Big Ten Tournament 2012: Cody Zeller and 6 Most Dangerous Players

The Big Ten men’s basketball tournament gets underway today from the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Arguably the nation’s deepest conference, the Big Ten is full of some of the very best college players in the country. Every team has a player who shows some sort ability that will get him scouted for the next level, and depth is how they have built such respect.

Here are some of the biggest dangers we will see in Indianapolis over the next four days.

Cody Zeller, Indiana

The Big 10 Freshman of the Year is the sole reason for the resurgence that is taking place in Hoosierland. At 6’11” and 230 pounds, he is one of the best power forwards in the league with an impressive 63.5 percent shooting average.

His 15.4 points per game and 6.4 rebounds both lead the team, but it is really his character that has made him so well respected. He works incredibly hard to improve himself and his teammates and almost always looks to make the smart play rather than the expected one.

Playing in front of a home crowd who is desperate to return to their glory days could have him and Indiana coming out of the tournament as one of the best-looking teams in the country.

Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

Arguably the best big man in college, Sullinger leads Ohio State in both points (16.9 ppg) and rebounds (9.3), both marks that have made him one of the NBA’s top prospects.

Ohio State was picked to not only win the conference, but many had them taking it all with Sullinger leading them to it. But injuries throughout the season have cooled that talk.

Now with the postseason ready to get underway, Sullinger will almost undoubtedly step up and be the player we all know he is.

Draymond Green, Michigan State

The Spartans go into the conference tourney seeded No. 1 thanks to the play of Green.

Green has been nothing short of exceptional this year both on and off the court.  His 16.2 ppg, 10.3 rpg and 3.5 apg are all best or second best on the team, showing how he is really the conference's all-around best player.

Besides the tangible evidence, he has propelled Tom Izzo’s Spartans to being real contenders for the NCAA title by the kind of leadership he shows in the locker room. Rare enough for a player to stay all four years, he has become a sort of beacon of hope for the traditionalists that want back this type of athlete.

Michigan State is the favorite to win the tourney, and it is all because of Draymond Green.

Robbie Hummel, Purdue

The Boilermakers have not had a terrible season, and all the credit is to Hummel for making sure that did not happen.

The senior leads his team in points per game with 16.8 and rebounds (7.0), making him a duel threat any time he is near the basket. At 6’8”, he will never be the biggest guy on the floor, but with his speed and ability to create space, he is usually the most dangerous.

He will be looking to repeat what he and Purdue did in 2009 when they won the tournament and he was named its most outstanding player. Now a senior, he is only better than he was then.

John Shurna, Northwestern

The Wildcats are looking to make it to their first-ever NCAA tournament, and Shurna gives them their best chance at it.

The senior forward leads the conference in points per game with 19.8, bolstered by a good 42.1 shooting percentage from behind the arch. At 6’9”, 220 pounds, he is also able to pull down rebounds, making him tough to guard both outside and in.

Shurna is a headache for coaches to game-plan for, as they know he is danger all over the court. If he catches fire early, he very well could be the best player of the tournament and lead the Wildcats on a deep run.

Trey Burke, Michigan

Freshman guard Trey Burke has been Michigan’s standout player this season it what has turned out to be a breakout year for the Wolverines.

His 4.6 assists per game is amongst the conference’s best, making him one of the premier guards in the region. In his first season in the college game, he has been the leader in getting Michigan back to being relevant in the sport.

He can hurt you with points (14.6 ppg) just enough for you to honor him, opening up space for his teammates to receive the ball. Just as you think you have it covered, he will make you look foolish with his excellent vision.

The Wolverines are the No. 2 seed and should Burke play to his numbers, they have a real shot of taking the whole thing.