By Sam Federman
Last season, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year was shared by Mackenzie Mgabko and Owen Freeman. They were both solid, but were secondary pieces for non-contending teams. Freeman played just 57% of the minutes for an Iowa team that finished 57th in KenPom, while Mgbako was the third best player on an Indiana team that didn't even make the NIT.
Now, three freshmen in the Big Ten are playing at an All-American level.
Illinois picked up a home win against Wisconsin on Tuesday to improve to 1-1 in the Big Ten. It was led by Lithuanian freshman Kasparas Jakucionis scoring 24 points with six rebounds and five assists. It marked his fourth consecutive 20-point performance, and he's been the catalyst behind the Illini's 7-2 start to the season.
Jakucionis is averaging 15.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 6 assists per game, shooting 44 percent from beyond the arc. His true shooting percentage is at 67.2, which ranks 59th in all of college basketball. The future lottery pick has handled the transition from Europe to college basketball with ease, and will continue to improve throughout the season.
Another Illini freshman who has shined is Will Riley. The lanky shooter scored just 5 points against Wisconsin, but has the ability to be an inferno, and is averaging safely in the double figures.
It has been a rocky start to the season for Rutgers, losing on the road to Kennesaw State, then twice in Las Vegas, before another road loss to Ohio State, but Dylan Harper hasn't been rocky.
In 10 games, Harper has won KenPom game MVP six times, including a 37 point performance in a loss to Alabama, and a 36 point showing in a win over Notre Dame. In his first Big Ten home game, Harper scored 24 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and dished out 5 assists, leading Rutgers to an 80-76 win over Penn State.
He bumped his averages to 23.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.7 assists, shooting nearly 60% from inside the arc and 70% at the rim. Harper has been one of the best players in all of college basketball this year, and some think that he has a chance be the top pick in next summer's draft.
The Scarlet Knights also got 15 points and 15 rebounds out of freshman Ace Bailey, who has been very good, but not quite as good as Harper this season.
The other freshman I teased in the intro didn't play on Tuesday, but Maryland's Derik Queen has been outrageously good.
With the Terps starting 8-2, Queen is displaying a well-rounded post game that combines his unique skillset of physicality, strength, poise, finesse, and game IQ. He dropped 26 points and 12 rebounds, draining two threes, as Maryland lost a close game to Purdue at Mackey Arena on Sunday.
Queen is in the top 10 for KenPom player of the year right now, as he's averaging 17.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.3 stocks, and shooting 61% from the field.
GAMES TO WATCH ON WEDNESDAY:
South Dakota State at Nevada, 10 p.m., Mountain West Network