ELITE FRESHMAN

There are currently just three freshmen in college basketball averaging at least 17 points and 5 assists per game -- Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas), Kingston Flemings (Houston) and Alex Wilkins (Furman).

And only Acuff and Wilkins rank among the Top 10 freshmen in America in both points and assists.

While, most people are very familiar with Acuff and Flemings, the Furman guard is still a relative unknown. 

It’s time you got acquainted with Alex Wilkins and his game.

The 6-foot-5 point guard enters the final week of January averaging 17.9 points and 5.2 assists per game. His size and length give him the ability to get to the basket with regularity and he’s a problem in transition.

He’s been inconsistent at times from long range, but he’s a big-shot taker and a big-shot maker, including a game-winner in the closing seconds to beat Mercer on New Year’s Eve. The win closed out a perfect 6-0 December. It was the first time Furman went unbeaten in the month of December since 1978.

It was also one of nine games with 20 or more points this season for Wilkins. In those games he’s shooting closer to 50%, which is on par with Acuff, Flemings and the elite guards in college basketball.

Wilkins is a terrific scorer, but what makes him special is his ability to distribute. He plays with great pace, which allows him to get into the paint, seemingly whenever he wants, and he has great court vision. He makes threading the needle look easy.

One opposing head coach recently told me, “He’s as good a freshman point that I’ve seen in years and one of the best passers I’ve seen this season regardless of level.”

Coach, I would argue if I could.

It’s no wonder Wilkins is the first freshman to start for head coach Bob Richey, in his nine seasons at the helm at Furman.

They haven’t quite reached the halfway point in Southern Conference play, so there is much yet to be decided, but Wilkins is definitely on the short list for SoCon Player of the Year. The Massachusetts native will be in the mix for the Lou Henson Mid-Major Player of the Year and is a legitimate candidate for the 2025-26 Kyle Macy National Freshman of the Year Award. He can play!

NOTE: The finalists for the award will be announced in March. The recipient of the 2025-26 Kyle Macy award will be announced in April, in Indianapolis, IN site of the men's Division I NCAA Basketball Championship.

DIFFERENCE MAKERS

February and the second half of conference play is right around the corner and, while the big-name players normally lead the way to conference championships, it’s often the lesser-known names that are the make the difference.  Here are some players to watch down the stretch. 

Damari Wheeler-Thomas earned preseason All-Summit honors for North Dakota State and he’s having a good junior season, leading the Bison in scoring. But JUCO transfer Trevian Carson has emerged as a key component for head coach David Richman.  The native of West Des Moines, Iowa put up nice numbers in two seasons Des Moines Area CC and wanted to let Drake know they made a mistake for not recruiting him. After averaging 10.7 points through the first 11 games this season, Carson exploded for 29 in his return home against Drake. That seemed to spark the 6-foot-3 guard who has scored in double figures in every game since and is shooting nearly 60% from the field. He also leads the team in rebounds and ranks fifth in the Summit League. Not bad for a 6-foot-3 guard.

Senior guard Austin Benigni has had an outstanding at the Naval Academy. The preseason Player of the Year in Patriot League would like nothing more than to get the Midshipmen back to NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998. To do that, Navy will need Aidan Kehoe (pictured above) to continue to be a force up front. It’s hard to tab the top rebounder in the league as a ‘lesser-known guy’ but the 6-foot-11 senior has been so good this season that he deserves some recognition -- and a few votes for POY in the Patriot. The New Jersey native averages a double-double with 15 points and 10.6 rebounds and he’s been even better lately. It’s that time of year when seniors can see that finish line and Kehoe has his eyes on the prize. Less than two weeks ago, he played all but 59 seconds of a double overtime win at Lehigh and finished with 21 points and 21 rebounds. For an encore, four days later he dropped a career-high 29 points against Holy Cross. Kehoe has six games with at least 20 points and 10-plus rebounds this season. Aidan Kehoe is the only player in college basketball averaging over 15 points, over 10 rebounds and shooting over 70% from the field (72.6%). He’s the only guy!

Princeton, which was picked to finish fourth in the Ivy League preseason poll, enters the week in a three-way tie for second place at 3-2. What a difference a month makes. The Tigers hit the Christmas break with a 3-11 record but have played much better since, winning four of their last six. Getting Dalen Davis back has really helped. The 6-foot junior, who started 20 games last season for head coach Mitch Henderson, injured his right ankle against Northeastern right before Thanksgiving and missed the next nine games. Davis has averaged just over 16 points per contest since his return on Jan. 5 against Penn. He made some big threes and finished with 17 points in a win over Yale, which was ranked No. 4 in the Mid-Major Top 25® at the time. He’s still trying to find a rhythm from the floor, but don’t foul him late in the game. He’s 25-of-26 from the free throw line in his first five games back. Junior guard Jackson Hicke is the guy for the Tigers but getting Davis back on the floor puts them in position to get back to Ivy Madness again.

After two pedestrian seasons at Indiana, Logan Duncomb transferred to Xavier and then stepped away from basketball for health reasons. Last season he saw limited minutes for Winthrop, as he worked his way back. This season Logan Duncomb is the leader in the Club House for the Big South Player of the Year. It’s really one of the best individual stories of the season in college basketball. Like his game, his 18.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game have dominated the headlines, but don’t overlook the play of point guard Kareem Rozier. The 5-foot-9 point guard has been a perfect fit for head coach Mark Prosser’s offense. Rozier is great off the bounce. He gets into the paint and scores or finds a teammate with a beautiful no-look helper. If you back off, he will make you pay from distance. He’s second in the Big South making 2.9 triples per contest and he’s shooting just under 40% from beyond the arc. He and teammate Kody Clouet are a problem from the perimeter. Rozier is also very good on the defensive. His quick hands create instant offense.

Sacred Heart is probably not going to be able to run down the leaders in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, but getting Anquan Hill back will make the Pioneers problematic in the MAAC tournament in March. FIU transfer Dashon Gittens has been the guy for head coach Anthony Latina. The senior guard leads the team in scoring (14.9), rebounds (5.7), steals (1.7), and blocks (0.6). That’s a lot of heavy lifting for the 6-foot-3 Connecticut native, so Hill’s return was huge. The 6-foot-9 Hill is averaging 19.8 points per game since coming back and Sacred Heart has run off four straight wins, including the program’s first-ever win at Siena where Hill had a career-high four three-point field goals. He followed that performance with 26 points and 6 rebounds at Rider. The senior from Philadelphia is averaging just under 17 points and 6 rebounds for the season. The Pioneers are playing their best basketball heading into February.



If I had a vote, Le Moyne senior Shilo Jackson would get it for Northeast Conference Player of the Year. The Dolphins are one of the best stories in college basketball and Jackson has been a beast. The transfer from Texas A&M Corpus Christi has his name all over the NEC stats sheet. Point guard Jakai Sanders, who is second in the conference in assists with 4 per game, has also been terrific, but Trent Mosquera (pictured above) has been a big key for a team that was picked to finish 9th in the 10-team league. Mosquera is a 6-foot-5 guard who is a weapon from beyond the arc. After shooting 29% from three over his first two seasons, he’s shooting 40% in 2025-26. His ability to knock threes has created some good spacing for head coach Nate Champion. With Jackson day-to-day with an injury, Mosquera was 8-for-15 from beyond the arc in a pair of wins over Wagner and FDU. Overall, this season he’s averaging 14.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.

Head coach Nick McDevitt has a terrific core at Middle Tennessee with Torey Alston, Jahvin Carter and Kamari Lands. One guy that deserves more love is the team’s seventh leading scorer Chris Loofe. The 6-foot-11 junior, who started just one game in his first two seasons, has started all 19 games in 2025-26.  Scoring obviously isn’t his forte, but he provides plenty of toughness, rebounding and rim protection. The Texas native averages 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per contest. He’s pulled down 10 or more rebounds four times and blocked at least 3 shots on five occasions. The strength of the Blue Raiders is the sum of their parts and their toughness and Loofe personifies that. Of course you can easily make that same case for Alston, Carter or Lands as well.

Portland State, which made its’ season debut in the Mid-Major Top 25® this week, does it a little differently. The Vikings don’t subscribe to the bombs-away three-point shooting approach. They defend (including the three), they turn you over and they rebound. Big Sky Player of the Year favorite Terri Miller is the man. The 6-foot-8 senior leads the Big Sky with 19.6 points per game.  Miller and point guard Jaylin Henderson are both mid-major All-America candidates, but don’t forget about the top rebounder in the conference. It seems crazy to have to point out the importance of a guy who currently ranks 41st in the country in that category. Tre-Vaughn Minott, who is averaging 8.8 boards per game, has stepped up his game since the start of the new year. Over the last seven games he’s averaging close to 10.5 rebounds per contest, including a 23-point, 20-rebound, 4-block performance against Sacramento State on Jan. 10. If defense is your calling card, you have to rebound the basketball and the 6-foot-10 senior from Montreal, Canada knows his role.

After a tough stretch, which saw UC Santa Barbara lose 5 of 6, the Gauchos have won 4 straight and are currently just a half game out of first place in the Big West Conference. Former Saint Mary’s Lou Henson All-American Aidan Mahaney has led the way this season, but a junior and a freshman will be key components down the stretch. Through the first 11 games against division I opponents, freshman CJ Shaw averaged 7.5 points per game. Since the start of the New Year, Shaw is scoring 14.3 per contest and shooting nearly 60% from the field. As they old saying goes, he’s no longer a freshman. In contrast, junior Miro Little got off to a terrific start this season. The 6-foot-3 junior from Finland was averaging 15.3 points per contest when he suffered a foot injury in early December. After missing six games he returned on Jan. 8 against UC Davis and scored 20 points. It’s been a mixed bag since then, but he will work his way back. Shaw and Little will make a big difference over the next few weeks.

At California Baptist the key player is anyone not named Dominique Daniels Jr. If the Lancers win the Western Athletic Conference, it would be easy to make a case for Daniels to be named the Mid-Major Player of the Year. Every opponent circles one name on the scouting report -- Dominique Daniels Jr. And yet the 5-foot-10 senior just keeps getting buckets. Daniels is averaging 22 points per game, and he just dropped 47 against a very good Utah Valley team over the weekend. So, who is the next guy? The obvious choice is Martel Williams. The fifth-year senior is the team’s second leading scorer with 14 points per contest. He’s scored in double figures in 18 of 21 games and had 23 a couple weeks ago against Abilene Christian. Northern Arizona transfer Jayden Jackson, who missed some time earlier this season, has had two double-digit games recently. German import Jordan Muller looks like he may be a very good three-point shooter down the road. The 6-foot guard is shooting 38% from beyond the arc, but he’s just a freshman. To be fair, the collective effort has worked so far. CBU has won games this season when Daniels has scored 9, 10, 11, 12, and 16 points.
 

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE LITTLE THINGS

Last Friday night DePaul broke out the white throwback uniforms for the first time this season. There was a little buzz in the crowd like the old Rosemont Horizon. The Blue Demons defeated Marquette that evening, in front of a record student crowd at Wintrust Arena.

Fans aren’t quite ready to make comparisons to big wins back in the day at Rosemont or Alumni Hall, but head coach Chris Holtmann has things headed in the right direction.

In the comeback win over the Golden Eagles, DePaul overcame an eight-point halftime deficit. It was the first time the Blue Demons had done that at home since March 3, 2019.  The win was the Blue Demons third straight conference home win. It’s the first time the program had done that since the 2006-07 season. 

Before you can think big -- You need to take care of the little things.

Last season Holtmann inherited a program that finished 3-29. He won 14 games in his DePaul debut, which sparked something that hadn’t happened in a decade -- Expectations.  

The Blue Demons were picked ninth in the preseason Big East poll, which was the highest since they were picked to finish eighth prior to the start of the 2015-16 season. Most fan bases would be very disappointed with the prospects of another second-division finish, but the DePaul faithful have witnessed just one winning season in the past 18 years.

The 11-win improvement was among the best in college basketball last season. To take another step forward, Holtman wanted to find more balance and less of a reliance on the three-point shot. They needed to become a more physical team up front and get to the line.

This season the Blue Demons are getting the line with more regularity, averaging 22.6 attempts per game. That’s a nice jump from last season, which was 16.1 trips to the charity stripe per contest. They are fifth in the Big East in free throw attempts, ranked in the Top 100 nationally and are on track to set a new school record for attempts in season, which happened back during the 1952-52 season. 

Holtmann’s team has also improved on the defensive end of the floor. DePaul is holding foes to an average of 69 points per contest, which ranks third in the Big East and is Top 65 in the nation. 

Earlier this month, the Blue Demons held Georgetown to just one field goal in the second half, which tied an NCAA record. The Hoyas shot 22.6% for the game, which was the lowest DePaul had held a conference opponent since Feb. 16, 2000.

The little things are starting to add up.

Holtmann has enjoyed plenty of success during his 15-year head coaching career.  In addition to his many accolades, the 2017 John McLendon National Coach of the Year is well respected among his peers. You would be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t like the Kentucky native. 

Chris Holtmann is an easy choice as nominee for the 2025-26 Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award, which is presented annually to the head coach who wins with integrity on and off the court.

NOTE: The finalists for the award will be announced in March. The recipient of the 2025-26 Skip Prosser Man of the Year award will be announced in April, in Indianapolis, IN site of the men's Division I NCAA Basketball Championship.
 

TOUGHEST JOB IN AMERICA?

In this new college basketball landscape, a great institution like The Citadel has become one of the toughest jobs in college basketball. Not that it was an easy mission before, but circumstances certainly make it much more challenging today. 

Only a Citadel man could have success in that job. 

In 2022, Ed Conroy (pictured above) returned for a second stint at his alma-mater. In his first assignment, he produced the first 20-win season in 30 years and the program’s first postseason berth in the 100-year history of Citadel basketball. It was quite an accomplishment. A military college in the Southern Conference posting a 20-win season. 

Trying to recruit against traditional SoCon powers like Chattanooga, ETSU, and UNC Greensboro was always difficult because of the military component, but you can find and develop talented young players like Cameron Wells, who was part of The Citadel’s 2010 postseason appearance. 

Wells, the former Lou Henson Mid-Major All-American, is now in his third season on staff with Conroy. Having another “Citadel man” is an asset, but for Conroy’s second tour of duty they need financial assets and there is very little in the way of NIL money -- Like very little. 

But somehow, they are finding a way. 

The Bulldogs enter the weekend, winners of 3 of their last 4. After an overtime win over Western Carolina, Conroy’s crew got a big rivalry win over VMI and knocked off a Furman team, which was playing its best basketball of the season. The only loss during the four-game stretch came in overtime at UNC Greensboro. 

Braxton Williams has been leading the way. The 6-foot-6 senior, who transferred from Division II Valdosta State, averaged 21.5 points over the last four games.  Iowa transfer Carter Kingsbury was scoring just under 15 points per contest against WCU, and UNCG but left the game against VMI after just seeing 14 minutes of action and did not play against Furman.

In his absence, Sola Adebisi stepped up. The 6-foot-7 senior had a career night against the Paladins, scoring 22 points. He has averaged 10 points per contest over the last four, while 6-foot-6 redshirt sophomore Christian Moore has contributed 11.5 points during the same stretch.

Conroy also has a couple of good young guards, starting with Eze Wali. The 6-foot-1 sophomore provides toughness and is a great on ball defender. 6-foot-3 freshman Marcos Gonzales can get into the lane and create. That tandem does a great job running offense and providing a big spark for Conroy at the point guard position.

The Bulldogs also made the most of their recent trips to the free throw line. They were 82-of-101 for 81.2% during the last four games.

Yes. It’s a very small sample. Four games isn’t a season, but the Bulldogs have started to find a rhythm. Hopefully they can get Kingsbury back soon because they begin an important stretch, which begins tonight at ETSU.

Most people will look at the 6-14 overall record and assume it’s a bad program. They would be wrong. Ed Conroy understands what it takes to win there and he can certainly coach. In today’s world, winning 10 or 12 games at a place like The Citadel is the equivalent to winning 25 at most other places. 

 

A VERY SMART HIRE

It’s not easy to steal attention away from Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s and the top contenders in the West Coast Conference, but they are making a little noise in Stockton, CA.

Two years ago the program was coming off a 6-26 season, which ended with a 102-43 pummeling to Pepperdine in the opening round of the WCC tournament. It was the worst season for the program since 1983-84 when the Big West Conference was still called the Pacific Coast Athletic Association.

Less than three weeks after the 59-point loss, Pacific made a smart decision. On March 27, 2024, they named Dave Smart as their new head coach.

Smart came over from Texas Tech where he spent one season with Grant McCasland. Before his stop in Lubbock, Smart had established himself as one of the most successful Canadian college basketball coaches of all time, racking up 656 victories as the head coach at Carleton University over 18 seasons.

Things began to change almost immediately in his first season at Pacific. The Tigers won the season opener, over William Jessup and four days later posted an 80-67 win over San Jose State.  A couple of weeks later, wins over Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Cal State Fullerton pushed their record to 5-4. 

After Thanksgiving wins became a little tougher to find, but the product on the court had vastly improved. Nearly one year to the day after the 59-point beatdown, Pacific’s season ended with a very respectable 81-77 loss to San Diego in the opening round of the WCC tournament. 

In the offseason Smart revamped the program with 15 newcomers, which included transfers from Binghamton, Dayton, Florida, Lamar, Long Beach State, Maine, UC San Diego and Washington. 

Long Beach transfer TJ Wainwright and, returning All-WCC performer, Elias Ralph lead the way and combine for over 30 points per game. Ralph leads the team in both scoring (16.8) and rebounding (6.6) and as a team, Pacific is 15th in the nation in rebounding margin at +9.8 per contest and they have outrebounded all six WCC opponents this season.

In addition to rebounding and a very efficient offensive attack, the Tigers ranks 21st nationally at the free throw line, shooting .776.

It's no surprise that Pacific has already surpassed its’ win total, for all of last season, by three games.  At 12-7 overall and 3-3 in conference play, the Tigers are no longer an easy night on the WCC schedule. This is a program on the rise. Do not be surprised if they end up in the NCAA tournament in the next couple of years.

Without question, Dave Smart is a very deserving candidate for the 2025-26 Hugh Durham award. He can coach! 

NOTE: The finalists for the award will be announced in March. The recipient of the 2025-26 Hugh Durham award will be announced in April, in Indianapolis, IN site of the men's Division I NCAA Basketball Championship.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES

Two seasons ago, Sundance Wicks led Green Bay to an 18-14 record and won the Joe B. Hall award, which is presented annually to the top first year head coach in division I college basketball. After one season, Wicks left for Wyoming.

And last season went in a completely opposite direction, which is why the Phoenix were picked to finish dead last in the preseason Horizon League poll. But about one-third of the way through league play, Doug Gottlieb’s team is tied for second place.

Gottlieb caught major backlash, during his team’s 4-28 season, which included a 2-18 league record. This season has been quite reversal, as the Phoenix have nearly tripled their league wins (5-2 in Horizon) and their total wins (10-8 overall).

Marcus Hall and Caden Wilkins can be difference makers. Wilkins is a perimeter threat. He’s 6-foot-6 redshirt freshman, who is only averaging 7.7 points per game, but he’s had a couple of nice games from beyond the arc of late and is shooting 42% from deep. Hall is the team’s leading scorer, averaging just over 13 points per contest. 

Ironically, it might have been a couple of games that Hall missed where we learned a lot about this team. The 6-foot-6 junior turned an ankle in a loss to Yale on Nov. 21 and was not available for the next two games. In his absence, Justin Allen (pictured above) stepped up. After scoring a total of 35 points through the first five games of the season, the Division III transfer from Carnegie Mellon, dropped 27 on UMass and 28 on Iona. 

After a 1-5 start, those two wins seemed to jump start Green Bay, which won 9 of its next 12.

Offensively, they have five perimeter players on the floor and take what the defense gives them. It’s a unique style because they aren’t a great three-point shooting team. They are shooting 48% from the field, but only 34% from beyond the arc.

In fact many of the numbers aren’t overly impressive, including points per game as they rank last in the Horizon.  

But they have a very good veteran point guard in Preston Ruedinger. They can dictate play with their offensive style. They do a good job on the glass. They are a good free throw shooting team. And most importantly -- they play extremely hard.

UNDER THE RADAR

As conference play gets into full swing, here are some players that may not be getting a lot of attention, now but they could be factors through January, February and into March.

Mostapha El Moutaouakkil, Jacksonville State
Simply put -- He’s a walking bucket. The 6-foot-6 transfer from Louisiana has always been a good scorer, but head coach Ray Harper has elevated him to another level. He's got a very high usage rate and uses a variety of fakes and pivots to become a three-level scorer. El Moutaouakkil has supreme confidence and is unaffected by missed shots -- The next one is going in. Coach Harper instills confidence and has always given his go-to-guys the green light to play with offensive freedom. The native from Morocco has certainly capitalized on that. He averages 18.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. He can play!

Justin Neely, UNCG
Spartans head coach Mike Jones found a gem in the portal. After being named America East Freshman of the Year in 2021-22, Neely was limited to just 8 games in the next 2 seasons at Albany due to injuries. He bounced back last season and was named America East Sixth Man of the Year.  This season he has really opened eyes. He is an elite rebounder, and he can really finish around the basket. He’s averaging 16 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, which ranks 3rd in the nation. The 6-foot-6 graduate transfer is a tough, physical 4-man. He has posted 10 double-doubles, which is tied for 5th in the nation. His arrival makes the Spartans a factor in the SoCon.

Cooper Campbell, Troy
Thomas Dowd is not getting nearly enough attention, but after recently being named to the Lou Henson ‘Early Season’ Watch List, let’s take a look at another player from Troy. Sophomore Cooper Campbell has made a big jump this season. As a freshman he played important minutes off the bench for head coach Scott Cross, averaging 5.2 points in 16.6 minutes per game. In the season opener against Kent State, he posted a career-high 19 points and hit a buzzer beater to send the game to OT, which Troy would win 103-97. Three weeks later he did it again. He hit another last-second shot to force OT and finished with a new career-best 32 against USC. He has since really settled into his role as a facilitator and ranks 2nd in the Sun Belt with 5.2 dimes per contest.

Mateo Esmeraldo, Lipscomb
The 6-foot-1 transfer from Longwood is one of the bigger surprises from the portal. Last season Esmeraldo (pictured above) appeared in 12 games and played a total of less than 38 minutes. This season he has started every game, playing nearly 29 minutes per game and he ranks 8th in the county in assists with 7.1 per contest. He’s a ‘point guard’s point guard’ looking to pass first. He runs the team with total control and takes care of the rock. He ranks 7th in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio at 4.03. So how did Lipscomb get such steal in the portal. Well, Lipscomb’s first-year head coach Kevin Carroll had Esmeraldo two seasons ago, when he was the head coach at Trevecca Nazarene University. He was a heck a point guard for the Division II Trojans as well. 

Jaden Zimmerman, Quinnipiac
The Bobcats are among the contenders in what should be a very competitive race in the MAAC. Lou Henson All-American Amarri Monroe is the headliner, but head coach Tom Pecora may have found the next star in Jaden Zimmerman. The 6-foot-5 sophomore, from the Bronx, NY, is very good off the bounce. He's a good three-point shooter and does a nice distributing the basketball. As freshman he was named the MAAC All-Rookie team. He averaged 11 points per game and helped the Bobcats win the regular season conference title. He missed six games earlier this season but returned over the weekend and scored 20 in a win over Sacred Heart. Before he was sidelined, he posted a career-high 26 points on the road at UCF.  He’s scored in double figures in 10 of 11 games and is averaging 17.3 points per contest. His return to the lineup could be just what Quinnipiac needs to get them over the top.

Prophet Johnson, Sacramento State
It's been a tough start for Sac State, but first-year head coach Mike Bibby has a good one in senior Prophet Johnson. The 6-foot-3 transfer from Fairfield is one of the best rebounding guards in college basketball. He’s pulled down as many as 15 rebounds in a game. Until just recently, Johnson was leading the Big Sky Conference in that category with 8.4 per game. He is the only player, under 6-foot-5, in college basketball to be ranked among the top 175 in rebounding. The ONLY player. He is also 13^th nationally in steals with 2.6 per game. Johnson is streaky shooter, but he can get buckets. He’s gone for 20-plus five times this season. In his final regular season home game with Fairfield, he poured in a career-best 35 points on 15-for-23 shooting. And of course, he also pulled down 12 rebounds that day. 

 

TWO WAY PLAYER

Bowling Green’s Javontae Campbell turned in a record-setting performance on the road Saturday at UMass. Down by three, with ten seconds remaining, Campbell was fouled beyond the arc. He went to the line and hit all three to send to game to overtime. The 6-foot-2 senior finished with 47 points, and the Falcons needed every one of them, in a 101-100 overtime win.  

The 47 points were the most by a Falcon since 1964 and the most ever in a road game.

Campbell, who was recently named to the Lou Henson Early Season Watch List, is averaging 17.7 points per game and is shooting over 50% from the field. He makes Bowling Green go and he does it at both ends of the floor.

In addition to being a candidate for the Lou Henson award, Campbell is a player to watch for the 2025-26 Lefty Driesell Award, which is presented annually to the top defensive player in division I college basketball.

Bowling Green leads the nation with 12.5 steals per game and Campbell contributes 3.4 thefts per contest to the cause. He’s on pace to pass the school record for steals, which he set last season with 90, and the Mid-American Conference single-season record of 103.

Campbell is a unique defensive talent. He has great length and his instincts are unbelievable. He has really quick feet and body control, so he is really difficult to shake. Head coach Todd Simon likes to have him pick up full court.

With Campbell leading the way, the Falcons are tops among all MAC teams, limiting the opposition to 68.7 points per game and opponents shoot 42.3% from the field.

Javontae Campbell is a terrific two-way player and the ideal point guard for a Todd Simon team and a very worthy nominee for the Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year Award.

NOTE: The finalists for the award will be announced in March. The recipient of the 2025-26 Lefty Driesell award will be announced in April, in Indianapolis, IN site of the men's Division I NCAA Basketball Championship.

SHARK ALERT

After two tough seasons, Rod Strickland led Long Island University to a 12-4 second place finish in the NEC last season. This season, the Sharks look like the team to beat. The unanimous preseason favorite in the Northeast Conference started league play with two wins, including a victory over defending NEC champion Central Connecticut last Friday.

Strickland’s team is super athletic, and they are lethal in transition.  Defensively they switch everything with their great athletes and force opponents into turnovers or quick shots.  And then they are off to the races. 

The Sharks are led by their Big 3 who are all seniors. Malachi Davis is a 6-foot-3, long, athletic point guard who can score. He’s second on the team, averaging just under 16 points per game. 6-foot-5 Greg Gordon (pictured above) is the best athlete in NEC. He contributes 14.5 and 5 rebounds per contest. And Jamal Fuller has stepped up his game this season. The 6-foot-5 Toronto native is a three-level scorer.

January 31 on ESPNU the Sharks travel to Central Connecticut for the rematch. Those two teams may meet a third time in March for the NEC crown.

WARRIORS COME OUT AND PLAY

Merrimack’s debut in the MAAC, last season, ended with a 14-6 second place finish and the Warriors have picked up with their left off. Albeit with a new cast, led by two young guards. 

Head Joe Gallo has a knack for finding really talented point guards, and Kevair Kennedy (pictured above) is the latest. The 6-foot-2 freshman plays with great poise for a first-year player. He has a great motor and he’s hard to keep out of the paint. He makes Merrimack go both offensively and defensively. As a senior he led Father Judge High School to the Philadelphia Catholic League Championship and his transition to division I has been pretty smooth. He’s scoring over 20 points per game in MAAC play. Kevair Kennedy is a winner.

The emergence of Ty Dorset has also helped the Warriors get off to 5-0 start in the MAAC. As a freshman he came off the bench last season, doing a little bit of everything in his limited minutes. This season, the 6-foot-3 sophomore is getting 35 minutes and contributing 11 points per contest. He’s a jack of all trades who can play multiple spots on the floor, which gives Gallo a lot of flexibility. He’s a valuable part of the starting five.

With young guards and seasoned veterans like Todd Brogna, Andrés Marrero and Ernest Shelton, Gallo has a nice mix, and his Warriors aren’t going away.

BUILDING SOMETHING SPECIAL

2024-25 was an historic season for St. Thomas.  With 24 wins and a second-place finish (12-4) in the Summit League, the Tommies had a lot of momentum coming into this season. The preseason favorites in the Summit, have not disappointed.

It’s a very tough, physical, well coached team. As a unit, they know their identity and play to it -- one possession at a time on both ends of the floor. Individually, each player contributes to the overall goal of winning based on their role. It’s a very disciplined group that is fun to watch.

Nolan Minessale (pictured above), who was recently named to the Lou Henson Watch List, is a stud. The 6-foot-5 Wisconsin native is top 20 nationally in scoring with just over 21 points per contest and he’s shooting just under 55% from the field.

They are the best team in the Summit League, and the brand-new state-of-the-art Lee & Penny Anderson Arena is a real homecourt advantage for the Tommies and John Tauer who can really coach.

THE TALENT RICH IVY

When the Lou Henson Watch List was announced last month, three Ivy League players headlined the list with Robert Hinton (Harvard), Kenny Noland (Columbia) and Nick Townsend (Yale). But there easily could have been more. There is no lack of talent in the Ivy.

Cooper Noard, Cornell
Noard is a “tough as nails” kid who competes at a high level. He’s an elite shooter and cutter and has become a good finisher at the basket as well, which has made him an even more complete offensive player.  The 6-foot-2 senior, who opened the season with 34 against Kent State, is the top scorer in the league, averaging just over 19 points per game.

Kareem Thomas, Dartmouth
Thomas is really good at getting downhill and drawing fouls, while also being a shooting threat from beyond the arc. At 6-foot-5 the sophomore has great size and length. After getting just 4.5 minutes of run per game as a freshman, Thomas is having a breakout season. He’s scoring 18.5 per contest, including a 27-point performance in December at Wyoming. He’s shooting 56% from deep. He can play.

Ethan Roberts, Penn
Roberts picked up Lou Henson Player of the Week honors in November after back-to-back 30-point games for the Quakers. He’s a tremendous perimeter shooter and he added the ability to get the basket, off the bounce, to his game.  He can now score at all four levels.  Unfortunately for Penn, Roberts got hurt against Villanova in the Big 5 Championship on Dec. 6 and has not returned, but he is expected back soon. He's a terrific player.


 

HIS GAME IS LOUD

When Charleston Southern head coach Saah Nimley looked to the transfer portal for offense, he was drawn to a 6-foot-5 JUCO at Gulf State College. Brycen Blaine, who spent parts of two seasons at James Madison before transferring, was a good shooter who put up solid numbers. Not eye-popping numbers. 

But Nimley loved his mindset and approach. And that he plays with edge. 

“I think his personality stood out the most during recruiting,” said the Nimely now in his second full season as head coach. “He's very type A personality. Outspoken. Loud. Willing to ruffle feathers. Willing to be coached hard. Just the type of dude he is really drew me to him and thought he'd be a great fit with the type of coach I am.”

Blaine has certainly fit in very nicely. On opening night, he was 6-of-12 from beyond the arc on his way to a career-best 22 points against Virginia Tech. Seven days later he raised the bar with a 42-point performance at The Citadel. And he has continued to ruffle feathers, averaging 20.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.8 assist per game. 

The Richmond, Virginia native, can really shoot it from deep, but he is a strong and physical player who can score at all three levels. He does a great job of making all the proper reads in Nimley’s offense, but when things break down -- he's good enough to go make a play on his own.

“Brycen's game is elite for our system,” said Nimley. “His ability to move without the ball and make shots makes him extremely hard to keep up with in our system especially with the pace we play at. He's done a great job making plays for himself and others in these early games.”

His game is loud, and Charleston Southern (7-5) is making noise. The Buccaneers have their best record before Christmas since the 2011-12 season, which is why Brycen Blaine is a deserving candidate for the 2026 Riley Wallace Award, presented annually to the most impactful transfer in division I college basketball. 

NOTE: The finalists for the award will be announced in March. The recipient of the 2025-26 Riley Wallace award will be announced in April, in Indianapolis, IN site of the men's Division I NCAA Basketball Championship.

WAITED HIS TURN

It wasn’t that long ago when young players arrived on campus, competed in practice, got stronger in the weight room, and waited behind upper classmen before getting their opportunity to play. Of course, the transfer portal has changed all that, but there are still a few young men who have taken that path to stardom.

Darin Smith, Jr., (pictured above) spent the past two seasons developing his game at Central Connecticut State. After redshirting his first season, Smith earned Northeast Conference All-Rookie Team honors, averaging 6.8 and 18.0 minutes on a team that won 25 games. Good minutes and good numbers on one of the best teams in program history. In fact, the 45 wins over the past two seasons are the most in a 2-year span in school history.

As a young player, there is no substitute for being a part of a winning culture. Last year’s 25-win team featured four 4-year seniors including Riley Wallace Award finalist Devin Haid, and Lou Henson All-American Jordan Jones. 

Head coach Patrick Sellers is one of best young coaches in the game, but all good coaches love to have those veteran leaders to set the tone and lead by example. Smith has grown and matured with the help of some great mentors. He learned to approach the game in the correct way. 

There was little doubt that he could score. He showed flashes last season, scoring double figures eight times. This season, his role changed. Now he was the go-to-guy, and it didn’t take long for him to deliver. On Nov. 11 at Boston College, Smith made the game-winning layup, with 3.2 seconds to play, to give the Blue Devils a 60-59 upset win. Two weeks later he dropped a career-high 38 on Sacred Heart just before Thanksgiving. 

He's a natural scorer. He can shoot if from deep, he can beat you off the bounce and he can post up. The 6-foot-7 sophomore is averaging 20 points, 5.2 rebounds, and is shooting 50% from the field. 

Working hard and waiting for your opportunity is still in vogue.

DIFFERENCE MAKER

Tyler Lundblade is the number one option for Casey Alexander’s Belmont Bruins (11-1), which are currently ranked No. 5 in the Mid-Major Top 25®. The 6-foot-5 senior, who began his career at TCU, has scored in double figures in all 12 games this season and is averaging just over 16 points per contest. 

Much like his arrival his two years ago, there wasn’t a lot of hype surrounding the announcement in April that Nic McClain was transferring to Belmont. Nor was there an overabundance of suitors for McClain who started 21 games last season for Eastern Washington and averaged 10.6 points and 3.8 assists per game. Washington State, coached by David Riley who had recruited him to EWU, was one of a handful of schools that expressed interest in the Florida native.

The 6-foot-3 senior has been ideal fit for the Bruins. He’s a talented, unselfish guard. He likes to drive and create, but he can shoot it. McClain doesn’t take a lot of shots in the very efficient Belmont offense, but he also rarely takes a bad shot. He’s shooting over 50% from the field.

Belmont is 5th in the nation in effective field goal percentage at .609% and McClain’s steady presence is a big part of that. He currently ranks top 20 in the country in assists with 6.3 per contest. He’s also an excellent rebounder (4.5 per), coming with just one rebound of a triple-double on Nov. 30 at Charleston with 12 points, 11 assists and 9 boards.

Belmont fans know the McClain name well. Older brother Kevin helped the Bruins to the NCAA Tournament back in 2019, scoring 27 points in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship game. In the First Four against Temple, big brother dropped 29 on Temple, as the Bruins advanced with an 81-70 victory over the Owls. That was the last time Belmont went to the Dance, something the younger McClain and his teammates will look to change.  

Nic McClain has been a difference maker.