Constructing Big Ten basketball power rankings in mid-April isn’t exactly a science. The NBA Draft is weeks away and many transfers are incomplete. Players like Indiana’s Thomas Bryant and Michigan’s D.J. Wilson have yet to make up their mind about whether to go pro or not and likely won’t do so until late May, making forecasting their team’s fortunes for next season difficult.
Because of the uncertainty regarding the NBA Draft and the transfer markets, I opted to separate the Big Ten into three tiers. The rankings assigned within the tiers are fluid, but I see Tier One as the primary conference championship contenders.