2 is the loneliest number

I will continue my welcome back tour with some basketball power rankings. I was going to try to predict how the seeding will turn out for the big 10 tourney, but I'll just go with who is best right now.

1. Wisconsin: Honestly, I dont think it is even that close right now. The Buckeyes are struggling to beat bad teams or win games at home against mediocre squads. Wisconsin isn't torching anyone, but they are putting teams away. Wisconsin is the best team in the big ten right now and probably the second best team in the country

2. OSU: Ok, I havent said it yet, but here is the team that these Buckeyes remind me of: 1993-1994 North Carolina. That is the team coming off a national title that lost some good players, but added Stackhouse and Sheed. They didn't miss a beat all year, but got into the dance as a 1 seed and was upset in the second round by a tough, veteran BC team that had a good inside game and were well coached. Do not be surprised if this OSU team gets a 1 or 2 seed and face a solid team in the secound round that is well prepared and not afraid of the big guy. If that happens, the Buckeyes and Greg Oden will be a March Madness afterthought

3. Indiana: Bad loss for the Hoosiers last night will pretty much guarantee them the #3 seed in Chicago. Probably a 6 seed come March

4. Iowa: Let me ask you a question: after the big 3, list the next 2 best players in the conference? I would have Smith and Haluska. Iowa is very underrated and I think will be a scarry matchup in Chicago. Too many bad nonconf losses (Drake, anyone?) and no big conf scalps in order to make the dance, but they should make Chicago fun.

5. Purdue: Great win on Thursday, and this is after they had OSU beaten. I mean, totally had them. Carl Landry would be #3 on my list. They are a tourney bubble team.

6. MSU: Needs to stop turning the ball over and start making big shots. Although they have 2 games upcoming against Wisconsin, so no hurry on that one guys

7. Illinois. What a bad week for Illinois, first they lose 2 role players, then they lose the Chief. Start preparing for your opening round NIT matchup against DePaul, boys.

8. Michigan. Andy Katz had something on his blog back in December that said like 8 or 9 BCS teams have not made the dance since at least the 1998 NCAA tourney. One of those teams: MICHIGAN

(Baylor, Kansas State, South Florida, Rutgers, Wash St, Oregon State, Northwestern and maybe another are the other ans Wash State and maybe KSU are dancing this year)

How embarassing is that for a team that made 2 national title games in the 90s?

9. Minnesota: Gophers are showing signs of life with Tollackson back. I bet they give OSU hell this weekend in the barn

10. Penn State: too much talent to be this bad. I'm starting to blame Eddie DeChellis. The AD might want to pay attention to coaches during the bracket buster this weekend

11. Northwestern: Speaking of coaches that need to go- I spoke to an NU fan over the weekend and he basically said he hates going to NU games because they are boring and they dont win. He said you can be boring, but you need to at least be respectable. Aside from last year, NU has been bad and boring. I dont understand how Bill Carmody gets such a free pass. 4 out of 5 years they will finish 9th or worse in conference and 5 out of 5 years their attendance will stink (unless they are playing Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, or Iowa in a good year) and they will bore the hell out of everyone who does show up. Carmody needs to go.