Monday, December 24, 2012

Top 5 Players In College Basketball So Far

After a great weekend in college basketball, the season looks to be heading into the in conference season. No more one-sided affairs between top teams and the bottom of the pack mid-majors. It is time for even match-ups between rivals with the best teams and players.  I have decided to ranked the top five players in college basketball so far. So, here are my top five players.

Jeff Withey
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Jeff Withey



Kansas' Withey made a name for himself in last year's NCAA Tournament. In last year's Elite Eight game against UNC, he had 15 points and 8 blocks. That was one of his four games in the Tournament with 7+ blocks. This year he is proving his tournament performance was not fluke. This year, he is averaging 14.1 points per game, 8.3 rebounds per game, and 5 blocks per game (Second in the country). He is team leader in rebounds and blocks and is second in points. He is a block shot machine. In their most recent game against then ranked #7 Ohio State Buckeyes, he led the Jayhawks to a victory with 14 points and 10 boards. Withey is a player I would love to build a college team around. He is a defensive force in the paint who can score and rebound the ball, too.

Michael Carter-Williams

Carter-Williams is the top true point guard in nation. He has had only four game where he has had less then 10 assists. He averages 12.4 points per game and 10.3 assists per game. He is the only player that currently averages 10+ assists. They need him to play well to win, evident by their most recent game, a loss to Temple. He did have 13 points, but was a dreadful 3-17 from the field and 7-15 from the line. He also only had four assists. Carter-Williams is the key to Syracuse's success this season.

Mason Plumlee
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Mason Plumlee

Plumlee is the best player on the nation's #1 ranked team, Duke. Without Plumlee, they would not have started off so well. He is averaging a double-double, with an average of 19.3 points per game and 11.5 rebounds per game. He is also shooting an excellent percentage at .641%. Against the #2 ranked  Louisville, he had 17 points and 7 boards and when facing then #4 ranked Ohio State, he had 21 points and 17 rebounds, five of them offensive rebounds. He is a very good player who should be a great leader for the Blue Devils this season.


Doug McDermott

The 2012 First Team All-American returned to Creighton for his junior season and is currently lighting up the court. He is averaging 23.1 points per game (Third in the nation), 6.8 rebounds, and is shooting very efficiently. He is shooting .549 from the field, .509 from behind the arc and .873 from the charity stripe.  Facing Wisconsin, he had 30 points and 8 rebounds and when facing Cal, he had 34 points and 9 rebounds. McDermott should continue to be a top player in the country.

Cody Zeller
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Cody Zeller

Zeller is the best player on the highly ranked Indiana Hoosiers team. He currently averages 16.4 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game. He shooting percentage from the field is .626 and from the free throw line is .708. When Indiana beat Georgetown, the 7'0'' Zeller had 17 points and 8 rebounds and against UNC, he had 20 pints and 8 rebounds in the victory. Unlike the other players in this group, I believe Zeller has underperformed this season. He should have had more performances like he had against Central Connecticut State, when he 19 points and 19 rebounds. Now that he will be facing Big Ten competition game in and game out, he needs to be a real leader. I expect him to become an even better player as the season goes on. He should end the season averaging a double-double.