4.) Max Abmas – Texas
Following three consecutive seasons of averaging 20+ PPG at Oral Roberts with a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, Abmas has taken his high-flying offense to Austin, TX where he’s already hitting game-winners and surpassing Larry Bird for all-time career NCAA points. I know the past two matchups have marked losses for the Longhorns, sliding Abmas and Co. outside the national rankings, but fully expect him to bounce back and lead Texas to success.
Averaging 17.8 PPG and a career-high 4.3 APG, it was Abmas leading a win over LSU with 20 points and seven assists, dominating Texas State with 26 points and six assists, or despite this week’s loss to West Virginia, contributing 32 points.Â
3.) Isaiah Swope – Indiana State
If you haven’t already checked out Indiana State, the Sycamores are off to a 15-3 start and a 6-1 record in the Missouri Valley Conference with one of the nation’s most interesting contingent of stars. Leading that group is a former Southern Indiana transfer who played one season at the Division II level before the Screaming Eagles transition to DI where he averaged 15.6 PPG after making that jump.
Now, having transferred to Indiana State, he’s the teams leading scorer with 18.4 PPG and has managed some historic wins for the Sycamores. Against Toledo, it was Swope with a game-high 23 points and four steals. To defeat Northern Illinois, he had a double-double of 27 points and 10 boards. In a loss to Michigan State, Swope’s 26 points were a game-high.
