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We are officially at (or past? I’m not sure) the halfway point of the 2016-17 college basketball season. So far we’ve seen upsets, buzzer-beaters and some outstanding individual performances. Now that we have roughly a 15-game sample size on every player, we decided to rank the top 25 mid-major players in the country.
While I know this list will not upset anybody and I won’t get any angry tweets about how I ranked your team’s player too low, feel free to make your voice heard in the comments section anyway. As a reminder, this site considers a mid-major to be any team outside the power-five, American or Big East. If you want to debate that, don’t. Just live with it. Without further ado, here is the list.
The Top 10
1. Alec Peters | Valparaiso | Senior | Forward
After shocking the college basketball world by opting to return to Valpo for his senior season, Peters has averaged 24.7 ppg and 10.4 rpg. He is largely responsible for the Crusaders’ 12-4 start.
2. Jock Landale | Saint Mary’s | Junior | Center
The best name in college basketball has increased his scoring average by almost 10 points from a season ago. Landale’s breakout season is one of the main reasons the Gaels are currently sitting at No. 19 in the AP poll, following their 14-1 start.
3. Jack Gibbs | Davidson | Senior | Guard
Gibbs’s numbers are down a bit from last season, but he is still capable of going off on any given night, as he did in his 30-point outing in the Wildcats’ near-upset against North Carolina.
4. Charles Cooke | Dayton | Senior | Guard
Cooke has put up another stellar season despite nagging back pain that kept him out of Dayton’s last game against St. Bonaventure. His 18.7 ppg and 2.4 apg are both career highs. He has the Flyers in the driver’s seat for another A-10 title as they have won 10 of their last 11 games.
5. Cameron Oliver | Nevada | Sophomore | Forward
Oliver is one of the most complete players in the country. He is currently averaging 14.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.1 bpg, and 2.1 apg. His stellar play may propel the Wolf Pack to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007.
6. Jaylen Adams | St. Bonaventure | Junior | Guard
Adams is about as consistent as they come in college basketball. He has scored at least 20 points in 10 of the Bonnies’ first 15 games, and he has only tallied fewer than five assists three times this season.
7. Marcus Keene | Central Michigan | Junior | Guard
The Youngstown State transfer is leading the nation in scoring with a monstrous 29 ppg. He also chips in 5.3 apg, and his most impressive stat may be his 4.7 rpg despite being just 5’9.
8. Nigel Williams-Goss | Gonzaga | Junior | Guard
Williams-Goss has led the Bulldogs to a 15-0 start and the No. 5 ranking in the AP poll in his first season in Spokane after transferring from Washington. He has much better talent around him than most of the guys on this list, so his stats are a bit deflated as a result. Despite that, he is still averaging 15.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg and 4.8 apg through the first 14 games.
9. Mike Daum | South Dakota State | Sophomore | Forward
Daum has been the one bright spot on an otherwise lackluster team. He has eclipsed 30 points four times this season, including a 39-point performance in the Jackrabbits’ overtime win over Murray State.
10. Kevin Hervey | UT-Arlington | Junior | Forward
After missing most of last season with a torn ACL, Hervey has looked as impressive as ever through 16 games this season. He has six double-doubles so far, and the Mavericks appear to be the front-runners in the Sun Belt.
The rest of the list
11. Eric Mika | BYU | Sophomore | Forward
12. T.J. Cline | Richmond | Senior | Forward
13. Przemek Karnowski | Gonzaga | Senior | Center
14. Tyler Cavanaugh | George Washington | Senior | Forward
15. Markis McDuffie | Wichita State | Sophomore | Forward
16. Dallas Moore | North Florida | Senior | Guard
17. Giddy Potts | Middle Tennessee | Junior | Guard
18. E.C. Matthews | Rhode Island | Junior | Guard
19. Chandler Hutchinson | Boise State | Junior | Guard
20. Rashawn Thomas | Texas A&M-Corpus Christie | Senior | Forward
21. JeQuan Lewis | VCU | Senior | Guard
22. Scoochie Smith | Dayton | Senior | Guard
23. Jordan Matthews | Gonzaga | Senior | Guard
24. Darral Willis | Wichita State | Junior | Forward
25. Jaaron Simmons | Ohio | Junior | Guard