Big Ten basketball preseason power rankings: Where do the former Pac-12 teams fit in?

The anticipation for the newly minted college basketball landscape to commence is growing as we approach November 4th. The quest to find the 2025 college basketball national champion will shortly begin and on that day, nearly all eighteen Big Ten teams will be in action.

It would be appropriate to preview the season with a Big Ten conference power ranking. The Big Ten was well represented and exceeded continuous low expectations in the 2024 NCAA basketball tournament, with Purdue reaching the national championship game and Illinois making the Elite Eight.

There have been key departures from the conference in Zach Edey, Terrence Shannon, and Kel’el Ware, among others. However, with the addition of four well-respected programs and rosters full of new faces, there will be plenty to watch and be excited for this season, even with the loss of numerous star Big Ten athletes.

Some teams have made splashes in the transfer portal, others in the recruiting pool, and a few teams have had multiple key departures to plummet their ranking for this season. The Big Ten is wide open, as always, and there is not as much separation between these teams as other conferences. 

Here is the Big Ten preseason power ranking:

• Key returning players: Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, Trey Kaufman-Renn 
• Key losses: Zach Edey, Lance Jones, Mason Gillis
• Incoming notable transfers: N/A
• Incoming top 150 recruits: Daniel Jacobsen, Gicarri Harris, Raleigh Burgess

Purdue enters the 2024-25 season with near consensus expectations to win the Big Ten regular season for the third straight year. Two-time national college player of the year Zach Edey opted for the NBA over the offseason, and it will be intriguing to see how the Boilermakers play without him. Purdue will be yet again led by the dynamic backcourt of Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer, while the Boilermaker faithful expect Trey Kaufman-Renn to take a step up. Look for 7-foot-4 freshman Daniel Jacobsen to play a key role in attempting to fill the void of Edey. Matt Painter’s sustained success as head coach of Purdue is another contributing factor in their top ranking.

• Key returning players: Malik Reneau, Trey Galloway, Mackenzie Mgbako
• Key losses: Kel’el Ware, Xavier Johnson, Anthony Walker
• Incoming notable transfers: Myles Rice, Oumar Ballo, Kanaan Carlyle, Luke Goode
• Incoming top 150 recruits: Bryson Tucker

After a season with numerous peaks and valleys, Mike Woodson returns to coach at his alma mater for the fourth season. The Hoosiers lost star center Kel’el Ware to the NBA, however, Woodson made a splash and picked up one of the best centers in the portal in Oumar Ballo. Woodson also signed Myles Rice, who led Washington State, as a freshman, to the round of 32 in last year’s NCAA tournament. Rice won Pac-12 Rookie of the Year and held All-Pac-12 honors. The Hoosiers kept three of their best players from last season in Malik Reneau, Trey Galloway, and Mackenzie Mgbako. Indiana slots in at the second spot in these power rankings, and they should be expected to dance in March.