Big Ten Basketball: 10 biggest storylines to watch for 2022-23 season

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 10: Head coach Mike Woodson of the Indiana Hoosiers reacts after getting called for a technical foul in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines during the Big Ten Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 10, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

9 of 10

Purdue Boilermakers center Zach Edey Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Zach Edey looking for help in the backcourt

In the battle for the best big man in Big Ten Basketball, there are three main contenders; Hunter Dickinson, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Zach Edey. The one that’s likely to put up the best numbers is Edey, who averaged 14.4 ppg and 7.7 rpg in 19 mpg, which translates to around 30 ppg per 40 minutes. The 7’4 center shared the center position with Trevion Williams last season and now can play around 30 mpg and put up some huge individual numbers this upcoming campaign.

And even with those kinds of expectations, the Boilermakers still aren’t expected to get preseason top-25 votes. And that’s due to the questions surrounding the backcourt. Top-5 NBA Draft pick Jaden Ivey is gone, along with multiple other rotational pieces from last year’s perimeter.

There are two veteran guards that are likely to run the backcourt for Purdue. One is Brandon Newman, a 6’5 guard that started as a redshirt freshman before coming off the bench in a limited role. The other is Utah transfer David Jenkins, who scored around 16 ppg when at UNLV and South Dakota State but averaged just 8.5 ppg at Utah last season.

His production at the power conference level is concerning and if he ends up being the best guard for Purdue, that’s a massive concern. Edey could very well be good enough to overcome the potential issues in the backcourt but if not, one of the best players in the country could miss out on the NCAA Tournament.

Home/Big Ten