State of Hoops: Get out your mood rings

• Michigan State at Purdue, 7 p.m. Tuesday, ESPN
• Iowa at Indiana, 9 p.m. Thursday, ESPN

This is the time of the college basketball season that can play with a team's emotions. Wins are enjoyed less when they're expected. Many losses are lamented more because of how they can affect postseason hopes.

So how do Indiana's programs feel today? Notre Dame feels great, and that joy is reflected in this week's state rankings. Indiana and Purdue? Well, it's complicated.

Let's take a look.

Zach Osterman, IndyStar IU reporter

1. Notre Dame. Irish win the battle of immediacy here. They're 2-2 in their past two games, but they excelled during a critical weekend, when IU and Purdue both faltered.

2. Indiana.  The Michigan win and the Penn State loss effectively cancel each other out in a lot of ways. But the Hoosiers really cannot afford more defeats like that one.

3. Purdue.  A win at Maryland would have been so valuable. Boilers positioned themselves perfectly but couldn't get over the line.

4. Butler.  Sorry Bulldogs, but neither of this week's wins impressed me terribly. That said, at this point, it's as much about quantity as quality.

5. Valparaiso.  The Crusaders get to 20 wins before anybody else in state, and they're still playing elite defense.

6. Evansville.  There's so much to like here, but it's really hard to see an at-large NCAA bid for the Aces. They need to win the MVC tourney.

7. IPFW.  Despite this weekend's loss, Dons are in the thick of the Summit League title race.

8. Indiana State.  The loss at Bradley was bad. Really, really bad.

9. IUPUI.  The Jaguars have already surpassed last season's league wins total, and a winning record in conference play is very much on the table.

10. Ball State.  KenPom likes the Cardinals to finish with 19 wins, which would be a stunning and impressive turnaround for a team that has just 27 wins in the previous three seasons combined.

Nathan Baird, JCOnline Purdue reporter

1. Purdue.  Boilermakers have hovered around some big wins. Will they ever catch one?

2. Indiana.  Like Purdue’s loss at Illinois, that Penn State loss will haunt the Hoosiers.

3. Notre Dame.  Irish looming as a dangerous Round of 32 opponent for a high NCAA seed.

4. Valparaiso.  Winning Wright State rematch on Saturday would be big for Horizon title chances.

5. Butler.  Good bounce-back week for the Bulldogs, but big tests await over next three weeks.

6. Evansville.  Could be one of as many as four 20-win teams in the state by the end of the week.

7. Indiana State.  Brenton Scott stepping up as a 3-point threat.

8. IPFW.  Chance for a big Summit victory when South Dakota State visits on Thursday.

9. Ball State.  Has won eight straight decided by three or fewer points or in OT.

10. IUPUI.  When Darrell Combs is contained, the Jaguars don’t win.

David Woods, IndyStar Butler reporter

1. Purdue. Boilermakers could make a statement by beating visiting Michigan State on Tuesday.

2.  Indiana. Loss at Penn State was damaging after that blowout of Michigan.

3. Notre Dame. Beating Duke and North Carolina is an achievement in any season.

4. Butler. Bulldogs finding their footing after bumpy beginning to Big East schedule.

5. Valparaiso. Crusaders continue to rank No. 1 in defensive efficiency.

6. Evansville. D.J. Balentine became Purple Aces’ all-time leading scorer.

7. IPFW. Sitting half-game out of Summit League lead at 8-3.

8. Indiana State. Sycamores coming off loss at Bradley, one of the worst teams in the country.

9. Ball State. Bounce-back season features 6-4 MAC record.

10. IUPUI. Jaguars lost twice on road last week, falling to 7-4 in Summit.

This week's topic

What's the mood around the state's programs?

Ball State: Two straight wins, including a come-from-behind overtime victory Saturday, and the Cardinals are tied at the top of Mid-American Conference West Division.

Butler, from David Woods: Butler must be feeling upbeat coming off a two-win week. The Bulldogs finally beat a Big East team (Georgetown) other than the league’s two bottom-feeders (DePaul and St. John’s). Tough tests remain, beginning Wednesday at Seton Hall. But the Bulldogs have a chance to play themselves into the NCAA tournament. Kelan Martin is having breakout sophomore season, scoring 80 points over three games.

Evansville: The Purple Aces had a great weekend, winning with ease as D.J. Balentine became their career scoring leader. But they certainly remember three losses in four games immediately before that. So it's a mixed bag.

Indiana, from Zach Osterman: It's tense. Indiana demolished Michigan in Ann Arbor on Tuesday in a performance that seemed to announce the Hoosiers as legitimate Big Ten title contenders. Then the Hoosiers fell flat at Penn State, losing in State College. How to reconcile that juxtaposition? Perhaps facing Iowa (at home) and Michigan State (on the road) this week will help. Or perhaps it will only yield more tension.

IUPUI: A four-game winning streak is a distant memory after the Jaguars blew a lead against Denver, then got blown out by South Dakota State two days later. Hopes of an upper-half Summit League finish are teetering.

Indiana State: Much like their season, the Sycamores are feeling 'meh.' They have split their past eight games and are narrowly above .500 for the season.

IPFW: What to make of this? IPFW guard Max Landis scores 44 one game, and two days later the Mastodons score 46.

Notre Dame: You beat the No. 2 team in the country, and feel really good. The Irish previously won at Duke, so that's reason for a lot of hope.

Purdue, from Nathan Baird: Purdue has to be disappointed about failing to capitalize on another opportunity for a signature win. The Boilermakers led Iowa by 17 at half at home and by three at half in Iowa City, and lost both. Saturday they led Maryland by four with under 6 minutes to play and couldn’t hold on. However, there is both room and time for growth — and another big opportunity Tuesday against Michigan State.

Valparaiso: There's nothing like cruising through your conference season. The Crusaders have just one hiccup in Horizon League play and they've won their past four games, all with ease.