Player of the Week
Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois
On Friday, Dosunmu and 19th-ranked Illinois squared up with 7th-ranked Iowa in a matchup of two of the most talented teams not only in the conference but entire country. The junior from Chicago was the best player on the floor, going for 25 points and 4 assists on 11-18 shooting, including 3-3 from behind the arc. Neither team had played in over a week due to COVID, but that did not seem to matter, as both teams looked sharp in this high-scoring affair. Illinois was ultimately the better team, though, thanks to their superstar leader who came through in the teams’ biggest test yet. It appears as if Dosunmu and the Fighting Illini are hitting their stride as the back-end of the regular season rapidly approaches, and are sure to be a scary sight come March.
Who’s Hot
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Rutgers was able to end their six-game conference losing skid on 1/24 with an impressive win at Indiana, and carried the new-found momentum into their meeting with Michigan State four days later. The game was the first time Michigan State appeared on the floor in twenty days, after having to pause all activities due to positive COVID tests between players and coaches. The Scarlet Knights seemingly kicked the Spartans in the mouth right off the jump, going on a 15-0 run to start the game. MSU was able to bring it back to within 10 points at halftime, but an early second-half run put the game to bed early on. The win could signify a turning of the tides for this extremely talented Rutgers team, who despite the midseason struggles, still appear to be in good position to make the programs first NCAA tournament appearance since 1991.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Chris Holtmann has once again been able to ready the ship following a tough loss, as his Buckeyes team has won four-straight since losing at the hands of Purdue on Jan. 19 OSU came out with a hard-fought 83-79 victory over Penn State on January 27th, thanks to 22 points and gutsy game-clinching free throws from E.J Liddell. Four days later, Ohio State took advantage of a struggling Michigan State team with an easy 79-62 win. The surging Buckeyes are now three games back of Michigan for the top spot of the conference standings, and a game back of Illinois for second. They are playing as well as any team in the conference, and are keeping their hopes for a conference title alive as the season winds down.
Who’s Not
Michigan State Spartans
It was a good week for the Spartans, who were finally able to take the floor for the first time in twenty days when they met up with Rutgers on January 28th. Unfortunately, things did not go the way Tom Izzo and company hoped for, as his team was tossed around by Rutgers, losing by 30 points and scoring below 40 themselves. Three days later, the Spartans were thoroughly outmatched by Ohio State from beginning to end in a 79-62 loss. In an unusual down year, the Spartans are now 2-5 in conference play, and will have to turn things around quickly if they want a chance at postseason play.
Iowa Hawkeyes
In the lone game they played this week, Iowa fell to Illinois 80-75 in a hard-fought match up. Coach Fran McCaffrey’s men were outplayed, as the Hawkeye defense had no answer for Ayo Dosunmu. Luka Garza finished with 19 points, but had his playing time limited down the stretch due to foul trouble. The loss marked their second straight in conference play, and puts them fourth in the conference standings behind Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio State. Even if they have a long shot of winning the Big Ten regular season title, Iowa looks to be the strongest team in the conference and look to be the B1G’s best bet to do what no team since the 2000 Michigan State Spartans has been able to do; win the NCAA Tournament.
Top 5 Candidates for 2020-2021 Big Ten Player of the Year
5. Kofi Cockburn, Illinois
The Fighting Illini big man can anchor an offense on both sides of the ball. He is currently top 10 in the conference in scoring per game (7th), rebounding per game (1st), field goal percentage (2nd) and blocks per game (7th).
4. Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Indiana’s uber-athletic big man is Archie Miller’s go-to guy, and the newest star of the historic Hoosier program. His current season averages include 20 points per game, 9 rebounds, and nearly 2 blocks.
3. Marcus Carr, Minnesota
The electrifying and high-scoring guard from Toronto has found his home and become the face of the program in his second season as a Gopher after transferring from Pittsburgh following his freshman season in 2017-2018. He is averaging 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists per game, and appears to be a future NBA player.
2. Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois
Now playing in his third year under Brad Underwood, Dosunmu has once again shown improvement and is one of the best players in the entire country. He can do it all on the offense end, and has worked in-tandem with Kofi Cockburn to form a two-headed beast that is extremely tough to stop. Dosunmu averages 22 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists on the year.
1. Luka Garza, Iowa
The reigning Big Ten Player of the Year, Garza has been absolutely dominant and has shown no reason not to receive the award again this season. The senior big man leads the nation in scoring at 26.4 points per game, nearly three points more than the current second place holder. He also pulls in nearly 9 rebounds per game, 2 blocks, and is shooting a ridiculous 60% from the field on the season. The crazy-efficient center is the most polished and complete scorer in the country, and has Iowa dreaming of cutting down the nets come March.