How EJ Liddell rolled into Michigan and made his case as the Big Ten’s best – The Athletic

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Perhaps you heard the thumping on the table. Michigan sure as hell did. It was shortly after Ohio State’s win at Crisler Center when Chris Holtmann balled up both fists and gently, but meaningfully, banged the table to emphasize every word.

“Will somebody please,” he said, “somebody outside of the people who follow our program,” he clarified, “start talking about EJ as a player of the year in this league?”

A reasonable request. And in reality, some people out here have already been talking about EJ Liddell — Ohio State’s 6-foot-7, do-it-all junior forward — as a viable contender for Big Ten Player of the Year. But Holtmann’s plea was understandable. With under a month left in the season, the most common names tossed about for Big Ten POY seem to be Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis and Illinois’ Kofi Cockburn, along with the occasional mention of Iowa’s Keegan Murray. Purdue’s triumvirate of Jaden Ivey, Zach Edey and Trevion Williams likely cancel each other out, eliminating further congestion.