Jess Settles, BTN men's basketball analyst, December 28, 2015
[btn-post-package]Before Big Ten conference play gets started Tuesday night, I wanted to share my latest look at the top 10 players in the Big Ten.
Not much changed from last week, with the exception of Northwestern guard Bryant McIntosh making his debut on the list, at No. 10, fresh off pouring in a career-high 33 points Sunday night.
Get my latest Big Ten Player Rankings below.
1. Melo Trimble, Maryland. How efficient has Trimble been this season? He's averaging 14.8 points despite attempting just 8.6 shots per game, thanks in large part to shooting 54 percent from the field and 85 percent from the line.
Last week: 1
2. Denzel Valentine, Michigan State. With Valentine still in street clothes, No. 1 Michigan State faces a huge test in the Big Ten opener vs. a veteran Iowa squad in Iowa City. the Spartans should get there do-it-all star back soon.
Last week: 2
3. A.J. Hammons, Purdue. Could the Big Ten's best sixth man win Big Ten Player of the Year?
Last week: 4
4. Jarrod Uthoff, Iowa. Michigan State has won each of the last nine meetings and 14 of the last 15 vs. the Hawkeyes. In other words, if there's ever been a game for Uthoff to deliver, this is it.
Last week: 3
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5. Caris LeVert, Michigan. Michigan's front line is not progressing, which means LeVert has to perform at a high level on both ends if the Wolverines going to be a factor in conference play.
Last week: 5
6. Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin. In Greg Gard's first game as interim head coach, Nigel Hayes delivered in a big way, posting a stellar 24-point, five-rebound, four-assist, three-steal line.
Last week: 6
7. Malcolm Hill, Illinois. The Illini are being held together with duct tape, bailing wire, and the stellar play of Hill. In the Braggin Rights victory over Mizzou, the Big Ten's leading scorer poured in 21 points.
Last week: 8
8. Caleb Swanigan, Purdue. Swanigan continues to be a force inside. He leads the Big Ten in rebounding and has added the 3-point shot to his arsenal.
Last week: 7
9. Yogi Ferrell, Indiana. Ferrell's final conference season needs to be his best. Indiana has a ton of fire power and a favorable schedule.
Last week: 9
10. Bryant McIntosh, Northwestern. The sophomore's career-high 33 points vs. Loyola Maryland on Sunday night may have saved the season, as the Wildcats trailed by 11 points at halftime and couldn't afford such a loss on their resume.
Last week: NR