It’s certainly too early in the season to be making pointed observations or sweeping generalizations about how someone has played. But our college basketball writer was impressed by these Big Ten performances in the opening week:
1. Luka Garza, Iowa
Garza essentially picked up where he left off last season as a leading national player of the year candidate. He was particularly impressive in the Hawkeyes’ win against Southern. Yes, Garza should dominate in a game like that. The thing is, he did, with 41 points on 14-of-15 shooting.
2. Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois
It’s really a two-man race to be considered the Big Ten’s best, and Dosunmu proved this week his preseason All-American honors were well deserved. The Illini guard is averaging 25.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists and will hit that triple-double mark at some point this year.
3. Marcus Carr, Minnesota
He’s a bit of a long shot given how thoroughly entrenched Garza and Dosunmu are at the top of the Big Ten, but Carr will make his case to be among the league’s best. Like he did in the Gophers’ win against Green Bay with 35 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
4. Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers
Geo Baker is already out “until further notice” after injuring his ankle in the first half of Rutgers’ season opener against Sacred Heart. All eyes turned to Harper against Fairleigh Dickinson, and he dropped a career-high 30 points in another Scarlet Knights’ win.
5. Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
What Jackson-Davis did in Indiana’s season opener wasn’t so much a surprise as an affirmation that the Hoosiers’ sophomore seems poised to take his game to the next level. Putting up 26 points, 11 rebounds and three assists has a way of doing that.
6. Adam Miller, Illinois
We’ve reached the pleasant surprise portion of the list. Yes, Miller entered his Illini career with no small measure of hype. Then he lived up to it — at least in the very early going. A record-setting debut was followed by two more games of double-digit scoring.
7. Zach Edey, Purdue
Don’t worry if you had to take a minute and Google Edey. The 7-foot-4, 285-pound freshman center — yes, the Boilermakers got another one — was the No. 429 recruit in the Class of 2020. All he did this week was average 18 points and 8.5 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per game.
8. Eric Ayala, Maryland
A post-Anthony Cowan Jr. world had the potential to be a little scary for the Terrapins. Those worries were quelled at least a little with the way Ayala played the first two games of the season. At a moderate usage rate he averaged 17 points, 4.5 assists and four rebounds.
9. Chaundee Brown, Michigan
The last thing the rest of the Big Ten probably wanted to see was a third Michigan wing capable of taking over a game. Brown, who had 19 points, four rebounds and two assists against Bowling Green, makes for a dynamic trio with Isaiah Livers and Franz Wagner.
10. Dalano Banton, Nebraska
Considering the number of newcomers — either transfers, freshmen or now eligible sit-out guys — the Cornhuskers are bound to have different leaders game to game. But Banton’s combination of backcourt size (6-9, 204 pounds) and stat-sheet stuffing is intriguing.
Scott Richey is a reporter covering college basketball at The News-Gazette. His email is srichey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@srrichey).
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