9 players who can help their team advance in the Big Ten Tournament

Ace Baldwin Jr. (Penn State)

With the Nittany Lions sitting under .500, it’s pretty clear that there won’t be a repeat of last season, where Penn State won their first Tournament game in over a decade. However, it’s clear that Baldwin, who was just named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, can help inspire a run in Minneapolis for this team.

Baldwin came from VCU, following coach Mike Rhoades who took over the program this past offseason, and has become a critical piece of the Nittany Lions. Not only has he been a menace defensively, he’s also a great offensive weapon, averaging 14.3 points and 6.0 assists per game.

He’s shown up when it’s mattered, with several 20-point performances during Big Ten play. Baldwin has had a few double-doubles in recent weeks, including a 12-assist outing in the team’s upset over Illinois just three weeks ago.

Penn State sits at the 11-seed and would need an impressive run to get the job done in Minneapolis, but Baldwin has clearly been their weapon and the guy who can inspire a win or two this week. Without him, this team certainly would have finished several games lower in the standings.