Busting Brackets
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Big Ten Basketball: Top 10 Player of the Year candidates for 2021-22 season

By Tristan Freeman

Feb 20, 2021; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Purdue Boilermakers guard Sasha Stefanovic (55) celebrates a three point basket with forward Trevion Williams (50) and guard Jaden Ivey (23) against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 20, 2021; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Purdue Boilermakers guard Sasha Stefanovic (55) celebrates a three point basket with forward Trevion Williams (50) and guard Jaden Ivey (23) against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports /
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Big Ten Basketball Rutgers Scarlet Knights Ron Harper Jr. Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Big Ten Basketball Rutgers Scarlet Knights Ron Harper Jr. Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /

. . Ron Harper Jr.. 10. player. 452.

2021-22 stats: 14.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.1 apg

Harper is now a four-year starter for the Scarlet Knights and has been the biggest part of the program’s rebuild into an NCAA Tournament team of the past couple of seasons. He was the leading scorer of last year’s team and as well as through 12 games this year.

Things are different this time around after losing guards Jacob Young and Montez Mathis to the transfer portal, two of the team’s four offensive options from a year ago. That left Harper and point guard Geo Baker are the lone capable scorers on this current roster.

The overall record of 7-5 (1-1) reflects that, with losses to UMass, Lafayette, and DePaul on record. But the reason why Harper was able to crack the list was due to what he did in one of the wins. He went for 30 points and 10 rebounds in the upset win over then-No. 1 ranked Purdue a couple of weeks ago. It was just 27 points until the final seconds, where a desperation three-pointer near halfcourt from Harper provided one of the best moments of the 2021-22 NCAA Basketball season.

Harper has been fairly good in the other 11 games as well and if he can play at an All-Big Ten level going forward, Rutgers will be a tough out in league play and potentially play its way back onto the bubble.

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