The 2013-14 college basketball season is quickly approaching. In preparation, The Catch and Shoot is releasing 10 players on its “Top 100 Players” list every Monday. After releasing No. 81-90 last week, the season preview continues this week with No. 71-80.
80. Augustine Rubit, South Alabama
Rubit has been a double-double machine ever since his freshman year at South Alabama. As a frosh, he averaged 13.1 points and 11 rebounds while shooting a career-high 55.9% from the field. He also finished No. 8 in the nation in offensive rebounding percentage and No. 44 in defensive rebounding percentage. His numbers dipped a bit as a sophomore, but last season he exploded for 19.4 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. In his three year career, he has already recorded 42 double-doubles.
79. Scottie Wilbekin, Florida
Wilbekin had a breakout junior season in 2012-13, averaging 9.1 points, 5.0 assists and 1.5 steals. Now that Kenny Boynton and Mike Rosario are no longer in Florida’s backcourt, Wilbekin will have to play a bigger role on offense and could develop into an all-SEC player.
78. JaKarr Sampson, St. John’s
Sampson was a force in St. John’s frontcourt as a freshman. While leading the team in rebounding with 6.6 boards per game, he also finished second in scoring with 14.9 points. With their core group returning, the Johnnies are looking to make a push in the new Big East, and a lot of their success will rely on Sampson’s production.
77. Marcus Paige, North Carolina
Paige struggled early on in his freshman campaign, but over the course of the season he made improvements and has become one of the more promising sophomores for 2013-14. Although he averaged only 8.2 points overall during the season, in February he recorded 10.2 points per game. And, in two NCAA tournament games, he averaged 11.5 points.
76. Corey Hawkins, UC Davis
Hawkins is one of the best scorers in the country. Last season, he averaged 20.3 points on 47.4% shooting. In addition, the 6’3″ guard averaged 5.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Five times last year, Hawkins scored at least 30 points, with his season-high climbing to 40 against Hawaii.
75. Eric Atkins, Notre Dame
Atkins has had a great career at Notre Dame, and he continues to improve every year.
Last season, he set career highs in assists, steals, three-point percentage and field-goal percentage. With 5.5 assists per game, he finished in the top five in the Big East. Against Kennesaw State, he posted a career-high 13 assists. Atkins is the ultimate playmaker, as he is able to set up his teammates and also score the ball himself.
74. Jake Odum, Indiana State
Odum is possibly the most underrated point guard in college basketball. The Indiana State senior averaged 13.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists last season while shooting 47.6% from the field and 37.3% from beyond the arc. In each of the past two seasons, he has ranked in the top 60 nationally in assist rate.
73. Jason Brickman, LIU Brooklyn
Without Jason Brickman, LIU Brooklyn would not have won three consecutive NEC titles. The 6’0″ point guard has been among the nation’s leads in assists the past two seasons, finishing first with 8.5 per game in 2012-13. Even as a freshman he posted 5.5 dimes per game. In all three of his seasons, he has ranked in the top 25 in assist rate, and in the past two has he been in the top 50 for true shooting percentage, per Kenpom. Brickman will not have as much talent around him this season as he’s had in the past, but he could still lead the country in assists for the second straight year.
72. Jordan Bachynski, Arizona State
Bachynski dominated the Pac-12 last year defensively with a league-best 3.4 blocks per game. The Canada native posted a triple-double against Cal State Northridge with 13 points, 12 rebounds and 12 blocks. Twice during conference play, he flirted that achievement again. (16 points, seven rebounds, nine blocks vs. Colorado; 22 points, 15 rebounds, six blocks vs. UCLA.) Expect big things from the 7’2″ center once again this season.
71. Davante Gardner, Marquette
Gardner was a star on last year’s Marquette team, which made the Elite Eight before losing to Syracuse. In only 21.5 minutes per game, Gardner averaged 11.5 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 58.5% from the field. His offensive rating ranked in the top 40, and his offensive rebounding percentage ranked in the top 100.
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