Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, November 20, 2013

The early basketball signing period started last Wednesday, Nov. 13, and ends today. The Big Ten had a decent haul.

According to Scout.com, Ohio State (No. 6) and Indiana (No. 21) are the lone league schools to rank among the Top 25 classes in the nation. But there still will be a spring signing period, so these classes can change.

There were just two five-star signees, and both inked with Ohio State: 6-4 off-guard D?Angelo Russell and 6-7 small forward Keita Bates-Diop. There were seven four-star signees.

Russell is the highest-rated Big Ten prospect, coming in at No. 16 in the nation by Scout.com. Diop is No. 19. Other Top 50 players are Michigan small forward Kameron Chatman, at No. 23, Indiana off-guard James Blackmon, at No. 33 and Illinois power forward Leron Black, at No. 47.

Northwestern, Ohio State and Purdue lead the way with four-man classes.

Maryland, which joins the Big Ten next season, has the No. 8 class in the nation with a four-man class of all four-star players.

Here?s a look at how the Big Ten schools stack up, with star ratings based on Scout.com.

ILLINOIS

6-7 PF Leron Black (4 star) Memphis, Tenn.

6-7 PF Michael Finke (3 star) Champaign, Ill.

INDIANA

6-3 SG James Blackmon (4 star) Marion, Ind.

6-7 PF Max Hoetzel (3 star) Wilbraham, Mass.

6-3 SG Robert Johnson (4 star) Richmond, Va.

IOWA

6-8 SF Dominique Uhl (3 star) Point Pleasant, N.J.

6-4 SG Brady Ellingson (3 star) Sussex, Wis.

MICHIGAN

6-8 SF D.J. Wilson (3 star) Sacramento, Calif.

6-7 SF Kameron Chatman (4 star) Portland, Ore.

6-7 C Ricky Doyle (3 star) Fort Myers, Fla.

MICHIGAN STATE

6-4 SF Javon Bess (3 star) Gahanna, Ohio

5-10 PG Lourawis Nairn (3 star) Bel Aire, Kan.

MINNESOTA

6-6 SG Carlos Morris (NF) Marianna, Fla.

6-1 PG Nate Mason (3 star) Jacksonville, Fla.

6-7 PF Josh Martin (3 star) Bothell, Wash.

NEBRASKA

6-8 PF Keanu Pinder (NR) Bel Aire, Kan.

6-8 PF Jacob Hammond (3 star) Comanche, Okla.

NORTHWESTERN

6-6 SG Scott Lindsey (NR) Oak Park, Ill.

6-4 SG Bryant McIntosh (3 star) Greensburg, Ind.

6-9 PF Gavin Skelly (3 star) Westlake, Ohio

6-7 SF Vic Law (4 star) Chicago, Ill.

OHIO STATE

6-4SG D?Angelo Russell (5 star) Montverde, Fla.

6-9 C Dave Bell (3 star) Garfield Heights, Ohio

6-5 SF Jae?sean Tate (4 star) Pickerington, Ohio

6-7 SF Keita Bates-Diop (5 star) Bloomington, Ill.

PENN STATE

6-2 SG Shep Garner (3 star) Philadelphia, Pa.

6-2 SG Isaiah Washington (3 star) Williamsport, Pa.

PURDUE

7-1 C Isaac Haas (4 star) Hokes Bluff, Ala.

6-9 PF Jacquil Taylor (NR) Chestnut Hill, Mass.

6-6 PF Vince Edwards (3 star) Middletown, Ohio

6-4 SG Dakota Mathias (3 star) Elida, Ohio

WISCONSIN

6-7 SF Ethan Happ (3 star) Taylor Ridge, Ill.

About Tom Dienhart BTN.com senior writer Tom Dienhart is a veteran sports journalist who covers Big Ten football and men's basketball for BTN.com and BTN TV. Find him on Twitter and Facebook, read all of his work at btn.com/tomdienhart, and subscribe to his posts via RSS. Also, send questions to his weekly mailbag using the form below and read all of his previous answers in his reader mailbag section.

And if you want to leave a comment on this post, use the box below. All comments need to be approved by a moderator.