9 players who can help their team advance in the Big Ten Tournament
By Joey Loose
Payton Sandfort (Iowa)
Last year’s Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year, Sandfort has taken on a significant role in his junior season with the Hawkeyes. Iowa has shed significant talent in recent years and might be having somewhat of a down year, but Sandfort’s growth and development has helped fill in some of that gap.
A talented shooter, he’s averaging 16.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game this season, shooting 58% from the field, 37% from beyond the arc, and 92% from the charity stripe. He’s been the most vital weapon in a Hawkeyes lineup full of talented pieces, though Sandfort is the one who’s had the touch in recent weeks.
Sandfort is just two weeks removed from a triple-double, with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a win over Penn State. That performance is part of a great run in recent weeks, as Sandfort has topped 20 points in four of Iowa’s last five games.
It’s not just that Sandfort can take Iowa to some wins in this Big Ten Tournament, it’s that he needs this. The Hawkeyes are living precociously on the NCAA Tournament bubble and need to make an impression in this event to earn that at-large bid. Don’t be surprised to see the Hawkeyes challenging for a deep run.