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.