Points were relatively easy to come by in the Big Ten’s third weekend of play, as only three teams of the 12 with games failed to crack the 1.00 point per possession plateau. There were also some outstanding individual scoring games on display, with Penn State’s DJ Newbill (37 points) and Minnesota’s Andre Hollins (31 points) leading the way in that regard. From a team perspective, Purdue and Indiana got crucial road wins to stay among the top half of the league standings, while Maryland continued its outstanding start by dismantling Michigan State in College Park. Elsewhere, Minnesota is no longer winless in conference action, and Penn State remains the only team still looking for a conference win. Well, at least their freshman guard brings a celebrity cousin to the table.
Melo Trimble torched Michigan State as his team knocked off the Spartans by 15 Saturday. (David J. Philip/AP)
Player of the Weekend: Melo Trimble has had issues at times in knocking down perimeter shots, but he had no such problems against Michigan State on Saturday. The freshman combo guard simply went off, scoring 24 points on 8-on-16 shooting from the field. He also hit six threes, five of which came in the first half. Trimble not only should be considered a c0-favorite with Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell for Big Ten Freshman of the Year, but he’s also making a legitimate case for First Team all-Big Ten consideration. Usually he’s a menace for opposing defenses with his keen ability to get to the free throw line, but he only shot two freebies in this game. Instead, he made nearly every shot from behind the arc that he took in the opening stanza. With Jake Layman scoring 23 himself and with Dez Wells capable of going off in any given game, Maryland is one of the few league teams with three legitimate threats on offense. That’s what makes the Terrapins so dangerous. Nothing I’ve said here can top watching this clip, so take a look for yourself. Rest in peace, Tum Tum.
Super Sub of the Weekend: AJ Hammons might win this award multiple times if Purdue keeps winning weekend games. The junior posted his second double-double in the last four games (and his third on the season) with 21 points and 12 rebounds against Penn State on Saturday. While those numbers are nice and all, the biggest takeaway from his effort was that his hustle essentially gave Purdue the opportunity to win the game in overtime. During the game the broadcasters raved about the game-tying three that Kendall Stephens made in the final seconds, but it was Hammons who spun through two Penn State defenders to somehow tip the ball on a missed free throw out to him so he could take the shot in the first place. It’s not a play he would have made in his first two seasons as a Boilermaker, but it shows how far he’s come. You don’t see it all statistically, but if you watch Purdue extensively, you can see all of the subtle improvements he’s made in his productiveness.
Biggest Win: Barring a late-season collapse like last season, Iowa has done a quality job in making itself attractive to the NCAA Selection Committee. A win over Ohio State for the second time in 18 days does nothing but strengthen its case. The Hawkeyes won the game by getting to the free throw line, shooting 35 while there, led by Aaron White’s 10 makes in 12 attempts. White, who led the Hawkeyes with 22 points and three steals, put the game away in the second half with a personal 6-0 run. He did it by doing what he does best: picking off a pass for a breakaway dunk; getting to the foul line; and then scoring off a lob. All three possessions showcased the characteristics that make him a top 10 player in the Big Ten. Lingering memories of that ugly 5-10 finish last season after a 15-3 start continue to make true believers scarce outside of the state of Iowa, but a couple more wins like the one over the Buckeyes might bring people back to the bandwagon.
Worst Loss: Illinois has in some ways has surprised pundits by its 2-2 performance without Rayvonte Rice, as Malcolm Hill and Kendrick Nunn have both stepped up at various points to prove that they too can carry the offensive burden. Nunn scored a career-high 24 points on Sunday against Indiana, but it wasn’t enough. The Illini struggled to make stops with defensive anchor Nnanna Egwu in foul trouble for most of the game, as Indiana converted 11-of-25 shots from behind the arc and scored a whopping 1.19 points per possession. Illinois’ resume isn’t horrible even though the Illini are now 12-7, but they can’t afford to lose many more winnable games at home.
Most Efficient Performance: Maryland‘s 20-of-22 performance from the line combined with 11-of-21 shooting from deep led the Terps to a robust 1.23 points per possession on Saturday versus Michigan State. The Terps also only turned the ball over eight times in that game, which is excellent for a team that ranks 104th in the country in turnovers. They were also able to hold serve on the glass, as any time you can keep Michigan State from a huge advantage there is an accomplishment. The Terps are starting to look really good and could very well win the conference in their first season in the Big Ten. Michigan State isn’t a bottom-dweller by any stretch, yet Maryland was both effective and efficient enough to make them look like one on Saturday.