Big Ten basketball power poll

Wisconsin (24-2, 12-1): Hard to believe, but the Badgers have hardly missed senior point guard Traevon Jackson.

Purdue (18-9, 10-4): Who are these guys? The second-hottest team in the Big Ten, that's who.

Illinois (17-9, 7-6): Rayvonte Rice is back and the Illini are cruising.

Michigan State (18-8, 9-4): Three consecutive victories have the Spartans cruising going into a tough final stretch.

Maryland (22-5, 10-4): Melo Trimble seems to be over his back and leg pain; he is averaging 21 ppg in the Terrapins' past four.

Ohio State (19-7, 8-5): The Buckeyes' three victories away from home — at Minnesota, Northwestern and Rutgers — look less than impressive.

Indiana (18-9, 8-6): The Hoosiers are either brilliant or horribly exposed, depending on whether the three-ball is falling.

Gophers (16-11, 5-9): They have given up 33 three-pointers in their past two games.

Michigan (13-13, 6-8): On a five-game slide with Derrick Walton joining Caris LeVert on the sidelines.

Nebraska (13-13, 5-9): A victory over Northwestern is the Cornhuskers' only bright spot over their past seven games.

Northwestern (12-14, 3-10): The Wildcats are on their first Big Ten winning streak, with an overtime victory vs. Iowa followed by overpowering the Gophers at Williams Arena.

Penn State (15-12, 3-11): It's been a tough run with Ohio State, Maryland and Wisconsin over the past three games.