Entering Saturday's matchup against Purdue, Badger guard John Tonje had already cemented himself as one of the best players in the Big Ten and maybe even the country. He further cemented that notion by dropping 32 points on the seventh-ranked Boilermakers. But not only is Tonje scoring against elite level talent, he's doing it efficiently, and has a chance to do something fewer than 12 players have ever done.
John Tonje can make even more history with his elite shooting numbers
Since the stat has been tracked, starting in 1993, only 11 players in NCAA history have become members of the 50/40/90 club. The achievement, which signifies shooting at least 50% from the field, 40% from three, and 90% from the free throw line, has long been a measuring stick for quantifying the all-time great shooters and scorers. So far this season, John Tonje is shooting 48% from the field, 40% from three, and 91% from the charity stripe, and is well within striking distance of becoming the 12th member of the club.
Tonje, a transfer from Missouri, has been hailed as one of the best transfers of the year, and has willed Wisconsin to a 20-5 record heading down the final stretch of the season. Wisconsin has shocked everyone this season, and Tonje's career year is a huge reason why. He's already a candidate for Big Ten Player of the Year, and was also named to the Naismith Midseason Team.
If Tonje makes the 50/40/90 club this season, he'll join the ranks of players like Michigan State's Cassius Winston, and the most recent member, Virginia's Trey Murphy III, who now plays for the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA.