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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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COLLEGE PARK, MD – MARCH 03: Jalen Smith #25 of the Maryland Terrapins drives to the basket through Ignas Brazdeikis #13 and Jordan Poole #2 of the Michigan Wolverines in the second half during a college basketball game against the Michigan Wolverines at the XFinity Center on March 3, 2019 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MD – MARCH 03: Jalen Smith #25 of the Maryland Terrapins drives to the basket through Ignas Brazdeikis #13 and Jordan Poole #2 of the Michigan Wolverines in the second half during a college basketball game against the Michigan Wolverines at the XFinity Center on March 3, 2019 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

Maryland – Jalen Smith

Chances of winning POY – Good

Smith looks ready to step up into the starring role at Maryland. I wrote about how I think he will be the breakout star of the Big Ten this year and for good reason. He has shown that he can score inside and hit the occasional outside shot, which makes him a matchup nightmare for most any team.

The question for Maryland fans will be how does he do now that he is the man with Bruno Fernando gone. He does have Anthony Cowan Jr. back to help run the offense, but the Terrapins are going to lean heavily on Smith if they want to compete with the Spartans for the top of the Big Ten.

Smith averaged 11.7 points per game and grabbed 6.8 rebounds per game and also is a good shot blocker down low. He started to shine late in the year as he scored in double figures in four of his last five games including both NCAA tournament games where he really looked good.

Smith, like Dosunmu from Illinois, has the talent to win the POY award even if Winston has a good year. But to do that the Terrapins will probably need to finish no worse than third but would probably have to finish first or win the Big Ten. Because of the expectations of Maryland this year he must lead them to the top or he has no chance to win it.

If Maryland can win the Big Ten, then Smith will probably come away with the POY honors. That is unless Cowan steals it away from him.

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