Big Ten’s top 25 players for 2021-22: 1-5

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Top 5 is spot on for me. I’ll be curious to see what the Inside the Hall readers think about TJD at #4 though haha

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I like Michigan and HD as much as the next guy, but gimme EJ over Hunter any day of the week.

Hmmm, not sure I can get there on that one. EJ has the upside to spread the floor but I think him being such a tweener is a big part of Ohio State’s defensive issues too.

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Defensively I’m with you. I just feel like coming into the big ten season this year, every coach is going to know how to stop (slow) HD. We knew halfway through the season last year that if u made him do literally anything besides getting to the block and going over his right shoulder he was lost. If he changes that, sure, he’ll be a monster. In the postseason last year, besides the Ohio State game, how many times did you feel like he was an All-American type player? I’d say that was it. The UCLA game (i know everyone was bad) he was going up against a guy 4 inches shorter, but with a great game plan and hunter did nothing. Defense, PnR, rebounding are all great, but EJ’s 3 level scoring is special. He’s asked to do a lot more than hunter is, and he does it all well.

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Defensively matters, though. I don’t think you can just throw that out. I also don’t think you can overlook a freshman to sophomore leap combined with what will almost certainly be more usage in the offense this year.

I don’t really see Liddell’s role changing in a way that makes him better or more productive this year.

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I can think of another player that didn’t look like an AA in postseason. EJ Liddel. Cause his team lost to a 15 seed.

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I think you can definitely argue that Liddell was better than Hunter at the end of the year, but it has to be at worst (for Hunter) close considering the wide gap in defensive impact. But I think on averge you’d expect Hunter to improve more than Liddell, and if Hunter simply develops one counter post-move, he’s going to have an all time interior scoring season.

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If you swapped Liddell and Dickinson I think Michigan would get demonstrably worse and Ohio State would be about the same

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I guess I just dont see the defensive gap quite as big. Hunter is obviously a monster inside, but EJ holds his own and I like his versatility. Definitely not a weakness. Hunter also likely benefitted from having 3 elite elite wings in Franz, Chaundee, and Isaiah who are all gone. A lot of ‘ifs’ I’m seeing on here with Hunter (sophomore jump, counter move), and it’s starting to feel like the optimism on post moves besides going over the right shoulder is a bit unwarranted. It’s not like we saw some signs of a right hand or counter last year and now it’ll be polished. There was nothing. I’m praying I’m wrong here but I’ll believe it when I see it.

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It’s unwarranted to think a freshman will improve his game as a sophomore?

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Not at all, I’m just not as keen on assuming it’s a sure thing. I feel like a lot of the huge sophomore jumps we see are guys who needed a year to get used to the speed size strength etc of CBB. That’s certainly not the case with Hunter. This is a skill development that’s needed and we’ll see if he’s got it in him. If he does, he’ll be much better than EJ. If they’re both the same players as last year, gimme EJ.

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Nothings a sure thing. Jaden Ivey isn’t the 5th best player based on last year. But the thing with Hunter is that he was already arguably (and probably) better than Liddell last year. Then Hunter has more to improve on and that is why you will have a hard time finding a list that has Liddell above Hunter.

Also Austin Davis had the same wings around him and the defense cratered when he was out there.

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One team finished 1st in B10 D and B10 2-point FG% allowed. One team finished 10th in B10 D and 11th in 2-point FG% allowed.

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Tschetter not #1???
The old school goggles really boosted him up IMO

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If Liddell isn’t playing the 5, that means they either need Young, Key, or Joey Brunk to play it. Not sure that really helps OSU in any way either.

Heh, if Joey Brunk is OSU’s starting 5 then their defense is going to be total garbage again.

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OSU is pretty bullish on Key. I don’t think Brunk will be getting much run

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I assume it’ll be Young/Liddell playing most of the minutes at the 4/5 again. However you want to slice them up and divide them “positionally” but that combo was not good defensively last year.

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Yeah that transfer never made any sense. They already had a solid 3 man big rotation with everyone returning.

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