Power Rankings each week of the college basketball season. Check out this week’s edition of basketball Power Rankings below, and listen to SiriusXM Big Ten Radio (Ch. 372) on the SiriusXM app now.The final week of the Big Ten regular season is here, and teams continue their drive for a possible NCAA Tournament bid. Michigan remains the best team in the conference and one of the top squads in the country. A key injury threw a challenge to Illinois and the Fighting Illini’s bid to battle for the top spot while Ohio State and Illinois also remained in the national picture.

Here’s how the SiriusXM Big Ten Radio team came together and voted on this week’s edition of our college basketball rankings:

1. MICHIGAN @umichbball

The Wolverines just keep rolling along, and there is no question Michigan is a serious contender for the national championship. The conference should just rename the Freshman of the Week award to the Hunter Dickinson award.

WEEK AHEAD: Illinois (3/2), Michigan State (3/2), @Michigan State (3/7)

2. ILLINOIS @IlliniMBB

Wins over Wisconsin and Nebraska without Ayo Dosunmu nursing a broken nose kept the Fighting Illini clearly in the championship discussion. How long Dosunmnu is out does raise some concern for Brad Underwood’s team.

WEEK AHEAD: @Michigan (3/2), @Ohio State (3/6)

3. IOWA @IowaHoops

All of a sudden, it’s Iowa’s defense that’s winning games for the Hawkeyes rather than the high-powered offense that carried the team in the early going. Make it five wins in six games for Fran McCaffery’s squad.

WEEK AHEAD: Nebraska (3/4), @Wisconsin (3/7)

4. OHIO STATE @OhioStateHoops

Three consecutive losses all coming at home is reason for concern with Ohio State. They have a week to get things headed in a better direction before embarking on the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis.

WEEK AHEAD: Illinois (3/6)

5. WISCONSIN @BadgerMBB

Inconsistency continues to plague the Badgers down the stretch and it has come at the hands of an offense that sputters when it matters most. Wisconsin finishes with a pair of tough road games to close the regular season.

WEEK AHEAD: @Purdue (3/2), @Iowa (3/7)

6. PURDUE @BoilerBall

No seniors, no problem for Matt Painter. Purdue has done a masterful job of putting together a mix-and-match group of players that has started to gel again in the late stages of the regular season.

WEEK AHEAD: Wisconsin (3/2), Indiana (3/6)

7. MARYLAND @TerrapinHoops

Mark Turgeon is another coach that has done a remarkable job melding together his parts and pieces this season into a cohesive group. Five straight wins has Maryland headed to the NCAA Tournament.

WEEK AHEAD: @Northwestern (3/3), Penn State (3/7)

8. RUTGERS @RutgersMBB

After easily beating Indiana 74-63 at the RAC, Rutgers went on the road and spit the bit against Nebraska. The Scarlet Knights hope to beat Minnesota to end the regular season on a high note.

WEEK AHEAD: @Minnesota (3/6)

9. MICHIGAN STATE @MSU_Basketball

The Spartans are back in the tournament discussion but have a great deal of work to do in order to secure a spot in the “Big Dance.” They most likely need to find two wins to end the regular season in a schedule that includes Indiana and back-to-back contests against Michigan.

WEEK AHEAD: Indiana (3/2), @Michigan (3/4), Michigan (3/7)

10. INDIANA @IndianaMBB

The Hoosiers more than likely need to end the regular season with a pair of wins against Michigan State and Purdue to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive.

WEEK AHEAD: @Michigan State (3/2), @Purdue (3/6)

11. MINNESOTA @GopherMBB

This is a team that looked to have a legitimate shot at a tournament bid. Then came a five-game losing streak and the Golden Gophers’ future isn’t so golden anymore.

WEEK AHEAD: @Penn State (3/3), Rutgers (3/6)

12. PENN STATE @PennStateMBB

Penn State has done an admirable job playing hard in tough circumstances this year, but there are definitely changes on the horizon for this program.

WEEK AHEAD: Minnesota (3/3), @Maryland (3/7)

13. NEBRASKA @HuskerHoops

A big win over Rutgers to start the week on the heels of Teddy Allen leaving the program is a feather in the cap for coach Fred Hoiberg.

WEEK AHEAD: @Iowa (3/4), Northwestern (3/7)

14. NORTHWESTERN @NUMensBBall

A nice win at Minnesota ended the Northwestern 13-game losing streak, but it seems like a very long time ago when Chris Collins brought this team into the NCAA Tournament.

WEEK AHEAD: Maryland (3/3), @Nebraska (3/7)