| Team | Record (Conference) | Alpha (last week) | Explanation |
|---|
| 1 | Purdue | 21-5 (12-1) |
| They just keep on winning, its almost amazing. There is that big showdown at Indiana (#2) coming up this week though. Winner of of the IU-PU rivalry will probably determine Big Ten champion. Purdue gets the nod over the Hoosiers this week because they managed to beat the Badgers who in turn beat the Hoosiers. |
| 2 | Indiana | 21-4 (10-2) |
| Indiana is a good team. Their dismantaling of the Spartans (#4) during a chaotic period in Hoosierland clearly proves it. But Michigan State also lost to Iowa (#6) and Penn State (#9) so how good are they exactly? |
| 3 | Wisconsin | 21-4 (11-2) |
| Wisconsin managed to beat Indiana, but it was off of a Brian Butch game winning 3 so it exactly isn't a telling sign of their ability to beat the Hoosiers 9 out of 10 times. Indiana did blow out Michigan State at home and that is why they get the nod over the Badgers. |
| 4 | Michigan State | 20-5 (8-4) |
| Michigan State is on a slippery slope downhill with 2 loses this week to Purdue (#1) and Indiana (#2). With Penn State up next at home however, they will easily get back on track. Can the Lions pull off a bigger upset of the Spartans in East Lansing? |
| 5 | Ohio State | 17-9 (8-5) |
| Ohio State is and continues to be on the tournament bubble but the loss to Michigan was crippling. The Big Ten looks to be a 5 bid tournament conference at best and Ohio State continues to provide reasons to critics as to why only 4 should qualify. |
| 6 | Iowa | 11-15 (4-9) |
| Iowa marks the start of the 'bad' tier of teams from the Big Ten. 2 losses this week to Minnesota (#7) and Michigan (#8) does not exactly scream NIT tournament worthy either. |
| 7 | Minnesota | 15-9 (5-7) |
| Minnesota beats Penn State (#9), Penn State beats Illinois (#10), Illinois destroys Minnesota by 24. How exactly can we begin to rank teams at this point. |
| 8 | Michigan | 8-17 (4-9) |
| Michigan gets the #8 spot for their upset of the Buckeyes and having beat Penn State earlier in the season. |
| 9 | Penn State | 12-12 (4-8) |
| Penn State gets a 1 point win against the Illini. The last time the Lions swept the Fighting Illini in one season? Never since their inception into the Big Ten. Their week gets tougher with games @ Michigan State (#4), and @ Minnesota (#7). |
| 10 | Illinois | 11-15 (3-10) |
| They beat Minnesota by 24 then they lose to the Lions by 1. Go figure. |
| 11 | Northwestern | 7-16 (0-12) |
| Utterly hopeless... |