These are the teams ranked No. 8 through No. 5 in these Big Ten Power Rankings.
No. 8 Illinois Overall Season Record: 18-11 Big Ten Conference Record: 10-8 Rankings in various metric-based sites: Net: #22, KenPom: #22, Barttorvik: #19, BPI: #24
Key victories this season: Arkansas (80-72) in the Thanksgiving Hoops Showcase, Wisconsin (86-80), Missouri (80-77), @ Oregon (109-77), @ Washington (81-77), Penn State (91-52), @ Indiana (94-69), Northwestern (83-74), Ohio State (87-79), @ Minnesota, UCLA (83-78), and Iowa (81-61).
Quad one and two defeats this season: @ Alabama (87-100), @ Northwestern (66-70), Tennessee (64-66), USC (72-82), @ Michigan State (78-80), Maryland (70-91), @ Nebraska (74-80), @ Rutgers (73-82), Michigan State (65-79), @ Wisconsin (74-95), and Duke (67-110).
No. 7 Oregon Ducks Overall Season Record: 20-8 Big Ten Conference Record: 9-8 Rankings in various metric-based sites: Net: #32, KenPom: #34, Barttorvik: #43, BPI: #37
Key victories this season: @ Oregon State (78-75), Texas A&M (80-70), Alabama (83-81), @ USC (68-60), San Diego State (78-68) in the Players Era Festival-Power Tournament, Stanford (76-61), Maryland (83-79), @ Ohio State (73-71), @ Penn State (82-81), Washington (82-71), Northwestern (81-75), Rutgers (75-57), @ Iowa (80-78), and @ Wisconsin (77-73).
Quad one and two defeats this season: UCLA (71-73), Illinois (77-109), Purdue (58-65), @ Minnesota (69-77), @ UCLA (52-78), Nebraska (71-77), @ Michigan (76-80), and @ Michigan State (74-86).
No. 6 Purdue Overall Season Record: 19-9 Big Ten Conference Record: 11-6
Rankings in various metric-based sites: Net: #19, KenPom: #17, Barttorvik: #12, BPI: #18
Key victories this season: Yale (92-84), Alabama (87-78), NC State (71-61), and Ole Miss (80-78) in the Rady Children's Invitational tournament; Maryland (83-78), @ Minnesota (81-61), Northwestern (79-61), @ Rutgers (68-50), Nebraska (104-68), @ Washington (69-58), @ Oregon (65-58), Michigan (91-64), Indiana (81-76), @ Iowa (90-81), and USC (90-72).
Quad one and two defeats this season: @ Marquette (58-76), @ Penn State (70-81), Texas A&M (66-70), Auburn (69-87), Ohio State (70-73), @ Michigan (73-75), Wisconsin (84-94), @ Michigan State (66-75), and @ Indiana (58-73).
No. 5 UCLA Bruins Overall Season Record: 20-8 Big Ten Conference Record: 11-6
Rankings in various metric-based sites: NET: #26, KenPom: #27, Barttorvik: #25, BPI: #26
Key victories this season: Washington (69-58), Arizona (57-54) in the Hall of Fame Rivalry, @ Oregon (73-71), Gonzaga (65-62) in the West Coast Hoops Showdown, Iowa (94-70), Wisconsin (85-83), @ Washington (65-60), Oregon (78-52), Michigan State (63-61), Penn State (78-54), @ Indiana (72-68), and Ohio State (69-61).
Quad one and two defeats this season: New Mexico (64-72) on a neutral court, North Carolina (74-74) in the CBS Sports Classic, @ Nebraska (58-66), Michigan (75-94), @ Maryland (61-79), @ Rutgers (68-75), @ Illinois (78-83), and Minnesota (61-64).