Busting Brackets
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Big Ten Basketball: Each team’s best acquisition out of 2023 transfer portal

By Jerran Anderson

PORTLAND, OR - NOVEMBER 24: Kel'el Ware #10 of the Oregon Ducks is seen during the game against the UCONN Huskies at Moda Center on November 24, 2022 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - NOVEMBER 24: Kel'el Ware #10 of the Oregon Ducks is seen during the game against the UCONN Huskies at Moda Center on November 24, 2022 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Ace Baldwin Jr. – 6’0 Guard – Penn State Nittany Lions

Ace Baldwin Jr. joins head coach Mike Rhoades as he takes over the Penn State Nittany Lions program this upcoming season. Baldwin is easily the most important player out of the transfer portal after the historic season he put together with the VCU Rams in 2022-23.

Baldwin took home A-10 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year this past season with the Rams, putting up 12.7 ppg, 5.8 apg, 2.9 rpg and 2.2 spg on 42.1 percent shooting from the field and 34.2 percent from deep. The awards made Baldwin the fourth player in A-10 history to take home both honors and the first since 2007, back when Stephen Lasme won both in 2007 with UMass.

He finished second in the conference in assists (173) and steals (67) while finishing 13th in offensive rating (109.6) and seventh in defensive rating (94.5). He took an injury early in the season that sidelined him for five games before returning early and leading his squad on quite the run.

The Rams would go on to win the regular season A-10 title along with the top seed in the A-10 Tournament by finishing 15-3 with Baldwin leading the charge on both ends of the floor. He’ll look to make a two-way impact in new threads for the Nittany Lions in 2023-24.

Baldwin follows Coach Rhoades to Happy Valley looking to change the face of the Big Ten much like he did in the Atlantic 10 in leading his squad to a conference tournament title and an NCAA Tournament bid. He’ll be joined by some familiar faces from the DMV area in Qudus Wahab (Georgetown) and Favour Aire (Miami) while also bringing along former VCU teammate Nick Kern Jr. and another familiar A-10 face in Zach Hicks (Temple).

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