NCAA Basketball: Player of the Year rankings entering conference play
By Connor Hope
9. Jordan Murphy, Minnesota
Although the Minnesota Golden Gophers had a rough two-week stretch that knocked them out of the top-25, Jordan Murphy continues to perform at a high level. The 6’6” forward has recorded a double-double in all 14 games this season, the only player to record a double-double in every game this year.
Murphy leads the Big Ten with 19.6 points and 12.5 rebounds, which easily lifts him on this list. Murphy has been a pleasant surprise for the Gophers after not showing a ton of improvement between his freshman and sophomore year.
As Minnesota moves further into Big Ten play, Murphy will continue to be challenged, especially against bigger frontcourts like Michigan State. With the Big Ten having another relatively poor season, Murphy and the Gophers should be able to right the ship and enter the NCAA Tournament on strong footing.
While not the only Big Ten player that has impressed this season, Murphy is the only one to make this list.