When listing the top players in the Big Ten, Willie Deane’s name isn’t often mentioned. Even Deane refers to Iowa’s Luke Recker and Illinois’ Frank Williams as the best in the conference.

But Purdue’s junior guard has quietly made a name for himself this season, leading the Big Ten in scoring with 18.6 points per game – over Williams at 17.9 and Recker at 17.7.

This is quite a change for someone who had to fight for a spot on the Boilermakers’ squad two and a half years ago.

When General Electric sent Deane’s father to work in Indiana, Deane transferred from Boston College to Purdue to stay close to his family. As a freshman, he had averaged 5.3 points and led the Eagles in scoring in the Big East tournament.

Deane enrolled in summer school at Purdue in 1999, and Boilermakers head coach Gene Keady allowed him to play pickup basketball with current and former members of Purdue’s team.

Keady must have seen something in the 6-foot-1 guard, because he was added to the roster as a walk-on for the 2000-2001 season.

But success didn’t immediately follow.

“Last year I was still trying to learn the system,” Deane said. “It takes a lot of adjustment when you transfer schools.”

In his sophomore campaign, Deane started nine games and averaged 8.6 points per game.

At the beginning of this season, Deane didn’t even get respect from his own team. On the cover of Purdue’s media guide, four Boilermakers are pictured – Deane is not among them.

“Last year he was sort of an adjunct role player, (but) this year he’s come on,” Northwestern coach Bill Carmody said. “He’s very fast, one of the faster guards in the league, and combined with the fact that he’s a terrific three-point shooter, he’s real hard to guard.”

Deane has had to make a transition from the quicker Big East to the tougher Big Ten.

“The Big East is more of a run-and-gun tempo with a lot of reaching,” Deane said. “The Big Ten has more physical play. Last year I was reaching a lot and getting in foul trouble.”

Deane has topped his previous career high of 20 points seven times this season, establishing a new best of 31 against Southwest Missouri State.

While he is beginning to garner recognition for his offense, his defense isn’t far behind. Deane is tied for sixth in the league in steals.

But Deane’s individual success hasn’t translated into victories for Purdue (9-11, 1-5 Big Ten), which currently sits in the conference basement.

“Leading the league in scoring doesn’t turn me on,” Keady said. “I want to win.”

Purdue will try for its second conference victory tonight when NU (10-6, 2-3) visits West Lafayette, Ind. The Wildcats will attempt to win three consecutive conference games for the first time since the 1975-76 season.

“They are a very dangerous team,” NU guard Winston Blake said. “They just haven’t clicked yet, and hopefully they won’t start clicking (tonight). But when they do, they’re a very hard team to stop.”

When the Boilermakers click, they can do damage. The team’s one conference win was over No. 9 Illinois on Jan. 9.

Deane will be in the starting lineup tonight, posing another threat to NU’s stingy defense. After containing Recker in Saturday’s upset over Indiana, the Cats will again be tested by a talented guard.

“We’ve certainly got to be aware of him,” Carmody said.

But more important than guarding the elusive Deane is finding another diamond in the rough like him.

Could there be another Willie Deane out there, waiting for his chance at NU?

“I’m keeping my door open,” Carmody said.