Player of the Week
Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois
This is Dosunmu’s second consecutive week getting this nomination, and with good reason. The junior from Chicago started the week in a February 2nd matchup with Indiana, where he struggled immensely, shooting 2-11 from the field and fouling out late in the game. But, while he struggled, this was an impressive performance for the junior guard, as he was still able to play 29 minutes and contribute to a win despite his inefficiencies, adding 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. He then took the floor against #19 Wisconsin, where in a game full of high-level players, was the clear top dog on the floor. Dosumnu went for a 21 point, 12 rebound, 12 assist triple-double, willing his team to a convincing win and sealing his status as a top 10 player in the country. Illinois will go as far as Dosumnu will take them, and with the way he is playing right now, it looks like he will take them far.
Who’s Hot
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
After enduring a rough one-month, 1-7 stretch where nothing seemed to go their way, it appears as if Rutgers has been able to right the ship. Quietly, the Scarlet Knights have strung together four straight quality wins over Indiana (1/24), Michigan State (1/28), Northwestern (1/31) and most recently, Minnesota on 2/4. The offense has been way more efficient during the win streak, and has shifted focus, as Ron Harper Jr. has cooled down from his early season hot streak and is no longer the focal point. Instead, fellow starters Jacob Young, Montez Mathis and Myles Johnson have all stepped up and allowed for a more balanced attack. Rutgers now sits at 7th in the conference standings, but only a game behind Wisconsin and Purdue, who are tied for 4th. A good ending to their season will likely see them through to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1991.
Illinois Fighting Illini
#12 Illinois convincing 75-60 win over #19 Wisconsin gave them their fourth straight win, and also showed to the country that Brad Underwood and his well-balanced Illini squad are hitting their stride as the season nears its end. The win streak keeps them two games behind Michigan, who sit atop the conference. Michigan has not played in weeks, having to cancel their last five games due to COVID. Illinois win streak puts them in a good spot, where the pressure is now on Michigan to come out of their extended break and pick up right where they left off with their winning ways. If they are unable to, you can expect Illinois to be chomping at their heels, ready to pounce and overtake them atop the Big Ten standings. While Illini have superstars in Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn, the thing that separates this team from others is how deep their rotation truly is. For instance, Trent Frazier stepped up in their 75-71 overtime win against Indiana on February 2nd, scoring the final Illini 10 points in regulation, and putting the Illini ahead with the go-ahead free throw in OT. Illiniois has everything needed for a deep tournament run, and as long as they are playing well, they are a threat to beat anyone.
Who’s Not
Iowa Hawkeyes
It has been a rough two weeks for Fran McCaffrey and his team. A January 21st loss to Indiana capped a five-game win streak for the Hawkeyes, and was followed with another loss at Illinois. A vintage Luka Garza 27 point, 12 rebound, 2 blocks showing helped Iowa right the ship against a free-falling Michigan State team and had the #8 ranked Hawkeyes feeling confident going into a huge matchup with #7 ranked Ohio State. Both teams used balance scoring attacks to exploit the others defensive weaknesses, but it was the Buckeyes who had the momentum down the stretch and were able to rally back after trailing by 11 points in the second half to secure an important win, and keep up with leader Michigan in the conference standings. The struggles continued for the black and gold, as their late game woes continued into their Super Bowl Sunday matchup with Indiana, where they were upset 67-65 after allowing the go-ahead bucket with 1.8 seconds to go. The Hawkeyes, considered by many to be one of the most talented and well-balanced teams in college basketball this season, are now 7-5 in the conference, and tied for sixth in the standings. While they still have the conference postseason and NCAA tournament to look forward to, the struggles they are currently enduring could be reason for concern in Des Moines if the team struggles in their next matchup, a February 10th matchup with Rutgers.
Michigan Wolverines
With the way things have gone for Michigan so far this season, it seemed as if the only way the Wolverines could be stopped would be by preventing them from getting on the court at all. Unfortunately for those in Ann Arbor, that is exactly what happened. The program was forced to extend its two-week pause this past week, adding their February 4th matchup against Illinois to the ever-growing list of postponed conference regular-season games for the Maize and Gold. The latest postponement may be the most impactful for Juwan Howard and his men, as the meeting with Illinois would have been an opportunity for the Wolverines to extend their lead in the Big Ten standings. The postponement marked their fifth consecutive game missed, and the program says they expect to return February 14th for a Valentine’s Day matchup at Wisconsin. Sitting at 13-1 and ranked #4 in the country, with one of the deepest and most well-balanced rosters in all of college basketball, it will be interesting to see if the unexpected and lengthy midseason pause affects the momentum this team once had.
Top 5 Big Ten Teams (Currently)
5. Wisconsin Badgers
The Badgers have a talented veteran team, and the experience will definitely be a huge advantage for them. As long as they are able to keep up on offense, they will be a threat.
4. Ohio State Buckeyes
The Buckeyes are led by talented forward EJ Liddell, but feature a plethora of talented impact players that have allowed this team to rise to the top of the conference and national rankings. They are talented, tough, and will not back down to anybody so they will always have a chance.
3. Iowa Hawkeyes
Luka Garza is the most dominant player in the country, and the onslaught of offensive threats make the Hawkeyes one of the most potent offenses in the entire country. Combined with the inside presence of Garza on the defensive end, this team is certainly a major player for the title, despite their recent struggles.
2. Illinois Fighting Illini
Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn are the stars, but the talent extends past those two on this roster, and they are playing extremely good basketball right now. Their win over Indiana despite the struggles of Dosunmu shows that they can find ways to win, even when their big-name players struggle.
1. Michigan Wolverines
Out of nowhere, Michigan has become a top-5 team in the country and what looks like the Big Ten’s best shot for a national championship this season. {Player: Mike Smith] is proving he is more than just a scorer, doing an exclellent job of playing the point guard role. Isaiah Livers and Franz Wagner are elite scorers on the wings, and freshman sensation Hunter Dickinson has absolutely dominated the paint since he took over the starting role. This team seemingly fits together perfectly and can dominate on both sides of the ball. They have a very good shot of winning it all, if they can continue to play the way they have been playing.