With February on the horizon, the college basketball season is beginning to wind down. With only one month to go in the regular season, several players have stood out as the best of the best in the Big Ten Conference.
In honor of the NBA releasing its All-Star rosters this week, here are the All-Stars of the Big Ten Conference heading into the regular season’s stretch run:
15.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 8.9 apg, 2.4 spg, 43.3 FG%
A preseason All-Big Ten selection, Braden Smith has lived up to expectations this season. He leads the conference and is third nationally in assists per game (8.9) while also being a hounding presence on the defensive end of the floor with 2.4 steals per game.
One year after being a supporting piece in Purdue’s 2024 Final Four run, Smith has turned into the lynchpin that makes the Purdue offense function. Smith has scored or assisted on 52.3% of all Boilermaker field goals this season while also playing in 751 of the Boilers’ 840 game minutes so far this season.
18.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.1 apg, 48.8% FG%
Despite Rutgers’ up-and-down season, Dylan Harper has been excellent alongside fellow freshman Ace Bailey. While Bailey scores a tad more, Harper’s ability to involve his teammates gives him the edge here. Harper leads the Scarlet Knights in assists per game, with 4.1 assists per game compared to Bailey’s 0.8. Harper has also shown an ability to draw fouls, reaching the free throw line 5.6 times per game.
As a projected lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, it remains to be seen whether Harper sticks around beyond this season.
19.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.1 bpg, 50.2% FG%
It’s been a season to forget for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Sitting at 3-7 in Big Ten play and 11-10 overall, Dawson Garcia has provided one of the few bright spots for them this season. Garcia leads the team in points, rebounds, and blocks per game and is shooting 50.2% from the field and 37.2% from beyond the three-point arc.
The 6’11” big man has also shown a knack for showing up in big games. In four games against opponents ranked in the AP Top 25, Garcia has averaged 24.8 points and 7.0 rebounds per game on 54.8% shooting from the floor.
15.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 3.2 apg, 2.1 spg
The last-placed Washington Huskies haven't had much to cheer for this season. One of their few bright spots has been senior forward Great Osobor. Osobor, a transfer from Utah State, leads the team in scoring, rebounding, steals, and minutes per game.
Osobor has been a stat-stuffer for the Huskies, posting five double-doubles this season as well as seven games this season with three or more steals. The Huskies are 5-2 in games where Osobor notches three or more steals, compared to 5-8 in games where he records two or fewer.
14.5 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.7 bpg, 64.7 FG%
Oumar Ballo, Indiana’s 7’0”, 265-pound bruiser, is the thriving heartbeat of an otherwise struggling Indiana team. The only player in the Big Ten currently averaging a double-double, Ballo leads the Hoosiers in points, rebounds, blocks, minutes, and field goal percentage. The Hoosiers have been increasingly reliant on the Malian big man as the season has progressed. Since forward Malik Reneau’s injury against Rutgers on January 2, Ballo has averaged 17.7 points and 11.6 rebounds per game.
Ballo’s interior defense has also been key to the Hoosiers’ success. Indiana is 8-0 in games where Ballo records 2 or more blocks, compared to 6-7 in games with less than 2.
9.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.1 apg, 56.0 FG%, 42.5 3PT%
At first glance, Jase Richardson’s statistics aren’t much to look at. He doesn’t lead his team in points, rebounds, or assists and only plays 22 minutes per game. However, Richardson’s impact goes far beyond his offensive numbers. Despite ranking fifth on the team in possessions played, Richardson leads Michigan State and is 13th in the Big Ten in +/- at +207.
The freshman (and son of former Michigan State star Jason Richardson) has quickly become a favorite of head coach Tom Izzo, who told Fox Sports’ John Fanta that he thinks Richardson will keep improving as the season progresses: “He has a wonderful sense of things, and I think his second half of the season will be a lot better than his first half.”
17-5, 7-4 Big Ten, 3-3 vs. AP Top 25
Now in his third season as head coach of the Terrapins, Kevin Willard has his team rolling. Maryland sits at 17-5 on the season and 6-1 over their last seven games. The Terrapins are hitting their stride as the season winds down and have already topped their win total from last season when they finished a disappointing 16-17 and missed the NCAA Tournament.
The Terrapins boast one of college basketball’s most potent lineups as well. Five Terrapin players rank in the top 10 in the conference in +/-: Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Rodney Rice, Julian Reese, Derik Queen, and Selton Miguel.