We are a few weeks away from the start of Big Ten basketball, which is the perfect time to break down how each team will do this season. The Big Ten will be an interesting conference this season as it doesn’t have very many top-tier teams but has depth. This means it will be a competitive league this year.
Big Ten Basketball Tiers 2024/25
National Championship Contenders: Indiana, Purdue
Only two Big Ten teams are true national championship contenders and they both play in the same state. Indiana and Purdue are set up to be the best teams in the conference.
Indiana had a subpar season last year, which forced head coach Mike Woodson to improve the roster drastically. He did this by recruiting one of the best transfer classes in the country. This class is headlined by center Oumar Ballo who averaged a double-double at Arizona last season.
Purdue did not make a splash in the transfer portal, but this does not mean the Boilermakers won’t be one of the best teams in the country once again. Purdue brings back Braden Smith, who was voted preseason player of the year at Big Ten Media Days. If other players like Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn can continue to improve, Purdue could push for a national championship once again.
Conference Contenders: Illinois, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, UCLA
Illinois lost a bunch of talent from last year, but it did a great job replacing it both through high school and transfer recruiting. Ben Humrichous, a transfer from Evansville, should lead the team this season.
Michigan brings in a new coach and almost an entirely new roster this year. Dusty May from FAU will be the new coach for the Wolverines. May brings his center Vlad Goldin with him from FAU. His playstyle should transfer nicely to the Big Ten. Roddy Gayle also joins Michigan this season, which is helpful because he brings Big Ten experience from the Wolverines’ rival, Ohio State.
Like Michigan, Ohio State also brings in a new coach this season. Interim coach Jake Diebler took over as head coach after a successful end to the 2023/24 campaign. Diebler brings in Aaron Bradshaw, who was one of the most sought-after transfers in the country. While Bradshaw was not excellent in his freshman year at Kentucky, his athleticism should help him find success with his new team.
Oregon has an incredibly talented roster, however, the change in the conference may cause some struggles in the early year. Dana Altman does not play a particularly physical style. Big Ten basketball is almost always rough, so Altman’s playstyle may limit Oregon. With that being said, the Ducks have enough talent to compete for the conference.
The opposite can be said for UCLA. Although there are good players on the squad, this is not nearly Mick Cronin’s most talented roster. But, the playstyle is what can help the Bruins find success in their new conference. Cronin employs a defense-first, “grind it out” strategy that is common in the Big Ten.
Conference Dark Horses: Rutgers, Michigan State
Rutgers had a down year in the 2023/24 season. Their offense was one of the worst of high major teams and there were no true stars on the roster. But, Steve Pikiell hit the recruiting trail this offseason and brought in the second and third-best recruits in the 2024 class. Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper should be incredible, but they are still freshmen. After these two, the Rutgers roster is just ok. If there are any growing pains for the “Big Two”, the Scarlet Knights may struggle, which means they can only be a dark horse for the conference.
Much of this ranking has to do with the credit Tom Izzo has built during his tenure at Michigan State. The Spartans don’t have an amazing team, but there is a lot of talent. The team was rather young last year, if Izzo can coach them up like he normally does, then Sparty might be competing for the Big Ten.
Bubble Teams: Maryland, USC, Wisconsin
The Terps disappointed last season by missing the NCAA Tournament after having extremely high preseason expectations. Kevin Willard hit the transfer portal hard bringing in Ja’Kobi Gillespie from Memphis and Selton Miguel from USF among others. But the most important addition is likely five-star freshman center Derik Queen. There is a ton of roster turnover this year. If the pieces can click, we should see the Terps back in March Madness this year.
USC is a bit of a wild card this season. The Trojans brought in a new coach this season as Arkansas’ Eric Musselman decided to return to his native California. They bring in a massive 11-man transfer class which was headlined by Xavier’s Desmond Claude. Musselman is used to working the transfer portal, but this is even a lot for him. If everything goes well, USC will be a strong contender. But things may not click right away with so many new pieces.
The final bubble team in the Big Ten is Wisconsin. The Badgers bring back many of their starters from last season with notable exceptions of AJ Storr, Connor Essegian, and Chucky Hepburn who transferred away. Big man Steven Crowl is back for another season. He has been a solid contributor but will need to take a step up if the Badgers want to contend. Greg Gard is a solid coach and will continue to keep the Badgers competitive.
Wild Cards: Iowa, Penn State
The Iowa Hawkeyes have been on a downward trend for a few seasons. This offseason they lost one of their best players to the transfer portal, Tony Perkins. They did not do much to replace him and they barely made the conference last year. While they still have Payton Sandfort, it is hard to see Iowa making it back to March Madness this season.
Penn State missed the NCAA Tournament last season. They return all-conference guard Ace Baldwin who is one of the best players in the country. They also bring in one notable transfer, Freddie Dillione. Despite his stellar rank in high school, Dillione didn’t see much action during his freshman season at Tennessee. If Rhoades can maximize his talent, he and Baldwin will make a formidable backcourt that could bring Penn State back to March Madness.
Bottom of the Conference: Minnesota, Northwestern, Washington
Minnesota has been struggling for a bit. Despite having one of the best players in the Big Ten, Dawson Garcia, the Gophers have not been able to make any true positive momentum. It appears once again that they will be able to make it into March Madness. If they miss again, head coach Ben Johnson will be squarely on the hot seat.
Northwestern lost the best player in program history, Boo Buie. It will be nearly impossible for the Wildcats to replace him. While there are a few other solid pieces on the roster, look for Northwestern to take a step back this season.
The fourth and final Big Ten team to bring in a new coach this season is Washington. Danny Sprinkle is a coach who is quickly rising in the college basketball ranks. He is known for creating elite offenses over his career. While the Huskies should have a bright future with him, they just don’t have enough talent to compete in the Big Ten this season.
