Is there a worse feeling than checking the box score to see how one of your so-called fantasy studs performed, only to see that he went 2 of 14 from the field, scored just six points, grabbed two rebounds, and have five turnovers compared to one assist? OK, maybe the feeling you get after finishing a Hot Pocket, but that's it. In the last couple weeks, some big names in the Big Ten and Big 12 have turned in some notably poor performances. Most aren't to full blown slump status yet, but fantasy owners are starting to get concerned. Let's see if I can talk you off the ledge.
Big Ten
Talor Battle, G, Penn State Nittany Lions
Coming into the season, I was skeptical of Battle's ability to produce numbers similar to last year's 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. It's not because I don't think Battle is a talented player; he clearly is. However, the Nittany Lions had no clear options to replace the contributions of Jamelle Cornley and Stanley Pringle, which allows defenses to focus all their attention on Battle. To this point, he's actually putting up more points (17.6) and roughly the same number of rebounds (5.5). His assists have fallen to 3.6 per game, which isn't exactly surprising given the lack of reliable options to pass to. Battle is shooting nearly the same percentage as last season, but he's really struggled with his shot over the last three games, making just 14 of 47 (29.8 percent) shots from the field and 4 of 20 from beyond the arc. He's been incredibly streaky and inconsistent this season, posting big numbers against decent opponents (32 vs. Virginia Tech and Virginia, 24 vs. Minnesota), but also turning in five single-digit performances. Battle has a pair of decent match ups coming up against Iowa and Indiana, but with a weakened supporting cast, he will continue to both thrill and frustrate fantasy owners.
Mike Davis, F, Illinois Fighting Illini
Through the first 14 games of the season, Davis had already logged eight double-doubles and established himself as a consistent fantasy contributor. Sure, he had sprinkled in a couple ugly games (two points vs. Utah, four vs. Vanderbilt), but no one would have predicted Davis would score just 10 points in the last three games. To make matters worse, the struggles have come against arguably the three worst teams in the Big Ten - Iowa, Indiana, and Penn State. In those games, Davis is 4 of 16 from the field and has missed all three free throw attempts. Fouls haven't really played a role, but the emergence of Mike Tisdale (50 points over the same span) has clearly limited Davis' attempts, and consequently his fantasy value. The Illini have five players averaged at least nine points, so their offense isn't designed to focus on specific players. While that makes them tough to defend, it's quickly becoming a fantasy nightmare. Davis continues to rebound at a high rate, but fantasy owners need more scoring from him if they intend to keep him in their lineups.
JaJuan Johnson, F/C, Purdue Boilermakers
With Johnson scoring just 11 points over the last two games, it's no coincidence that the Boilers suffered their first two losses of the season. Few teams can match the talented trio of Robbie Hummel, E'Twaun Moore, and Johnson, but without any other remotely reliable scorers, it's imperative for all three guys to play well. Johnson's struggles started against Wisconsin where he took just six shots and went 1 of 7 from the foul line. He followed that up with a 2 of 5 effort from the field against Ohio State. Did he get caught up in watching Hummel's torrid shooting display? Was he intimidated by shot-blocker Dallas Lauderdale? Was he less aggressive because he was worried about being sent back to the free throw line? There's ultimately no way to know, and it's likely a combination of all three. Like Davis, Johnson continues to rebound well and has really stepped up his shot-blocking. Purdue has no other post options, and I look for them to feed their big man the ball early and often in the coming weeks. Getting Johnson back on track is critical to their long-term success.
Michael Thompson, G, Northwestern Wildcats
The loss of Kevin Coble allowed Thompson to showcase his scoring skills early this season. The junior guard scored in double figures in 10 of the first 11 games but has done so just once in the last five contests. Through January 10, Thompson had logged the fourth highest percentage of minutes played in the nation, so it's possible that workload is catching up with him. He's also been battling a hip injury, which has limited him in practice. Whatever the case, Thompson's shooting has really fallen off, as evidenced by his 12 of 47 (25.5 percent) shooting in those five games. The good news for fantasy owners is that he's continued to facilitate the offense well with at least four assists in nine straight. His three-point shooting has remained steady even during the slump, so the potential for a rebound is there. However, temper your expectations with John Shurna, Drew Crawford, and even Luka Mirkovic stepping up their offensive games.
Big 12
Cole Aldrich, C, Kansas Jayhawks
During the Tennessee game, I actually had to go to the Kansas website to make sure Aldrich was still on the team. Against a depleted Vols squad with Wayne Chism in foul trouble most of the game, Aldrich took just five shots despite grabbing eight offensive boards. The Jayhawks rarely dumped the ball into the All-American, although he wasn't particularly aggressive in calling for the ball either. After a foul-plagued six-point effort against Nebraska, Aldrich is now averaging just 10.6 points. He has six single-digit scoring performances in 16 games and has tallied more than 15 points just twice. Contrast that with last season where he averaged 14.9 points and was held to single-digits just five times in 35 games. The Jayhawks obviously have tons of talent and the play of freshman Xavier Henry as well as the Morris Twins have made it challenging to get shots. Aldrich's rebounding and shot-blocking remain among the best in the nation, and his work on the offensive glass should allow for some easy baskets. You can expect to see a slight uptick in his scoring, but with so many offensive weapons, a repeat of last year seems increasingly inlikely.
Ryan Anderson, G, Nebraska Cornhuskers
I was as incredulous as the next guy when Anderson threw his name in the NBA Draft last year, but he wisely returned to school for his senior year. The only problem is that he really hasn't played all that well. Anderson has been held to single-digits in seven of 16 games, including the first two Big 12 games against Kansas and Texas A&M. He's made 4 of 16 shots in those games, with all of his makes coming from three-point range. On the glass, Anderson has shown some improvement with 4.8 boards per game, but that's just not enough to offset his offensive shortcomings. I certainly expected him to do more with so many new and/or young players on the Nebraska roster, but he's just making his flirtation with the NBA even more laughable.
Curtis Kelly, F, Kansas State Wildcats
After playing sparingly in two years at UConn, no one knew what to expect from Kelly in his first season at K-State. He started with a vengeance, scoring 22 points in the opener against Loyola-Chicago and posting two double-doubles in the first six games. Overall, he had nine double-digit scoring games in the first 14 contests. Like Anderson, the start of Big 12 play has seen Kelly's production dip. He was whistled for four fouls and played just nine minutes in a loss to Missouri in his first conference tilt. In that game, he tied a season low with three points. Kelly didn't fare much better against Texas A&M, playing 13 minutes and scoring seven points in a blowout win. The pessimist in me wonders if the 6-foot-8, 250-pound big man won't be able to keep up in the fast-paced conference and thinks that maybe the guy we saw at UConn really didn't change. Even if that isn't the case, the Wildcats have one of the best backcourts in the country with Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente, and Jamar Samuels is also playing well, which means that Kelly is probably the fourth option at best. You may see some solid games from him the rest of the season, but don't expect them to come with the same frequency as earlier in the season.
Dexter Pittman, C, Texas Longhorns
Few players can rival Pittman's production on a per minute basis. However, despite the fact that the Longhorns have scored 193 points in the last two games, Pittman has totaled just 10 points. He's attempted four shots in each game and grabbed just one rebound against Colorado. He bounced back nicely on the glass with eight boards versus Iowa State, but it's hard to classify the overall performances as anything but disappointing. Pittman's weight loss and conditioning are familiar topics to college hoops fans, but you can't help but wonder whether the latter played a factor in his sluggish performances in up-tempo games. The Longhorns have tremendous depth, which also makes it easier for Rick Barnes to rotate in other players who might be better-suited to face quicker post players. Whatever the case, fantasy owners who spent an early pick on the Texas center are understandably worried. Keep in mind that Pittman posted at least nine points in 13 of the first 14 games. While he clearly has the ability to return to that level of production, I do think the pace of play for Texas' opponents will play a large role in his performance the rest of the way.
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*All statistics through the games of January 14.