We are into week 12 now, and every team has established its identity on the floor. Although it may be tempting to begin to think about the post-season, there is still a chunk of regular season basketball to be played.

Check out the power rankings after this last week of Big Ten women’s basketball.

Big Ten Women’s Basketball Week 12 Power Rankings

#1 – Maryland Terrapins (20-1, 8-0)

Maryland continues to roll through its conference schedule, staying undefeated and will have Iowa to face off with on Sunday.

#2 – Ohio State Buckeyes (18-5, 8-1)

The Buckeyes are right on Maryland’s tail for the conference standings and they don’t have much of a challenge the rest of their regular season. Nebraska is next on the slate for Ohio State, at home.

#3 – Michigan Wolverines (17-5, 6-2)

I now have Michigan behind the No. 15 Ohio State Buckeyes after OSU took down Minnesota last night. However, I still believe that a Michigan-Ohio State match-up in the Big Ten tournament may go to the underdog if it were to be a close contest in crunch time.

#4 – Indiana Hoosiers (14-6, 4-3)

Indiana is starting to turn it around after taking L’s to the Wolverines and the Wildcats, topping Purdue and Penn State. The Hoosiers have No. 3 Maryland circled on their schedule February 5, but before they get there, they will need to take care of business at Wisconsin and Michigan State.

#5 – Michigan State Spartans (14-7, 4-4)

Michigan State was on a three-game losing streak prior to defeating Wisconsin, 81-57. They don’t have an easy task facing Minnesota on the road Monday, and then right after hosting Indiana on the second of February.

#6 – Northwestern Wildcats (15-5, 4-3)

Losing 80-54 against Michigan forced me to move the Wildcats down this week. Northwestern will now have to travel to Rutgers to take on the Scarlet Knights on Sunday.

#7 – Purdue Boilermakers (14-8, 5-3)

Taking down Sparty in East Lansing was an impressive feat for the Boilermaker squad and it has earned them the opportunity to rise a spot in the power rankings.

#8 – Penn State Nittany Lions (13-7, 3-5)

Penn State’s 72-66 to Indiana isn’t as bad as it seems. It was a hard-fought contest, and potentially could be a first or second round matchup in the Big Ten Tourney.

#9 – Iowa Hawkeyes (13-7, 4-3)

The Hawkeyes are currently riding a two-game winning streak which might come to an end on Sunday as they must take on Maryland in College Park.

#10 – Minnesota Golden Gophers (11-10, 2-6)

Minnesota stays at 11 after its 80-65 loss to Iowa, and will need to defeat Ohio State and Michigan State to have any chance of moving up.

#11 – Illinois Fighting Illini (8-13, 3-5)

Illinois’ loss to Ohio State may have been acceptable, but a 78-50 loss to Minnesota is what keeps them at 11.

#12 – Rutgers Scarlet Knights (6-15, 3-5)

Since last time we put power rankings out, Rutgers fell to Iowa and Maryland. Lucky for them it is difficult to move below Nebraska and Wisconsin, so they stay at 12.

#13 – Nebraska Huskers (5-16, 1-8)

Nebraska added another check mark to the loss column making it a four-game losing streak that they are now on.

#14 – Wisconsin Badgers (5-15, 0-7)

The Badgers have been riding the struggle bus this season and continue to do so. They will play Indiana on Sunday.