College Basketball: Big Ten Player of the Year Week 14 Power Ranking
We are at the midway point of conference play in the college basketball season. Players are starting to play their way into different tiers of conversation. So I figured it to be a good time to go ahead and start putting out conference power rankings. So I am going to do that this week. Look across five or six different college basketball conferences throughout the week – one per day – and lay out the mid-conference season power ranking for each.
Today, we are talking Big Ten. So as we look across the college basketball landscape, here are my Big Ten Player of the Year power rankings from Week 14.
READ: SEC Player of the Year Week 14 Power Ranking | ACC Player of the Year Week 14 Power Ranking | Big East Player of the Year Week 14 Power Ranking
C Zach Edey, Purdue
The Buzz: The defending National Player of the Year, has gotten better this season. Not only is Zach Edey leading the conference in scoring (23.1) and rebounding (11.7), but he also has his Purdue team No. 1 in the Big Ten with a 10-2 record. Edey is a 7-foot-4 center who has scored in double figures in all 23 games played this season while going over 20 points 14 times. Edey has recorded 16 double-doubles, including 11 in 12 league games.
2. G Boo Buie, Northwestern
The Buzz: Boo Buie simply continues to impress, despite being at the top of every team’s scouting report, he is still averaging 18.9 points and shooting 39.8 percent from three on 5.6 attempts per game. With the fifth-year senior as the focal point, he has Northwestern at 6-5 in conference play, tied for fourth. Buie has scored 20 or more points in seven of 11 Big Ten games and he is currently 44 points away from 2.000 in his career.
3. G Tyson Walker, Michigan State
The Buzz: For the type of season Michigan State has had, Tyson Walker has been a shining light for the Spartans. His 19.0 points per game is third in the conference, as are the 2.0 steals he is averaging. Michigan State is currently 6-6 in conference play, but they have won five of their last seven. Walker has scored double figures in all 23 games this year and has gone for 15 or more in nine of Michigan State’s 12 league games. He is also shooting 38.1 percent from three on 5.1 attempts per game.
4. F Terrence Shannon, Illinois
The Buzz: When Terrence Shannon has been on the floor, he has had a career year. Through his 16 games played, he is averaging 20.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Through his first six Big Ten games, Shannon has continued producing, still averaging 17.3 points. His shooting percentages have dropped as the season has worn on, but he is still above 35 percent from three on the season, and his Illinois team is currently 10th in the A.P. Poll.
5. G Jahmir Young, Maryland
The Buzz: The fifth spot on this list was an interesting one to come across. AJ Storr was the toughest conversation, but the season that Jahmir Young is having has not gone unnoticed. Maryland, at 13-10 overall and 5-7 in the conference is not having the year they had hoped, but the 6-foot-1, fifth-year senior is second in the conference in scoring at 20.6 points while adding 4.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. Young has scored 2,428 career points, currently second for active players behind Max Abmas.