Jeremy Fears has been playing as well as anyone in the Big Ten this season, even stirring up some Big Ten Player of the Year hype since returning from Christmas break.
Since the start of the month, Fears has been tearing up defenses, putting on a show for fans and really conjuring up some All-American talk from some of college basketball’s most respected talking heads. Not only has he been almost pacing college basketball in assists, but he has also perked up offensively.
Over the past month, Fears is averaging 18.3 points and 8.1 assists per game. He’s also been playing arguably the best defense of any guard in the Big Ten.
Michigan State is also 7-1 during this span.
If you go back even further and include the first two games during Big Ten play in December, Fears is averaging 16.8 points and 8.0 assists per game. Those aren’t just All-Big Ten numbers, but those are All-American and legit national player of the year stats. It’s not often that you see an elite point guard second in the nation in assists and pushing 17 points per game in conference play.
Some respected college basketball metrics have taken notice.
KenPom has Jeremy Fears as the Big Ten Player of the Year favorite
Anyone who follows college basketball metrics knows that KenPom is about as respected as it comes. The metrics that KenPom generates usually dictate how fans see the top teams in the country outside of just simply AP rankings.
KenPom recently listed Michigan State as the best defense in college basketball, and the Spartans also jumped to No. 4 in the nation after that 43-point win over Maryland.
The trusted metrics just released its favorites to win the Big Ten Player of the Year award this season, and a familiar face sits at No. 1.
Jeremy Fears is your current Big Ten Player of the Year favorite, per KenPom.
Behind Fears is Purdue superstar Braden Smith, then Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg, followed by Illinois’ Keaton Wagler and Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz.
Here’s what each of those players’ numbers look like in Big Ten play:
Jeremy Fears: 16.8 points, 8.0 assists, 1.9 rebounds — 9-1 record
Braden Smith: 18.5 points, 8.7 assists, 3.4 rebounds — 7-3 record
Yaxel Lendeborg: 13.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists — 9-1 record
Keaton Wagler: 21.3 points, 5.0 assists, 3.8 rebounds — 8-1 record
Bennett Stirtz: 20.6 points, 4.1 assists, 2.3 rebounds — 4-4 record
I like Fears’ chances, but he’ll have to make sure to stay ahead of Smith in the standings, but I also wouldn’t count out Wagler from Illinois. This player of the year race is going to be fun.