Ranking the best Big Ten basketball players at midway point

3. John Tonje, G, Wisconsin

Wisconsin has exceeded preseason expectations and a big reason why is its offensive firepower as the Badgers rank sixth in the Big Ten in scoring at 81.3 points per game. Multiple contributors have played a role in the Badgers’ surge, including guard John Blackwell, but Tonje remains the go-to guy in Madison. Tonje averaged 14.3 points at Colorado State in 2022-23, but few anticipated his resurgence after an injury-marred season at Missouri. The sixth-year transfer is averaging a career-best 18.5 points this season – the seventh-most in the conference – while shooting 46.9% from the field, 40.7% from 3-point range and 91.8% from the free-throw line. Tonje’s shooting paired with his ability to get to the hoop makes him one of the conference’s most dynamic scorers who should keep Wisconsin in the Big Ten title hunt.