The Big Ten Freshman of the Week award is now unofficially dubbed the "D'Angelo Russell Award," but he shouldn't just settle for that.
He's coming after Frank Kaminsky in the Big Ten Player of the Year race, which means he's a worthy Naismith and Wooden Award candidate. CBS Sports' Gary Parrish put Russell at No. 3 in his "late season Top 20" ballot for the Wooden Award. National praise doesn't stop there.
The Buckeye freshman struggled from long range against Purdue but still managed to put up 20 points. In the wake of an "off" shooting night, ESPN published a Jeff Goodman piece outlining the few possible ways to stop Russell.
"Honestly, [the best way to stop him is] not to let him get to the ball. When you deny him, he was rather passive," Maryland guard Richaud Pack said. "But if he gets the ball, he's still comfortable and confident taking – and making – contested, deep shots."
Basically, once he gets the ball in his hands, Russell is unguardable. Stats bear that out too – he's among the nation's top 15 in three-point percentage, total points produced, offensive win shares and total win shares.
1. Wisconsin (21-2, 9-1)
Last Week: 92-78 win vs Indiana, 65-50 win vs Northwestern
This Week: at Nebraska, vs Illinois
The Badgers began the soft portion of their schedule with two, fairly easy home wins over the Hoosiers and Wildcats.
Wisconsin has won six straight since their inexplicable loss to Rutgers – even without Traevon Jackson and Frank Kaminsky, it's still difficult to understand that one. Meanwhile, the rest of the conference continues to implode around them. As BTN's Brent Yarina pointed out, if the Badgers go 5-3 the rest of the way – which they won't – they'll still clinch a share of the B1G title.
2. Ohio State (18-6, 7-4)
Last Week: 60-58 loss at Purdue, 79-60 win at Rutgers
This Week: vs Penn State, at Michigan State
There's no shame in a road loss to Purdue. No one else has lost their privilege to wear the Scarlet and Gray because of it.
Ohio State needed Marc Loving in that game, as it hit only four of its 15 three-point attempts. Amir Williams was the only Buckeye other than Russell in double figures. While Keita Bates-Diop provided an outside scoring boost against Rutgers, but it was only the second time in Big Ten play he's seen more than five minutes of action. It's clear he still has to earn Thad Matta's trust.
If Bates-Diop continues to hit shots from deep – Sunday was only the second time this year he's hit multiple threes in a game – it will lessen the impact of Loving's pseudo-suspension. I hope Loving finds his way back on the floor because I can't shake the thought of a lineup with Loving, Jae'Sean Tate, Bates-Diop, Kam Williams and Russell. It's a poor defensive group, but they could cause problems with constant switching of screens. Just imagine the damage that lineup would do on offense, giving four other shooters and so much floor space to operate with.
3. Maryland (19-5, 7-4)
Last Week: 64-58 win vs Penn State, 71-55 loss at Iowa
This Week: vs Indiana, at Penn State
The Terps hold steady in the rankings, if only because no other team wanted to take it.
Maryland hasn't won on the road in a month, losing to Indiana, Ohio State and Iowa in that span. Even their home wins aren't particularly impressive, with single-digit victories over Rutgers, Northwestern and Penn State.
Still, I respect Melo Trimble's hustle. He didn't score a field goal in his two previous games and responded with an outburst against Iowa. Sure, it was a blowout victory for the Hawkeyes, but Trimble took a 25-plus pound camera to the dome and only had one good eye for the entire second half.
4. Purdue (15-9, 7-4)
Last Week: 60-58 win vs Ohio State, 62-58 loss at Minnesota
This Week: at Rutgers, vs Nebraska
The Boilermakers are sniffing the tournament bubble, with three of their last four wins coming against Indiana, Iowa and Ohio State.
But like Maryland, Purdue can't win on the road in conference play. Two of their Big Ten wins came outside Mackey Arena and those aren't particularly impressive – an eight-point victory over Northwestern and an OT win at Penn State. Saturday's performance at Minnesota was particularly tough to watch, as the Boilers turned the ball over 23 times and only occasionally crossed half court on offense.
5. Iowa (15-8, 6-4)
Last Week: 72-54 win at Michigan, 71-55 win vs Maryland
This Week: vs Minnesota, at Northwestern
The Hawkeyes broke their three-game losing streak with a dominant road win over Michigan and an impressive home win over a ranked Maryland team.
Iowa opened their victory over the Terps on a 22-3 run and shot a scorching 64 percent from the field. Yet, that is all overshadowed thanks to Adam Woodbury, who poked yet another player (Melo Trimble) in the eye in the first half.
Adam "Nature Boy" Woodbury is the dirtiest player in the game. He rakes the eyes, grabs opponents' arms during jump balls, pulls brass knuckles from his shorts when the refs aren't looking, and he once tossed Amir Williams through Iowa's Spanish announcers table. Woodbury's antics are now meme-worthy.
Woodbury's shenanigans are fun for everyone not getting poked in the eye, but don't expect a straight answer from Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery if you ask about them:
6. Indiana (15-9, 7-4)
Last Week: 92-78 loss at Wisconsin, 70-67 win vs Michigan
This Week: at Maryland, vs Minnesota
The Hoosiers can be a pesky tournament team because few teams knock down threes quite like they do.
They took 41 deep bombs this week and hit nearly half of them. At the same time, IU's defense might be just horrendous enough to keep them from securing an NCAA tournament bid. They've dropped to the nation's No. 264 ranked defense in terms of defensive efficiency. Inside presence Hanner Mosquera-Perea returned from injury, but he's not capable of cleaning up Indiana's disastrous perimeter defense. Might as well continue going small, spread the floor with all five starters and try to shoot their way to each win.
7. Illinois (16-8, 6-5)
Last Week: 66-54 win vs Rutgers, 59-54 win at Michigan State
This Week: vs Michigan, at Wisconsin
Considering they way they started conference play, it's incredibly difficult to believe the Illini are only a game out of second place.
Illinois lost to Michigan, Ohio State, Nebraska, Indiana and Minnesota within its first eight Big Ten games. Since the loss to the Gophers, the Illini are 3-0 with a gritty victory over the Spartans at the Breslin Center. In any given night, Malcolm Hill and Kendrick Nunn are capable of carrying Illinois to a win; Nunn dropped 21 on Rutgers and Hill had 19 at MSU.
8. Michigan State (15-8, 6-4)
Last Week: 59-54 loss vs Illinois
This Week: at Northwestern, vs Ohio State
Sparty's puzzling season continues, as they drop their only game in the past week to Illinois.
Branden Dawson and Denzel Valentine were the only Michigan State players in double figures. Adding to the offensive ineptitude was MSU's performance at the free throw line. The Spartans missed 11 free throws and are among the nation's worst from the charity stripe (62.1%, 335th in the country).
"To me it's utterly unacceptable," Tom Izzo said, after the game. "I'll take full and complete responsibility for it. Probably not the most disappointed I've been but the maddest I've been. I can't stomach it."
9. Minnesota (15-9, 4-7)
Last Week: 62-58 win vs Purdue
This Week: at Iowa, at Indiana
Minnesota had the luxury of sitting for most of the week before beating Purdue on Saturday.
The schedule balances itself out, as the Gophers travel to face Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan State over the next two weeks. In Minnesota's last two games, both wins at "The Barn," it forced a combined 43 turnovers. Don't expect that to continue, though; the Gophers are not as strong on the road, and won't be able to harass Mike Gesell or Yogi Ferrell quite as much as they did to their previous two opponents.
10. Michigan (13-11, 6-6)
Last Week: 72-54 loss vs Iowa, 70-67 loss at Indiana
This Week: at Illinois
If you have any time to spare, find a way to watch the video about Austin Hatch's story. If you don't know his story by now, familiarize yourself.
As far as on-court action goes, John Beilein somehow managed to scrape together a serviceable offensive squad in spite of the injuries to Caris LeVert and Derrick Walton – the Wolverines' starting point guard doesn't have a broken foot, by the way.
Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman is somewhat of a revelation, one of three Michigan players in double figures during its loss to Iowa. Zak Irvin took advantage of Indiana's porous defense, dropping 23 points and hitting three from beyond the arc.
They have significant issues are on the other end of the floor, though:
Michigan allowed Iowa to score 1.429 PPP tonight. This is Michigan's worst defensive effort in the KenPom era (since 2001).
— Drew Hallett (@DrewCHallett) February 6, 2015
11. Nebraska (13-10, 5-6)
Last Week: 76-60 win vs Northwestern, 56-43 loss at Penn State
This Week: vs Wisconsin, at Purdue
This has been a disappointing season for Nebraska. Somehow, the Cornhuskers are only two games out of second place in the conference.
Tim Miles is juggling the starting lineup in an attempt to find an offensive spark. Their 76-point outburst was largely a result of Terran Petteway's 28 points, however.
Nebraska returned to its inefficient offensive ways in Happy Valley. Tim Miles threw Twitter shade at his own team during halftime of that game:
We are playing soft offensively. We are 2-6 at the rim and have one offensive rebound on 19 misses in the half.
— Tim Miles (@CoachMiles) February 7, 2015
12. Penn State (15-9, 3-8)
Last Week: 64-58 loss vs Maryland, 56-43 win vs Nebraska
This Week: at Ohio State, vs Maryland
The Nittany Lions may be the only team in the conference whose record doesn't necessarily indicate how talented they are.
Obviously, they lack offensive firepower. Head coach Pat Chambers has them playing some pretty stingy defense, as they rank No. 59 in defensive efficiency. No reason to expect D'Angelo Russell to put up another triple-double just because of the opponent. Hard to shake last year's game at The Schott.
13. Northwestern (10-13, 1-9)
Last Week: 76-60 loss at Nebraska, 65-50 loss at Wisconsin
This Week: vs Michigan State, vs Iowa
Northwestern hasn't won since its conference opener against – you guessed it, woo – Rutgers.
Northwestern's style of play is frustrating, particularly in Evanston. So, it would not be a surprise to see them beat Iowa or, especially, Michigan State. Since an 81-58 loss to Wisconsin, the Wildcats' lost to Illinois, Ohio State and Purdue by a combined 15 points.
14. Rutgers (10-15, 2-10)
Last Week: 66-54 loss at Illinois, 79-60 loss vs Ohio State
This Week: vs Purdue
Many of you watched Rutgers basketball for the first time in your lives, Sunday. Was it everything you expected it to be?
As part of the Scarlet Knights' indoctrination to B1G hoops, here's how not to defend an Ohio State baseline out-of-bounds play:
By my completely unofficial count, Sam Thompson has done that to every team in the conference now.
