Purdue Tops Big Ten Power Rankings After Thrilling Win Over Indiana

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue surged to the top of the Big Ten power rankings after a hard-fought 81-76 victory over rival Indiana on Friday night. The Boilermakers, now 9-1 in conference play, secured the win with a clutch go-ahead shot from Trey Kaufman-Renn in the final seconds.

Braden Smith led Purdue with a season-high 24 points, while Indiana’s Mackenzie Mgbako scored a game-high 25. The game featured six lead changes in the last four minutes before Kaufman-Renn’s hook shot gave Purdue the lead for good. The win, coupled with Michigan State‘s loss to USC, propelled the Boilermakers to the No. 1 spot in the conference.

Michigan State, previously ranked No. 1, dropped to second after a 70-64 loss to USC. The Spartans, who had won 13 straight games, struggled offensively, shooting just 38% from the field. USC’s Desmond Claude led the charge with 19 points, handing Michigan State its first Big Ten loss of the season.

Michigan, meanwhile, held steady at No. 3 after grinding out a 66-63 win at Rutgers. Danny Wolf posted a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds, helping the Wolverines improve to 8-2 in conference play. Rutgers, despite a 20-point effort from Jamichael Davis, couldn’t overcome Michigan’s late-game free throws and defensive stops.

Nebraska made the biggest jump in the rankings, climbing six spots to No. 11 after an impressive week. The Cornhuskers defeated No. 18 Illinois in overtime and upset No. 16 Oregon on the road. Brice Williams starred in both games, scoring 27 points against Illinois and 28 against Oregon.

At the bottom of the rankings, Minnesota fell five spots to No. 16 after a disappointing loss to Washington. The Golden Gophers, who had been playing well, struggled defensively and dropped their second straight game.

As the Big Ten season enters its final stretch, the race for the conference title remains wide open. Purdue, Michigan State, and Michigan are currently the frontrunners, but with several teams showing signs of improvement, the competition is expected to intensify in the coming weeks.