ESPN Ranks Big Ten Basketball Teams Ahead of Final Weekend

Michigan tops the list as the conference's best team, while Nebraska and UCLA face off in a key matchup.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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ESPN has released its rankings of all 18 Big Ten basketball teams ahead of the final weekend of the regular season. Michigan remains the top team in the conference, while Illinois, Purdue, Michigan State, and Nebraska round out the top five. The rankings are based on ESPN's Basketball Power Index (BPI) metrics.

Why it matters

The Big Ten is one of the most competitive conferences in college basketball, and these rankings provide insight into how the teams stack up heading into the final stretch of the regular season. The top teams will be jockeying for position in the conference standings and NCAA Tournament seeding, while bubble teams like Indiana will be looking to bolster their resumes with key wins.

The details

According to ESPN's rankings, Michigan is the top team in the Big Ten, followed by Illinois, Purdue, Michigan State, and Nebraska. The Wolverines have been the steady top team in the conference all season and will finish the regular season with games against Iowa and Michigan State. Illinois bounced back from a loss to Michigan with a dominant win over Oregon, while Purdue has lost two straight games. Michigan State has won four in a row and will host Rutgers on Thursday. Nebraska, meanwhile, suffered a 72-52 loss to UCLA on the road.

  • The final weekend of the regular season is this weekend.
  • Michigan will play Iowa and Michigan State this week.
  • Nebraska lost to UCLA on Tuesday.

The players

Michigan

The top-ranked team in the Big Ten according to ESPN's BPI metrics.

Illinois

The second-ranked team in the Big Ten, the Fighting Illini bounced back from a loss to Michigan with a dominant win over Oregon.

Purdue

The third-ranked team in the Big Ten, the Boilermakers have lost two straight games.

Michigan State

The fourth-ranked team in the Big Ten, the Spartans have won four games in a row.

Nebraska

The fifth-ranked team in the Big Ten, the Huskers suffered a 72-52 loss to UCLA on the road.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

The Big Ten is shaping up to be a highly competitive conference race heading into the final weekend of the regular season, with the top teams jockeying for position and bubble teams like Indiana looking to bolster their NCAA Tournament resumes. The matchup between Nebraska and UCLA was a key interconference game that saw the Huskers suffer a lopsided defeat.