Detroit News Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings: Week of Feb. 5

1. Purdue (23-2, 12-0) — Even with Vincent Edwards suffering with the flu the past week, the Boilermakers keep on winning. It didn’t come easy as Rutgers pushed Purdue to the limit on Saturday, but like most championship teams, the Boilermakers found a way to win. A big week awaits as Purdue hosts Ohio State then travels to Michigan State. Last week: 1.

2. Ohio State (20-5, 11-1) — The Buckeyes escaped on Sunday at home against Illinois, thanks in large part to some awful shot selection late by the Illini. But, just like Purdue and Michigan State, the Buckeyes managed to get a win when they weren’t at their best. How the suspension of Kam Williams affects things going forward will be interesting. Last week: 2.

3. Michigan State (22-3, 10-2) — Much like Purdue, the Spartans didn’t look great on the road but found a way to win at Indiana despite giving up 25 offensive rebounds to the Hoosiers. It took a big shot from Matt McQuaid on a night Miles Bridges struggled, but MSU has now won six straight as it heads to Iowa before hosting Purdue on Saturday. Last week: 3.

4. Michigan (19-6, 8-4) — The Wolverines took care of business, going to overtime to beat Minnesota at home in a game they trailed for much of the day. It keeps the Wolverines alive in the hunt for the Big Ten title, though they’ll need plenty of help with just a game against Ohio State remaining that could help them gain ground down the stretch. Last week: 4.

5. Nebraska (17-8, 8-4) — It was a slow week for the surprise team of the Big Ten as the Cornhuskers will have had an entire week off before returning to action this week at Minnesota. They’ve won three straight and five of the last six as they make the final push to gain a bye into the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. Last week: 5.

6. Penn State (16-9, 6-6) — The Nittany Lions have won three of four, the only loss coming at Michigan State after they had built a 12-point, second-half lead. The return of Josh Reaves from injury has added a spark as the Nittany Lions could be a team that makes some noise down the stretch and disrupts the Big Ten tournament. Last week: 6.

7. Northwestern (14-10, 5-6) — The Wildcats have started to find some momentum, winning three of four with a chance to avenge that one loss when it hosts Michigan this week. Dererk Pardon was solid in the win over Wisconsin, shooting 8-for-8, something the Wildcats have been sorely lacking this season and will need more of over the final three weeks. Last week: 7

8. Maryland (16-9, 5-7) — The Terrapins were in the midst of a brutal slide with just one victory in six games before getting a victory at home over Wisconsin. While the injuries have piled up this season, the expectations remain high for the program. With the likelihood they miss the NCAA Tournament, the pressure is mounting on Mark Turgeon. Last week: 8.

9. Iowa (12-13, 3-9) — Inconsistency is the name of the game for the Hawkeyes, much like the rest of the teams near the bottom of the standings. They got a much-needed victory over Minnesota before hardly showing up in a loss at Penn State. Their next three games come against ranked teams — Michigan State, Ohio State and Michigan. Last week: 12.

10. Indiana (12-12, 5-7) — The Hoosiers have now lost four straight and even in a game when they grabbed 25 offensive rebounds against the top rebounding team in the nation, they still came up short at home against Michigan State. The Hoosiers simply don’t have the playmakers outside of Juwan Morgan to consistently compete. Last week: 9.

11. Illinois (12-12, 2-9) — Brad Underwood has the Fighting Illini playing hard, something that resulted in back-to-back victories and had Illinois in position to upset Ohio State on the road. However, depth is an issue up front and the lack of experience in the backcourt hurt down the stretch. Even so, there are good signs showing in Champaign. Last week: 14.

12. Rutgers (12-13, 2-10) — The Scarlet Knights have been the perfect example of what life is like with a young team near the bottom of the standings trying to fight for the scraps. They got blitzed early in the week by last-place Illinois before pushing first-place Purdue to the limit. They’re young and play hard, but consistency is a pipe dream at this point. Last week: 11

13. Wisconsin (10-15, 3-9) — It was a tough week for the Badgers, who lost three straight and have won just once in the last nine games. The streaks of NCAA Tournament bids and top-four finishes were history a while ago, but it’s still alarming to see the drop-off in Madison. Injuries have been an issue, but the depth is not there, nor the talent. Last week: 10.