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Big Ten Basketball: Best bets outside of Cassius Winston to win 2020 POY

By Adam Childs

MADISON, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 12: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts in the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at the Kohl Center on February 12, 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
MADISON, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 12: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts in the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at the Kohl Center on February 12, 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – MARCH 28: Nojel Eastern #20 of the Purdue Boilermakers goes up for a dunk against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament South Regional at the KFC YUM! Center on March 28, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – MARCH 28: Nojel Eastern #20 of the Purdue Boilermakers goes up for a dunk against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament South Regional at the KFC YUM! Center on March 28, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Purdue – Nojel Eastern

Chances of winning POY – Better than average

Last year the focus of the Boilermakers was 100% on Carsen Edwards and rightfully so. Then the concentration went to senior sharpshooter Ryan Cline. They were the top two scorers on Purdue and help led them to the cusp of the Final Four.

But while they had a great season Eastern was quietly becoming a very good player and one ready to take off this year. He is not an outside threat but he is great handling the ball and great at the rim. Matt Haarms was supposed to the big man down low to help the Boilermakers win and he does a good job, but Eastern has started to take the leap.

The faithful in West Lafayette are excited about Eastern’s potential and they should be. Without Edwards and Cline this year he will need to be the go-to guy and it appears that he is capable of doing just that.

The loss of the dynamic duo for the Boilermakers might actually help Eastern truly become a star. While Edwards and Cline were great and could flat-out shoot, they sometimes took over a game and left little to no shot attempts for the rest of the team. With them gone someone else will get those shots and luckily for Purdue, they have the potential in Eastern to shoulder that load.

The Boilermakers weren’t expected to do much last year and finished tied for the regular-season title. If they could do that again this year then Eastern will be in talks for POY.

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