How the Players Era tournament impacted Big Ten men's basketball rankings

The Big Ten picture began to thicken as November closed, with contenders and tournament hopefuls beginning to come into focus just as the bottom of the conference fell into a hole.

We've got three established conference frontrunners now, with league play starting this week, plus perhaps seven to eight more teams with a legitimate shot at the NCAA tournament. After that, it gets unpleasant.

From the top.

Note: Records through Sunday's games.

1. Purdue (7-0)

Prev: 1

There was no reason to move Purdue off the top line. The Boilermakers get their next real test from Iowa State, which comes to West Lafayette this weekend.

2. Michigan (7-0)

Prev: 3

There's a real argument for the Wolverines at No. 1 again, after their dominant showing in Vegas over Thanksgiving. KenPom agrees. This is a 1a/1b situation right now.

3. Michigan State (7-0)

Prev: 2

It's harsh on the Spartans to fall, such was the measure of Michigan's dominance. Tom Izzo's team already has three KenPom top-40 wins, two of them on a neutral floor.

4. Indiana (7-0)

Prev: 5

Darian DeVries' team eased past Kansas State, making the Wildcats look human offensively. This week starts a run of four straight high-major games, including at Kentucky and Louisville on a neutral floor. We'll know what IU is about soon.

5. Iowa (7-0)

Prev: 8

Bit of a jump for Ben McCollum and Co., but the Hawkeyes look the part analytically so far. They've beaten Ole Miss and Xavier, and they're top-30 in adjusted efficiency both offensively and defensively.

6. Illinois (6-2)

Prev: 4

The Illini don't get dinged for their losses, Alabama in Chicago and UConn in New York, so much as the teams that jumped them get credit for wins. But 3-point shooting is a developing concern in Champaign.

7. USC (7-0)

Prev: 9

The Trojans needed three overtimes to get rid of Troy at home, but they backstopped that with a Maui Invitational championship. USC looks better equipped for the Big Ten this year.

8. Nebraska (8-0)

Prev: 11

Another jump, at a time when the rankings remain admittedly volatile due to early season results. Still, 8-0 with two KenPom top-100 wins is worth a nod, especially given what's behind the Huskers right now.

9. Wisconsin (5-2)

Prev: 6

Here's where the league starts to soften. Wisconsin got buried by BYU and then lost to TCU on a neutral floor. Badgers have struggled defensively the last two weeks.

10. Ohio State (6-1)

Prev: 10

The Buckeyes hold still because of what happened around them. Losing to Pitt wasn't ideal but at least it was on the road. Illinois and North Carolina before Christmas will tell us more.

11. UCLA (5-2)

Prev: 7

This isn't really punishment for the Cal loss (Cal might be good this season ...?) so much as it is a reflection of UCLA's total lack of quality early on. Bruins haven't beaten a team in the KenPom top 200 yet.

12. Northwestern (5-2)

Prev: 14

Chris Collins' team narrowly missed the chance at two more top-100 wins with a pair of five-point defeats to Virginia and Oklahoma State in the last two weeks. Wildcats might regret leaving that meat on the bone.

13. Washington (5-2)

Prev: 16

To be completely transparent, we're letting the computers take over from here. There's not a lot to brag about at the bottom of the conference right now.

14. Oregon (4-3)

Prev: 12

The Players Era was not kind to the bottom of the Big Ten, Oregon Edition: The Ducks lost all three games (Auburn, San Diego State, Creighton) by double digits. Even Chevy Chase had a better Vegas vacation.

15. Maryland (5-3)

Prev: 13

The Players Era was not kind to the bottom of the Big Ten, Maryland Edition: A win over UNLV was backstopped by losses to Gonzaga (39 points) and Alabama (33 points).

16. Penn State (7-1)

Prev: 15

A break from the Vegas mess! Penn State still hasn't beaten anyone of significance, and the Nittany Lions lost to a marginal Providence team on a neutral floor two weeks ago.

17. Minnesota (4-4)

Prev: 18

Only the algorithm could drag Minnesota out of the bottom spot this week. The Big Ten schedule makers were not so kind. Gophers open with Indiana at home, then Purdue on the road.

18. Rutgers (5-3)

Prev: 17

The Players Era was not kind to the bottom of the Big Ten, Rutgers Edition: A heavy loss to Tennessee, a close loss to Notre Dame and a souvenir win over UNLV. And before all that, a 13-point home defeat to Central Connecticut State, KenPom No. 239.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Big Ten men's college basketball rankings: Purdue, Michigan, State, Indiana