With the official begin of follow subsequent month, UMHoops and Contained in the Corridor have partnered to deliver you our annual preseason breakdown of the highest gamers within the Large Ten. This yr, the listing has been expanded after the addition of 4 packages to the convention.
The collection is damaged into seven elements, with one publish every weekday via Friday, August 30. Our sixth installment taking a look at gamers 10-6 for the 2024-25 season is obtainable beneath:
Beforehand: 40-31, 30-26, 25-21, 20-16, 15-11
10. Bruce Thornton, Ohio State (6-foot-2, guard, junior)
2023-24 stats (35 video games): 15.7 ppg, 4.8 apg, 3.7 rpg, 1.2 spg, 42.7% FG, 33.3% 3PFG in 33.7 minutes
Why he may outperform this rating: Thornton is a two-year Large Ten starter and a confirmed scoring lead guard. He averaged 15.7 factors as a sophomore and was remarkably environment friendly. He completed the yr with a 121.5 offensive score on 23.3 p.c utilization. He creates for his teammates (28.5 p.c help fee) whereas virtually by no means turning it over (9.1 p.c turnover fee). He shoots almost 50 p.c from two (49.2 p.c) and makes threes at quantity (58-of-174) whereas persistently attending to the charity stripe, the place he shoots 85 p.c. There aren’t many extra productive and polished offensive gamers within the league.
Why he may underperform this rating: Thornton has began each recreation of his profession, however each Ohio State seasons have gone poorly. The Buckeyes misplaced 14 of 15 video games throughout Thornton’s freshman yr and their coach was fired mid-season final yr. Ohio State struggled defensively throughout that stretch and Thornton’s perimeter protection leaves one thing to be desired. He’ll want to enhance on that finish of the ground and hope {that a} contemporary begin does this system effectively.
9. Brooks Barnhizer, Northwestern (6-foot-6, ahead, senior)
2023-24 stats (34 video games): 14.6 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.8 spg, 42.9% FG, 34.8% 3PFG in 36.7 minutes
Why he may outperform this rating: Barnhizer is arguably essentially the most versatile participant within the convention. He’s an affect defender at a number of positions, can area the ground and hit threes, has underrated playmaking means and performed virtually each minute for Northwestern final season.
Now, he has a possibility to take a big step ahead after Boo Buie’s commencement. Barnhizer’s function will certainly broaden, however it’s onerous to foretell exactly what that appears like. His dimension, passing and flexibility may enable him to function one thing of some extent ahead for the Wildcats.
Why he may underperform this rating: There may not be sufficient assist round him. If the supporting core of Ty Berry, Jalen Leach and Matt Nicholson lacks the firepower to compete on the prime half of the league, Barnhizer and Northwestern may wrestle after back-to-back NCAA Match appearances.
8. Oumar Ballo, Indiana (7-foot, heart, redshirt senior)
2023-24 stats (36 video games at Arizona): 12.9 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 65.8% FG in 25.9 minutes
Why he may outperform this rating: With Kel’el Ware’s departure to the NBA, Indiana went within the portal and landed Ballo, top-of-the-line bigs accessible. A primary-team All-Pac 12 choice final season at Arizona, Ballo averaged a double-double, and his dimension and physicality makes him powerful for many publish defenders to deal with.
It’s no secret Mike Woodson likes to play via the publish, which ought to give Ballo ample touches. Given his effectivity as a finisher – 72.1 p.c on the rim – and his rebounding, modest enchancment in his general numbers from final season at Arizona can have Ballo within the dialog for the most effective large man within the league.
Why he may underperform this rating: Indiana has lots of potential offensive weapons this season and Ballo may very well be extra of a 3rd or fourth choice slightly than a go-to man. Ballo’s free throw taking pictures can be a significant gap in his recreation. He shot a dreadful 49.5 p.c from the road final season, which may put him on the bench in late-game conditions. There’s additionally an opportunity that Indiana finds extra success going small on the 4, which may push Ballo to the bench extra typically than anticipated.
7. Ace Bailey, Rutgers (6-foot-10, ahead, freshman)
Why he may outperform this rating: Bailey is essentially the most gifted participant within the Large Ten getting into the season. If there’s a participant who may problem Cooper Flagg to be the No. 1 decide within the 2025 NBA draft, Bailey is the title you learn most frequently. Together with his dimension, athleticism and talent to create his personal shot from wherever on the ground, Bailey has as excessive of a ceiling as any participant within the convention. Together with his dimension and his fluidity, he can guard a number of positions.
If Bailey shortly adjusts to the physicality of the faculty recreation and learns to make the easy play slightly than choosing the spectacular play, he’ll be an All-Large Ten first-teamer.
Why he may underperform this rating: Freshmen are troublesome to challenge, even those that appear to be long-term can’t miss prospects. With an amazing quantity of stress to carry out in what will likely be his solely season of school hoops, Bailey may underperform if his shot choice doesn’t enhance. There’s little question he’ll be given the inexperienced mild within the Rutgers offense, however his effectivity will undergo if he doesn’t tighten up his determination making and shot choice from his highschool days.
6. Ace Baldwin Jr., Penn State (6-foot-1, guard, fifth-year senior)
2023-24 stats (33 video games): 14.2 ppg, 6.0 apg, 2.7 rpg, 2.7 spg, 38.9% FG, 32.9% 3PFG in 35.9 minutes
Why he may outperform this rating: A relentless ball hawk who performs with tempo and little worry, Baldwin had no concern shifting up from the Atlantic 10 to the Large Ten final season. He struck a strong steadiness between scoring and facilitating, ending second on the Nittany Lions in scoring and first in assists.
Now in his fifth season of school hoops, Baldwin is the most effective on-ball defender within the convention and one of many league’s most skilled guards at 23 years previous. His scoring numbers may enhance barely with the departure of Kanye Clary and higher effectivity along with his taking pictures needs to be a transparent precedence. On condition that he shot higher than 41 p.c on 3s as a sophomore at VCU and is a profession 79.4 p.c free throw shooter, a bounce-back season along with his 3-point taking pictures isn’t far-fetched.
Why he may underperform this rating: Penn State is likely one of the Large Ten’s worst groups on paper, and it’s not typically {that a} participant from a backside dweller finally ends up competing for a first-team All-Large Ten spot. The Nittany Lions made a couple of switch portal additions however returned the core from final season’s group that was Sept. 11 in league play. If Baldwin’s taking pictures doesn’t bounce again, he doesn’t have the ceiling as a number of of the opposite level guards on this listing.
Filed to: 2024-25 Large Ten preview, Oumar Ballo
