Looking at the Big Ten Standings right now is a mess. Of the 14 teams, five have already played six games (a full third of the schedule) while Wisconsin, the prohibitive favorite, has only played four. It is still early, but only Maryland and Wisconsin have just one conference loss. Purdue has bit bitten by a pair of narrow losses, one at home in overtime and a second on the road in a game that had a 1-point margin in the inside the last minute with a very controversial call going against them.
Northwestern, they of no tournament appearances ever, is a half game out of first place.