Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings 2024-25: Edition 2

Jaden Akins, Michigan State

* = Records updated through 2/10/25

1. Purdue Boilermakers

18-5 overall, 11-2 Big Ten

Previous Ranking: 2

There were some understandable growing pains for Purdue in the first few months post-Edey, but the Boilermakers have grown into the league favorite as things stand in early February. Trey Kaufman-Renn has grown into the premier post presence that has become commonplace on Matt Painter teams, but the pairing of Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer in the backcourt has helped Purdue separate from the pack in the league. The junior guard duo play with a pace and selflessness that makes defending the Boilermakers on any given night incredibly difficult, and the depth on the roster has shown itself to be crucial the deeper we get into Big Ten play. A difficult slate lies directly ahead, with three ranked teams in a row on the schedule, two of them being road games, but Purdue still appears to be not just be the comfortable league favorite, but its best chance to earn a No. 1 seed come Selection Sunday.

2. Michigan State Spartans

19-4 overall, 10-2 Big Ten

Previous Ranking: 1

Following a 9-0 start to Big Ten action, the Spartans stumbled recently, with a pair of losses to the LA schools, before recovering taking down Oregon over the weekend. In a way, it shouldn't come as a surprise Michigan State has run into turbulence during their West Coast tour, but it does show Tom Izzo still has work to do as March nears. This is a remarkably balanced Spartan team that plays true team basketball, ranking in the Top 10 nationally in assists per contest. They don't have to rely on just one piece offensively, but they have enough ways to beat opponents that defenses have had a difficult time figuring out how to contain them over the course of 40 minutes. But, what has been an advantage for much of the season has shown to be a potential concern over their last two games, as the lack of a true go-to scorer has left the Spartans struggling to find any rhythm offensively. In the USC game in particular, Michigan State's leading scorer, Jeremy Fears Jr., managed just 12 points and was one of just two Spartans to finish with double-digits. In a league like this, with elite offenses, that type of offensive production simply is not going to cut it, particularly when you go on the road into the hostile environments the Big Ten has to offer. The win over Oregon did show the Spartans are still a formidable foe in East Lansing, but we will learn a lot about what the ceiling of this team is with their remaining road schedule. 

Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings 2024-25: Edition 1

Braden Smith, Purdue

* Records Updated through morning of 1/14/25

1. Michigan State Spartans

14-2 overall, 5-0 Big Ten

We've become accustomed to Tom Izzo's Michigan State teams taking their lumps in the non-conference and early Big Ten play, but this 2024-25 team appears to be different. They've jumped out to a 5-0 start to conference action, punctuated by an impressive victory over Northwestern to cap off the weekend. The Spartans have been fortunate to miss most of the other league heavyweights en route to their strong start, but the way they've came out and taken care of business seems to indicate this team is a real threat to take home the regular season Big Ten crown this winter. The schedule remains favorable through the month of January, but we'll learn a lot about this team with how they handle the February slate. In a stretch from February 4 - 21, five of Michigan State's six games will be against teams currently ranked in the Top 25, including trips Oregon, Illinois, and Michigan.

2. Purdue Boilermakers

13-4 overall, 5-1 Big Ten

A rough month of December, at least by typical Purdue standards, knocked the Boilermakers down the rankings, and they've responded with five straight victories. Much like Michigan State, the Boilermakers have certainly taken advantage of a relatively soft start to their conference schedule, but winning five of six league games is a challenge in any conference, let alone the Big Ten. Junior guard Braden Smith has been the centerpiece of an offense that seems to have figured out their early-season woes. He's always been an elite floor general, but Smith's growth as a scorer so far this season makes this Purdue backcourt a real challenge for opposing defenses. He went for 34, 20, and 22 in a three-game span during this win streak, but still remains one of the country's best passers. In fact, his 8.9 assists per game put him third nationally, behind Louisiana Tech's Sean Newman Jr. and Gonzaga's Ryan Nembhard.