By Paul M. Banks
Sadly, this will be the final edition of power rankings for the 2009-10 college sports season. Next week, the tournaments will start settling the power ranking arguments on the court. See you again in July after Big 10 football media day!
1. 
Ohio State (24-7, 14-4)
It’s hard to think of anyone who benefits more from the talented people around him than Jon Diebler. On any other team, he’s an after-thought busher. But with “His Royal Smoothness” Evan Turner, David Lighty, Dallas Lauderdale and William “Slinky” Buford drawing attention from defenses, he actually looks like a legit Big Ten player.
2. 
Michigan State (23-7, 13-4)
When Kalin Lucas was injured, they dropped three straight. Since then they’ve won 3/4, does that mean they’re hitting their stride at the right time? Another deep run this March could solidify their place among the nation’s elite. They’re my pick to run the table in Indy.
3. 
Wisconsin (22-7, 12-5)
Did Trevon Hughes really deserve to be a Cousy award finalist? He’s had a great career, and a phenomenal season, but honestly, I think he’s really more of a system guy, and that’s what explains his success.
4. 
Purdue (25-4, 13-4)
The loss of Robbie Hummel is nothing less than soul-crushing. With all of his versatility now missing from this lineup, the team now looks like a second round out. And if E’Twaun Moore has an off shooting night, they are very beatable.
You guys just had to go and make the tournament qualifying experience as suspenseful as possible didn’t you? It wasn’t ok to just get on a roll and cruise into March…instead you had to inexplicably put up 14 pts in the first half of a home loss to Minnesota. (the first since the Lou Henson era). The only thing that’s been consistent about this team this season is Demetri McCamey- now second NATIONALLY in assists per game.
And I’m going to now make the current grey area they’re in as black or white as possible. They have Wisconsin twice. Lose both and we’ll just stop talking about them for a long while. Split the two games (obviously, you KNOW this is what’s going to happen) they’ll be in #10-#11 seed/NIT purgatory. Win both and they’re in as a #8 or #9 seed.
6. 
Minnesota (17-12, 8-9)
Gophers live underground, and that’s fitting because Goldy’s tournament hopes are now dead and buried. What was it about Michigan? How come they just couldn’t solve them?
7. 
Northwestern (19-11, 7-10)
The blowout win over Chicago St. does nothing for me. How do you lose to Iowa, and twice to Penn State down the stretch when your school’s first ever tourney berth is on the line? At least they parlayed that 13-1 start into the school record for wins in a season. Of course, that’s kind of like being the wealthiest man in Joliet, IL.
8. 
Michigan (14-15, 7-10)
Michigan fans, how happy are you to get this stomach punch season over with? It was a let down of all let downs type of year.
9. 
Iowa (10-20, 4-13)
Whenever I hear the Big Ten Network promo an Iowa game I have to laugh, because they always say “Eric May and the Hawkeyes take on……”. And that’s high in unintentional comedy because when Eric May is your “star power”, your “marquee name,” then you have serious issues.
10. 
Penn State (11-18, 3-14)
Showing a lot of signs of life now. A Cinderella run through the Big Ten tourney? Let’s not go nuts.
11. 
Indiana (9-20, 3-14)
Tom Crean’s second year at the helm was even worse than year one. Which only reaffirms that the Kelvin Sampson hire four years ago was akin to a nuclear weapons detonation on the program. There was all that instand destruction at the time of the blast- obliterating everything. And all the radiation lingered for a long time afterwards, poisoning anything that attempts to grow.