Purdue, IU represented on Preseason All-Big Ten Team
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Big Ten announced the Preseason All-Big Ten Team on Tuesday, and a Purdue point guard headlined the list.
Braden Smith was named the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year and was the only unanimous selection on the Preseason All-Big Ten Team.
Smith was on the First Team All-Big Ten Team last season after averaging 12 points and 7.5 assists per game while shooting 43.1% from three-point range.
This is the second straight season that Purdue has had the Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year, with Zach Edey receiving the honor last season. Purdue has also had the Big Ten Player of the Year the past two years, with Edey winning it back-to-back times.
Arizona transfer Oumar Ballo represented IU on the Preseason All-Big Ten Team.
Ballo was First Team All-Pac 12 the past two seasons. He averaged 12.9 points and 10.1 assists per game last season while shooting 65.8% from the floor.
No team had more than one player on the Preseason All-Big Ten Team. The whole list includes:
- Ace Baldwin Jr., Penn State
- Oumar Ballo, Indiana
- Brooks Barnhizer, Northwestern
- Dawson Garcia, Minnesota
- Dylan Harper, Rutgers
- Great Osobor, Washington
- Payton Sandfort, Iowa
- Jackson Shelstad, Oregon
- Braden Smith, Purdue
- Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
Purdue starts their season on November 4 against Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Indiana starts their season on November 6 against SIU-Edwardsville.
IU and Purdue will play each other on January 31 at Mackey Arena and on February 23 at Assembly Hall.