Photos: Early All-Big Ten most improved teams

When talking most improved player, the Big Ten boasts plenty of candidates. There are proven guys who have taken their game to another level, such as Indiana’s Victor Oladipo, and there are previously unproven guys who have made the most of extra playing time, such as Ohio State’s Shannon Scott.

See my All-Big Ten most improved teams in the photo gallery below.

: Why he’s here: A seldom used guard a season ago, Scott, not Aaron Craft, leads the Buckeyes in steals (2.6 spg) and assists (5 apg).

: Why he’s here: Always a factor on defense, Oladipo is becoming an offensive threat, shooting an eye-popping 66 percent on his way to averaging 13.2 ppg.

: Why he’s here: Draymond Green’s graduation created many rebounding opportunities, and Payne, the owner of three double-doubles, has taken advantage (7.7 rpg).

: Why he’s here: Arguably the Big Ten’s most underrated player, Ubel has upped his scoring by six points, to 12.6 ppg, and he remains a factor on the glass (6.8).

: Why he’s here: It’s been Hearn, not recently injured Drew Crawford, leading the Northwestern offensive attack. The former walk-on has nearly doubled his scoring, from 7.4 to 14.1 ppg.

: Why he’s here: Turnovers aside, Abrams is becoming a do-it-all guard, averaging 11.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.4 apg & 1.4 spg.

: Why he’s here: Coleman has scored in double digits in seven of Minnesota’s 12 games, plus he’s a strong rebounder (4.5 rpg) and defender (1.5 spg).

: Why he’s here: Ross averaged 3.9 minutes in nine games last season. This season, in nine games, he’s averaging 10.6 ppg and 5.1 rpg.

: Why he’s here: Still one of the Big Ten’s better long-distance shooters (41 percent), out of nowhere, Brust leads Wisconsin in rebounding (7.4 rpg).

: Why he’s here: Ignore the turnovers – those are the result of PG Tim Frazier’s season-ending injury – Marshall is averaging 15.1 ppg and a respectable 4.4 rpg.

About Brent Yarina

BTN.com web editor Brent Yarina covers football and men’s basketball for BTN.com. He writes the popular uniform feature “Clothes Call,” which also focuses on the latest cosmetic changes across Big Ten arenas and stadiums. Read all of his work here. You can subscribe to Yarina’s RSS feed and follow him on Twitter @BTNBrentYarina.

The Big Ten in Pictures

Photos: Early All-Big Ten most improved teams