Player of the Week:
Dylan Harper (Fr., Rutgers)
The freshman phenom continues his ascension to stardom after recording his first career triple double against Columbia – which was also the first triple double by a Rutgers player in 42 years. Harper may be third in the nation in points per game with 23.3 but he consistently showcases his ability to impact the game in a handful of ways aside from scoring. He controlled the flow of the offense effortlessly and was able to find the open man on the interior for easy points at the net. Harper started off the season a little shaky from three, but in his last five games, the Scarlet Knight has knocked down 46.8% of his shots from downtown (15/32) including four made triples against the Lions. He continues to show his value as a creator and an off ball scorer, making him an ideal combo guard at the next level. Harper tied his career high in steals with three against Colombia, putting his lateral quickness and ability to read plays at a high level on display. A game like this from an already solidified top three pick showed to scouts across the league that not one facet of his game isn’t at an NBA level.
Who’s Hot:
Ace Baldwin Jr. (Sr., Penn State)
Ace Baldwin Jr. this season has made sure to end his last year with the Nittany Lions on a high note by putting together one of his best seasons yet. The 2024 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year is tied for first with Braden Smith in assists per game with 8.6 and has been the heart and soul of the blue and white. Baldwin Jr. in his last three games is averaging 16 points per game and over 10 assists per game and is fresh off a 23 and 10 game against the University of Pennsylvania. Defensively, it is common knowledge of how elite of a disruptor on the perimeter he is, but this season, he’s bringing a lot more than that to the table. Despite his smaller frame at 6’ 1, he never shies away from playing physical, driving to the rim and finishing through contact. Baldwin Jr. is averaging his points per game in his entire career and his skillset as a scorer only elevates his ability to pass as teams have no choice but to recognize him as a threat. Penn State is sixth in the nation in total scoring offense while averaging 88.2 points per game, a mark that is only reached because of the superb playmaking skills of Ace Baldwin Jr.
Michigan State Spartans
The No. 18 Spartans are near the top of the Big Ten this season with an 11-2 record, only behind Oregon and have the longest active winning streak of any team in the conference. It’s been over a month since Michigan State lost its last game and after it dismantled Western Michigan, that streak doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon. It’s hard to find a team that plays more balanced basketball than the Spartans, Jaden Akins leads the team in scoring with 13.3 points per game while no one else reaches the double-digit mark. They aren’t reliant on one player to carry the load every night and it’s resulted in seven different players leading the team in points throughout 13 games. True freshman Jeremy Fears Jr., has come in and made an immediate impact as an elite playmaker while Jaxson Kohler both extends and finishes plays by crashing the glass. The schedule for the Spartans only gets tougher as the season progresses but if they can sustain this level of play, there won’t be too much to worry about from them.
Who’s Not:
Keeshawn Barthelemy (Sr., Oregon)
Barthelemy serves as one of the Ducks primary offensive weapons and is their best shooter on the roster, but that hasn’t been the case for him this week. After four straight games of double digit points, he’s come back down to Earth and hasn’t scored over eight points in his last three. Barthelemy, who hadn’t shot below 40% percent from deep in any game this season, did it twice in that three game span. For a player who over half of their shots come from behind the three point line, this level of inefficiency reduces Barthelemy to a shell of his former self. He doesn’t find much success driving to the rim and isn’t good enough as a secondary playmaker or perimeter defender to warrant keeping on the court. The Ducks have been able to pull through despite his lackluster play but if they want to dominate conference play the same way they’re dominated other teams, they need their offense to be as dynamic as possible and Barthelemy is a big part of that.
Tyler Bilodeau (Jr., UCLA)
Bilodeau has had a great junior year so far with the Bruins as the team’s leading scorer averaging 14.5 points per game on over 41% from deep. However, that’s not the player fans saw when UCLA managed to scrape by then No. 12 Gonzaga 65-62. In their biggest game of the season so far, Bilodeau crumbled, shooting only 20% from the field (2-10), finishing with just seven points. The usual sniper couldn’t get his deep ball to fall after shooting 25% against the Bulldogs and had a much smaller role in the offense that night. The Bruins managed to overcome the off night by Bilodeau due to their elite defense, which ranks ninth in the nation by limiting teams to under 59 points per game on average. He did contribute on the defensive end with two steals and five rebounds but with so many other strong defenders on his team, Bilodeau needs to score in order for UCLA to win game consistently.
Top 5 Centers in the Big Ten
5.) Yanic Konan Niederhauser (Jr., Penn State)
The former Northern Illinois center is having a breakout season with the Nittany Lions, and has been one of the best centers in the conference all season long. Niederhauser is averaging 13.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game against some of the best competition in the nation. At 7’ 0 ft, he is able to attack the rim aggressively and snag rebounds over anyone and go up with it to secure second chance points. Niederhauser averages just under two blocks a game and has been a pivotal part of both anchoring a solid defense and a prolific offense
4.) Oumar Ballo (Sr., Indiana)
Ballo has been tremendous for the Hoosiers this year as he continues to impact the game on both ends, averaging 12.4 points per game and 9.2 rebounds per game. He is at his best in the low post whether it’s overpowering defenders on offense or sending shots into the stands. Ballo is the only player in the Big Ten shooting 70% from the field while playing over 25 mins a game.
He is efficient and knows his role within the offense and has even developed his passing game which leads to Indiana having one of the most fluid offenses in the Big Ten
3.) Nate Bittle (Sr., Oregon)
Bittle has been the player in the lead role for the Ducks all season long and with the success they found at 12-1, he will continue to shine as their star. He is averaging 13.2 points per game and 8.5 rebounds per game as the leader on the best team in the Big Ten. In recent games, he has taken a step back but Oregon doesn’t rely on any one player to get the job done and when the going gets tough, it knows Bittle is there when the going gets tough.
2.) Tomislav Ivisic (So., Illinois)
In the midst of Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley’s incredible first years, Ivisic has quietly been one of the best players in the conference as a whole and is still only a sophomore. Posting averages of 14.7 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game, he has been a juggernaut on the offensive side of the ball. Especially when taking into consideration that he is second on the team in three point percentage, shooting 38.5% from deep on over four attempts a game. Paring his ability to space the floor and be an opposing presence down low, Ivisic is the type of center that NBA scouts are itching to get their hands on.
1.) Derik Queen (Fr., Maryland)
It may only be his freshman year, but Queen continues to show why is a projected lottery pick in a handful of mock drafts this year. The Terrapin leads all centers in the Big Ten in points per game at 16.8 and is as good of a rebounder as anyone in conference, grabbing nearly nine a night. His blend of strength and speed make him a nightmare matchup for anyone, and is range of effectiveness and ability to create for himself extend all the way out to the three point line, Queen is the best overall defender at the center position due to his lateral quickness and his skills allow him to confidently guard 1-5.