Big Men in the Big Ten: Team Tiers for the Boys Down Low
- sedlecky0
- Dec 29, 2022
- 13 min read
As we turn the page on our calendars to 2023 in a couple days, we will also dive head-first into college basketball’s season of conference play. Because of the ever-expanding nature of the Big Ten conference and the thirst for more games – and, in turn, TV time (MONEY, DUH as Titus and Tate would say) – we’ve actually already witnessed the mid-December kick-off to league play, with 10 of the league’s teams having squared off in two Big Ten games each and the remaining four teams notching one contest a piece, but let’s not kid ourselves: January symbolizes the true start of conference clashes, the quasi-starting point of the road to early March glory.
Heading into the 2022-23 college basketball campaign, common wisdom throughout hoops circles suggested that the Big Ten was likely in for a down year. If the conference were able to erase that doubt, however, it would likely be on the backs of some of the biggest and best players on the court, with Trayce Jackson-Davis, Hunter Dickinson, Zach Edey, and even Cliff Omoruyi gracing covers of preview magazines and vying for various preseasonAll-Americapredictionlists in what some publications foreshadowed as “The Year of the Big,” with The Field of 68 going so far as to plaster the front page of their all-encompassing Almanac with bigs from around the country, including three of the aforementioned Big Ten behemoths. I certainly fell right into that line of thinking as well, picking three traditional centers to my preseason Position-less All-Big Ten First Team in Bounce Bounce Pass’s Big Ten Player Prediction Extravaganza and one more each on my Second and Third teams.
So, how have those expectations played? Today, we’ll take a look at just how impactful these Big Ten big men have been for a conference that largely exceeded expectations in non-conference play, grouping each of the conference’s 14 frontcourt situations into six different tiers. And while you can generally view this in some sense from best to worst frontcourts, my intent is more so to categorize how each team deploys – and how heavily they rely on – their monsters battling in the paint.
Tier 1: The King of Barkaboom Mountain
Despite the Jackson-Davis/Dickinson/Edey triumvirate’s expected and collective night-in, night-out domination entering the season, only one frontcourt has truly ascended to the top of Barkaboom Mountain and held firm. As such, this category singles out the big man who has truly reigned on his throne, literally and figuratively a big, full head above the rest.
Purdue
To include anyone else in this category alongside Zach Edey would be doing the All-American shoo-in a disservice almost as large as this man stands – and at 7’4, Edey is the tallest player in recorded Big Ten history. After splitting time his first two years in West Lafayette with Trevion Williams, the junior Toronto native has been nothing short of dominant through the Boilermakers’ first 11 games, pouring in 20 or more points nine times (including 30+ twice), notching nine double-doubles (five of which came with an astounding 16 or more rebounds), drawing a whopping 88 free throw attempts, and blocking 24 shots. Oh, and perhaps it’s important to note that some of those performances have led Purdue to non-conference victories over Gonzaga, Duke, West Virginia, and Marquette while propelling Matt Painter’s squad to a 12-0 (including 2-0 in conference play) start and the top spot in both the AP and Coaches Polls. Everyone knew Edey was an incredible player coming into the season, but many questioned whether his stamina would allow him to play enough minutes to truly control games; those questions have been resoundingly answered by Edey, who has played 30 or more minutes in nine games as well, including a 43-minute outing in a hard-fought overtime win at Nebraska. And if you still have your doubts, I compel you to take a quick glance at Edey’s KenPom player profile, which looks like it should represent a player created in a video game, what with the 11 straight game MVP honors, #1 Player of the Year ranking, and otherworldly rebounding rates. But before you look, be forewarned: your eyes may need protection from the amalgam of color coding.
Tier 2: All-American Frauds, All-Conference Viability?
With only one of the three would-be preseason All-Americans having lived up to the billing so far, we’re left with two Big Ten big men that have looked less than relevant nationally while still showing flashes of brilliance. Conference play brings a new opportunity to set their teams up for success in league play and potentially beyond.
Indiana
Trayce Jackson-Davis has remained a very good player on the college level, and he’s had three unquestionably great performances in Indiana’s biggest wins to-date – a 30-point outing on just 16 shots in a thriller at Xavier; a 21-point, 10-rebound, 4-block, 4-assist, turnover-free delight against North Carolina; and a 12-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist triple-double (the third in Indiana basketball history) versus Nebraska – but he’s largely the same player he was last season, having only nominally improved his shooting efficiency and passing while actually taking a smaller share of the Hoosiers’ shots. The homegrown senior has also pulled somewhat of a disappearing act in Indiana’s three losses, failing to eclipse 13 points on nearly 10 shots per game in blowouts at Rutgers, at Kansas, and versus Arizona. TJD most recently sat in two buy game wins over Elon and Kennesaw State while nursing a back injury, but Mike Woodson will absolutely need the fully activated version should Indiana even sniff the levels of preseason hype heaped on them. Freshman Malik Reneau is the de facto backup big in Bloomington, but he's been a turnover and fouling machine early in his career while scoring less efficiently than Jackson-Davis despite actually shooting more while on the floor, and senior Race Thompson is much better-suited as a role player at the 4 than matching wits with opposing bigs.
Michigan
The trash-talking, scuffle-inducing villainous side of Hunter Dickinson has been back in full force for the Wolverines while the junior’s play has left some Michigan fans pining for less talk and more action. Like Jackson-Davis, Dickinson has been marvelous at times, most notably in saving his team from embarrassing losses against Eastern Michigan and Ohio while nearly getting the Maize and Blue over the hump in coulda, shoulda, woulda losses versus Kentucky (in London) and Virginia, but he was outright dominated by Armando Bacot while fouling out of last week’s defeat at the hands of North Carolina and hasn’t shown any notable evolutions to his repertoire. Through 11 games, Michigan lacks a hat-hanger win, which has to be a bit of an indictment against Dickinson, who is shooting worse from the field and the free throw line, rebounding fewer shots, and assisting less than he did last season. The good news here is that Dickinson’s 2021-22 campaign followed a similar non-conference trajectory before he came alive in Big Ten play; if that happens again, Michigan should be well-positioned for another NCAA Tournament berth and could compete for a top-4 Big Ten Tournament seed. When Dickinson rests, it’s been freshman Tarris Reed spelling him, and that’s been fine for spot minutes, but like many young big men, Reed has turned the ball over a bit too much and has been putrid from the charity stripe, making just 5/21 free throws.
Tier 3: Scratching and Clawing to the Top
Tier 3 is largely comprised of big men that are not relied upon to be their squads’ primary offensive options but to instead have great presence and capability when needed. These bigs are likely a step or two below First Team All-Conference consideration but will be crucial to teamwide success in conference play.
Rutgers
Cliff Omoruyi is hard to accurately place within this tiered list – the junior from Nigeria has taken more shots than any of his teammates and can often be seen thunder-dunking Steve Pikiell’s Scarlet Knights to victory – but he’s certainly not relied upon in the same way that Edey, Jackson-Davis, and Dickinson are for their respective teams. It is not difficult to acknowledge that Omoruyi has continued ascending as a player, however, and he’s been a bit more assertive in the post while even stepping out for the occasional three (though at 2/13 on the season, that side of his game is still a work in progress). Rutgers was always going to struggle putting the ball in the hoop after seeing prolific scorers Ron Harper Jr. and Geo Baker depart in the offseason, but Omoruyi’s presence down low has kept the defense performing at an elite level, and he’s certainly shouldering a heavier portion of the offensive load. Freshman Antwone Woolfolk has been on the floor for most of the 10-15 minutes per game that Omoruyi rests and has fit neatly into the Freshman Big Formula – good for about two rebounds, a bucket, a turnover, and a missed free throw a night.
Ohio State
One of the better surprises in the Big Ten so far has been the emergence of Zed Key as a legitimate scoring threat, with the big-bodied junior nearly doubling his scoring average from last season’s injury-plagued campaign to 14 points per game while drastically improving his inside game (71.6% on twos), free throw shooting (66.7% on free throws), and versatility, even adding the threat of the three at a respectable 35.3% clip on nearly 1.5 attempts per night. The Buckeyes look like a sneaky pick to compete for a conference title largely thanks to Key stepping up, and he’s a perfect example of what a secondary option should look like in the college game. And while Key is capable of contributing 30 solid minutes when needed, talented freshman Felix Okpara has proven to be a reliable backup, scoring just over four efficient points per outing while getting around 10 minutes of run – and he even (surprise!) can make free throws!
Iowa
For my money, the most improved big man in the Big Ten has been Filip Rebraca. Though many may scoff at the notion and point to Edey or Key having taken larger steps forward, I thought it was pretty evident that those two juniors had the ability to shine if given larger opportunities, and they have, as noted above. I was not a fan of Rebraca’s game last season, however, as the North Dakota up-transfer seemed to lack the requisite size/skill combination that it takes to rule the frontcourt. He’s proven me wrong so far. Despite the recent headline grabbing loss to Eastern Illinois, Iowa has looked like a solid Big Ten squad even with the extended absence of their unquestioned go-to weapon in Kris Murray, and that’s mostly thanks to the emergence of Rebraca, who is averaging 19.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and even 1.8 blocks per game since the start of December, when they’ve been without Murray for four of five games. The son of former NBA player Željko Rebrača, Filip looks like a completely different player this year, flashing the ability to put the ball on the floor, drive, and even hit the occasional three, all while playing loads of minutes, meaning backup big big (yes, that second big is on purpose) Josh Ogundele has barely registered on Iowa’s box scores.
Nebraska
Similar to Cliff Omoruyi, Derrick Walker is Nebraska’s top offensive threat, but he also lands in the scratching and clawing tier because he’s not quite the player that Dickinson or Jackson-Davis is and he also missed a good chunk of playing time early, sitting out the first five games of the season with a medical issue. Since returning to the court just after Thanksgiving, Walker has been a bright spot for what could be Fred Hoiberg’s best team in Lincoln yet, scoring in double figures in seven of eight games – including a 22-point eruption in a massive upset win over Creighton – and providing steady rebounding while working his way up to about 30 minutes of playing time a game. Sophomore Wilhelm Breidenbach and freshman Blaise Keita have largely split back-up duties since Walker’s return, and both are significant offensive downgrades for a team that lacks scoring punch. Keita has shown some promise as a rebounder, but if Nebraska has any shot of winning more than five or six conference games, it will likely be thanks to Derrick Walker.
Tier 4: Sure, That Will Do (For Now)
In Tier 4, we have four frontcourts that are often used in deferring roles and are generally at their best when not asked to fill the scoring column. Sometimes unconventional and often unflashy, these are the bigs that will have Robbie Hummel clamoring, “he just gets the job done.”
Wisconsin
In what feels a bit like Groundhog Day, Wisconsin once again entered the season as a bit of an afterthought and has once again quietly started out solid (Marshawn Lynch’s version, of course). That’s thanks in part to the play of junior big man Steven Crowl, who you might better know as that big, gangly, otherwise non-descript white guy marinating at the end of Wisconsin’s bench two years ago. Coming out of the same factory that Wisconsin used to engineer Brian Butch, Joe(l) Krabbenhoft, Jon Leuer, Keaton Nankivil, Jared Berggren, Frank Kaminsky, Ethan Happ, and Nate Reuvers before him, Crowl is equal parts soft, skilled, and savvy, lacking in pizzazz but possessing the requisite utility you’ve come to expect from a Wisconsin five. Over his last three games – which included big conference wins over Iowa and Maryland – Crowl has done exactly what Greg Gard needs of him, pouring in an efficient 39 points on 29 shots and grabbing 17 rebounds while dishing out 14 assists to just five turnovers, deferring to more offensively gifted teammates Tyler Wahl and Chucky Hepburn to handle a bit more of the scoring load. When Crowl gets his 10 minutes of rest per game, Wahl generally slides down low for more of a small ball look, which suits this Badgers team just fine. And luckily for me, if I write this same article in two years, a quick copy/paste should do just fine while replacing Crowl’s name here with (/scans Wisconsin’s roster…) one Markus Ilver.
Illinois
Perhaps the strangest collective frontcourt to pin down in the Big Ten this year is Illinois, which has two relatively distinct looks at the five position. Junior California native Coleman Hawkins is the Illini’s starting center and tallest contributor at 6’10, but much of his time is spent wandering the perimeter, and more than 44% of his field goal attempts are threes. Sophomore Dain Dainja, a Baylor transfer, is Brad Underwood’s traditional big at 6’9 and a hefty 270 pounds and does not dare wander outside the painted area. This duo provides a unique combination of floor-stretching and passing ability with Hawkins and banging and finishing with Dainja, which has proved to be a difficult balancing act so far in Champaign. Dainja has seen his playing time slip ever so slightly of late while Hawkins continues to get lots of run despite a few inefficient outings in December, during which Illinois dropped three of five games, causing a bit of a press conference blowup. This will be an interesting situation to monitor heading into conference play, and I suspect the strength of bigs throughout the league may force Underwood into playing Dainja more moving forward.
Maryland
Sophomore Baltimore native Julian Reese has been a great post finisher for Kevin Willard’s upstart Terrapins, converting nearly three-quarters of his field goal attempts after making fewer than half of his twos as a freshman, which seems to fit nicely into the mosaic for a Maryland team that looks primed to return to the NCAA Tournament following the roller coaster Mark Turgeon era. Interestingly, Reese has yet to attempt a three this season after making 7/23 attempts in his freshman year, which is likely a reflection of a change in the offensive system, but he’d do well to find his free throw stroke this go-round, as his 52.3% rate (after making 80% on 51 attempts last year) could spell trouble in close game situations. Reese injured his shoulder in a recent loss to UCLA, however, and while it is not thought to be of the long-term variety, Maryland will need him back on the floor once their Big Ten play resumes on New Year’s Day in Ann Arbor. With Reese out, Maryland’s only play is to move veteran wing Donta Scott down to the five, where he can prove a bit of a matchup issue but doesn’t have the size to defend some of the conference’s bigs one-on-one.
Northwestern
I’m tempted to slide Northwestern’s frontcourt down a tier here as Chris Collins continues to tinker with his big man rotation, but I do think 7-foot junior Matthew Nicholson will settle nicely into his recent move to the starting lineup while two-time transfer veteran Tydus Verhoeven is better-suited to providing 10-15 minutes of spot time. Neither option provides much offensively, which is just fine for the guard-laden team, and Nicholson’s defensive presence and superior rebounding are sufficient – if unspectacular – for what Northwestern will aim to do, which is to defend and fire away from deep in the hopes of landing on the bubble.
Tier 5: Try Back Later…
If you have no idea what to expect from your frontcourt in any given game, chances are you are a fan of one of these two teams, which find their big men situations lacking, confusing, and disappointing to some extent.
Michigan State
Early on in the season, it looked like Tom Izzo had pulled a wand out of his rear and performed a spell on Certified Weird Guy© Mady Cissoko, turning him into a viable long-term solution down low. The junior from West Africa scored a relatively efficient 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds combined in impressive neutral court performances against Gonzaga (a one-point loss) and Kentucky (a double OT win) in mid-November while playing nearly 60 minutes. But it’s been a struggle since for Cissoko, who has looked uncomfortable and inconsistent at best through December, including recent back-to-back scoreless nights, while freshmen Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper have started to carve out a few minutes of their own. If history is any indication, Izzo may let his frustrations with Cissoko dictate the rotation down low, which once famously led to Ben Carter (remember him?) playing 23 minutes while future top-5 NBA pick Jaren Jackson logged just 15 minutes in a two-point NCAA Tournament loss to Syracuse. I would never suggest that Cissoko is close to the player that Jackson was, but he seems to be the best option in the face of some rotational turmoil.
Minnesota
After convincing big man Dawson Garcia to return to his home state of Minnesota following underclassman years at Marquette and North Carolina, second year coach Ben Johnson likely thought he had the Gophers pointing in the right direction. Unfortunately, that’s been far from the story in Minneapolis. Garcia, the one-time top-40 national recruit, has simply not been the college player he was projected to be, and even more unfortunately, he’s Minnesota’s top usage player despite a relatively mediocre start to his junior season. The 6’11, 230-pound Savage native has lacked bite, making just over half of his two-point field goal attempts and fewer than 30% of his triple tries, but he’ll keep trying as long as he’s out there.
Tier 6: 404: Not Found
As the description suggests, the single team falling within this tier lacks any semblance of a traditional frontcourt…and so far, that’s been precisely the right call.
Penn State
The Nittany Lions are KenPom’s #34 team nationally, a surprising success story in Big Ten country, and they are doing it while trotting out a lineup that would make Jay Wright’s guard-heavy teams of yesteryear blush. In two of Penn State’s last three games, coach Micah Shrewsberry has opted for a starting five that included no player taller than 6’7, and in the team’s shocking 74-59 blowout win in Champaign a couple weeks back, no player standing over 6’6 recorded more than two minutes of playing time. It remains to be seen whether nominal starting five-man Kebba Njie will be a big part of the team’s conference plans or if 6’6 senior Seth Lundy will continue to tie together a tremendously fun five-out system, but it sure looks like this squad is at its best making the opposition adjust to it.
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