By: Adam Biggers (BleacherReport.com) -

The Big Generic pills whithout prescription Ten is a guard-heavy conference—everyone knows that.

The league boasts some of the best men in the business: Michigan State’s Kalin Lucas, Purdue’s Etwaun Moore, and Illinois’ Demetri McCamey.

All three men are certainly in the mix for the league’s prestigious “player of the year” honor, but there’s another name that has stood out for the last half of the season: Ohio State’s Evan Turner.

After his superb showing in East Lansing last Sunday (74-67 OSU win) while fighting the flu and hostile environment at the Breslin Center, Turner all but crowned himself as the man to beat in the Big Ten’s POTY race. The National Player of the Year candidate not only scored 20 points against Tom Izzo’s Spartans, but he put on quite the show when his team needed him—late in the second half.

Turner scored 16 points in the final 20 minutes, and hit a floater in the lane with just about a minute-and-a-half left on the clock that proved to be the Izzo clan’s demise.

Knocking the first-place Spartans off their perch was one thing, but doing it while hampered with the flu-bug was another. He also is the only player in the league that is averaging nine or more rebounds and 16 points per game (19.5ppg, 9.3 rpg, 5.3 apg)—how’s that for a resume?

The 12th-ranked Buckeyes are now locked in a tie with the Spartans for the Big Ten’s second slot (11-4, 21-7), and are just a half game behind Matt Painter’s fourth-ranked Purdue Boilermakers. The Chicago native, Turner, has had a lot to do with Matta’s club’s recent success.

If the Bucks take home a regular season conference title, Turner will undoubtedly be dubbed the “Big Ten Player of the Year.” A league tournament title wouldn’t hurt his chances either, and the Buckeyes have as good as shot as the other contenders to snag one.

After overcoming what could have been a season and/or career-ending back injury, Turner continues to carry his team on a game-by-game basis. In just his third game back, Turner torched the then-undefeated Boilers for 32 points—in front of his own mother. It’s been smooth sailing for Matta’s junior star ever since.

OSU has won nine of its last 10, and have caused quite a ruckus in the Big Ten standings. Michigan State started out 9-0 and then dropped three consecutive games to open the flood gates for the fast approaching Buckeyes and Boilers. Purdue hit a slide as well, but it’s recovered since. Turner will play a vital role for the scarlet and gray if it’s going to make a run for league supremacy.

With just three games left on their slate, two of which are against Michigan and Penn State (who has won just two league games, 2-12), don’t be surprised to see Matta’s potential No. 2 seed Buckeyes celebrate a conference title for the first time since the Greg Oden days (2007).

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