Player of the Week:
Dawson Garcia (Sr., Minnesota)
It should be criminal at this point in the season to still have Dawson Garcia as a late second round/undrafted prospect with everything he’s been doing this season. He’s third in points per game in the Big Ten, only trailing Nick Martinelli and Ace Bailey and is the sole reason the Golden Gophers aren’t the worst team in the Big Ten. Starting off 0-6 in conference play, it looked like Minnesota was destined to end toward the bottom of the barrel this season. Instead, Garcia has averaged 26 points in his last three games to put his squad back on track and on a three-game winning streak. Even against Oregon, a top 15 team in the country, Garcia posted a 31 point game on nearly 70% shooting to elevate his team past the Ducks. For a 23 year old player, who stands at 6’ 11 to be able to dominate both the perimeter and the paint, speaks volumes about his level of skill and technique. On both the offensive and defensive ends of the ball, Garcia is the mold of a player built to succeed at the next level and it’s time scouts stop using his status as a senior to keep him out of these conversations.
Who’s Hot:
Jase Richardson (Fr., Michigan State)
As the son of former Golden State shooting guard Jason Richardson, it seems that explosiveness and the ability to dominate the court is hereditary in this family. What Jace Richardson has been doing as a true freshman for Michigan State, one of the best teams in the country, is nothing short of sensational. Without ever starting a game for the Spartans, he is their second leading scorer at 9.8 points per game and is second on the team in both field goal percentage and three point percentage. The moment Richardson touched the hardwood for Michigan State, it didn’t take long for him to become its most consistent player. He’s got one of the best first steps in the Big Ten and uses that explosiveness to attack off the dribble and get to the rim or shift defenders on the perimeter to launch a three from downtown. Richardson has the shot IQ of a seasoned veteran and takes advantage of being able to get to his spots. His high-level play has garnered the attention of many and he’s expected to go in the late first/early second round of this year’s NBA draft. But if he has more 20 point outings like he did against Rutgers, expect to see him soaring higher, just like his father, on big boards across the nation.
Rodney Rice (So., Maryland)
The Terrapins have been on a tear since the beginning of season and have only gotten better as things have progressed. However, none of that would be possible without Rodney Rice and the numerous moments where he rose to the occasion, most recently against Indiana. The sophomore guard led his team to a win after an outstanding 23 point performance while shooting 71.4% from deep (5-7). The game was neck-and-neck and the Terrapins were on the verge of losing to the Hoosiers before Rice capped off one of his best nights of the season with a go-ahead three that won them the game by 1. With so many teams fighting for the top spot in the Big Ten, every win counts and this one was secured by Rice. His game continues to improve every night and by the time next season comes, it’s very plausible that he’ll take over the role as the Terrapins star player.
Who’s Not:
Washington Huskies
The Huskies’ struggles continue after dropping their sixth consecutive game, their longest losing streak since 2021. To a certain extent, the struggles are understandable as Washington in its past six games, have played five top 25 teams in the nation, but this is simply a reality of playing in a loaded Big Ten conference. It’d be one thing if the Huskies were bringing their A-game every night and just falling short to better talent but that isn’t the case here. Their matches against Illinois, Purdue and most recently UCLA were all competitive games that could’ve gone either way, but Washington shot themselves out of every single one of them. Out of all 364 D1 basketball programs, the Huskies are ranked at a disappointing 232nd in average field goal percentage and an even worse 271st in average three point percentage. These are numbers that clearly aren’t going to cut it if Washington wants to finish strong in one of the most competitive conferences in the nation.
Jaden Akins (Sr., Michigan State)
In a team that has built an identity on ball movement and equal opportunity, Jaden Akins still manages to find the bottom of the basket more often than not, but that hasn’t been the case recently. In the midst of his worst shooting slump of the year, Akins has shot 30% or less from the field in three of his last four games (15-49 in that four game stretch). It’s fortunate enough that the Spartans are one of the best teams in the nation and have the scoring options to pick his slack but that doesn’t mean his play isn’t concerning. Michigan State has won each of their last three games by seven points or less and still have quite a tough schedule ahead of them. The Big Ten is no cakewalk and if the Spartans want to continue this level of dominance, then it’ll fall on Jaden Akins to find his groove. For him, it’s either start knocking down shots more consistently or start passing more and playing within the flow of the offense when he can’t get it going.
Top 5 Point Guards in the Big Ten
5.) Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Jr., Maryland)
Standing at 6’ 1, Ja’Kobi Gillespie is little but mighty, at least little for a basketball player. Alongside fellow Terrapin guard Rodney Rice, Gillespie makes up one half of one of the best backcourt duos in the Big Ten. Averaging 14.6 points per game and 4.7 assists per game, he is top seven in both among Big Ten guards. Despite his smaller stature, he is a surprisingly good finisher and one of the premier shooters at his position, knocking down 42% of his threes on nearly six attempts a game.
4.) Jackson Shelstad (So., Oregon)
Although he had a less than desirable start to his second year, the moment Jackson Shelstad got out of his sophomore slump, he reminded everyone just how good he is. In his last six games, he’s averaged 17.5 points and 2.6 assists per game while leading his team to a 4-2 record. Shelstad is a jack of all trades, a player who can score, defend and facilitate all at relatively high levels who raises the ceiling of his team dramatically. When he scores in double figures, the Ducks is 11-3 and they will continue to turn to him as they approach the end of conference play
3.) Desmond Claude (Jr., USC)
From this point of the list and onwards, these guards aren’t just the best in the Big Ten but some of the best in the nation and it’s evidently clear that Desmond Claude is in that discussion. The Trojan is 12th in the conference in points per game with 16.1 and seventh in assists per game with 4.3. Claude has an old school feel to his game, that is predicated around attacking the basket and getting to the rim at ease. He’s got a tight handle and great vision that allows him to dump it off to the open man under the rim. Overall, Claude is one of the most efficient scorers and one of the best playmakers in the Big Ten.
2.) Ace Baldwin Jr. (Sr., Penn State)
No list regarding point guards in the Big Ten would be complete without last year’s Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Ace Baldwin Jr. Offensively, it’s been the same story his entire career – an undersized and inefficient guard who struggles with the long ball. But the Nittany Lion’s impact runs much deeper than just scoring. Second in both assists per game with just under eight and steals per game with 2.1, Baldwin Jr. has been the heart and soul of the Nittany Lions since he arrived. Not many players contribute to winning more than he does and he does what he’s supposed to every single night.
1.) Braden Smith (Jr., Purdue)
Braden Smith has clearly been the best point guard in the Big Ten and has a case to be the best in all of college basketball. The Boilermaker leads the conference in both assists per game (8.9) and in steals per game (2.4) while also being top 20 in points per game as a past-first guard. Smith has an elite mixture of on and off ball defensive skills while having the best court vision in the nation. He is able to control the pace and flow of the game like few can and only gets better when pressure is applied. He stepped up to the plate with two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey gone and has kept Purdue in conversations of being one of the best teams in the Big Ten.