As the 2020-21 men’s college season rolls on, there are some developments that are not surprises (such as Gonzaga’s unbeaten season to this point) while there have been others that are (such as the fact that neither Duke nor North Carolina is ranked in the AP Top 25). The Big Ten is even more of a gauntlet than usual, as Iowa and Minnesota have emerged to join Purdue, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin as teams that are difficult to beat on both ends of the floor. We have yet to see whether Villanova is really a national title contender, as the team had to take 27 days off between games due to COVID-19 spread and barely escaped Seton Hall at home in their return.
We do know that there are some players have emerged as special contributors to their teams so far, and you should know about them as you plan your sports betting on college hoops.
NCAA News: Top Men’s Basketball Players in 2020-21
Luka Garza (Iowa) is no surprise. He was the pre-season favorite for National Player of the Year, and the 6’11” center is having another solid season. His numbers (26.9 points per game, 8.7 rebounds, 1.8 blocks) are the best of his career. He is the undisputed leader of the team, and the offense runs through him. If the Hawkeyes are going to make a deep run in the men’s basketball tournament, he will lead them.
Corey Kispert (Gonzaga) is the “glue” for Gonzaga, which we knew, but he has also shown that he is the Bulldogs’ top player, which we did not expect. The 6’7” forward is putting up almost 21 points per game, shooting almost 60 percent from the floor. When Gonzaga made Virginia look silly back in December, it was Kispert leading the way, with 32 points, including nine makes from behind the arc.
Jalen Suggs (Gonzaga) is less of a surprise than Kispert. We knew that he was a top candidate for Freshman of the Year, and it looks like that trophy will either go to Suggs or to Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham (see below). Suggs has shown tremendous versatility and leadership for a Gonzaga team that was already stacked — but Suggs has taken hold of playing time, putting up 14.3 points, 4.8 boards, 4.7 assists and 2.4 steals per contest.
Cade Cunningham (Oklahoma State) leads the Big 12 in scoring with 18 points per game, and he also puts up 6.2 boards and 1.2 steals per game. Many view him as the top pick in the next NBA draft, although if Suggs comes out, he may take that away from him.
Ayo Dosunmu (Illinois) is another preseason candidate for Player of the Year. The 6’5” junior is scoring 22.4 points per game while grabbing 6.7 boards and dishing up almost five assists per game. The Illini have not had as much success in the Big Ten as some had thought they would, so Dosunmu’s star is fading a bit, but he’s still earning plenty of plaudits.
Marcus Carr (Minnesota) is one of the top offensive players in the Big Ten. This guard is shooting over 41 percent from the field and has scored 20.6 points per game. He’s a huge reason why Minnesota has taken down so many ranked teams at home this season and should have a bit of a coming-out party should the Golden Gophers get into the Big Dance.
Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana) is scoring 20.4 points and pulling down 8.9 rebounds per contest this season, so while the Hoosiers are not playing all that well as a team in the conference, when they have done well, it is because the offense is running well through Jackson-Davis.
Cameron Davis (LSU) is a 6’4” freshman guard who has led the Tigers to a 5-1 start in SEC play. He shoots better than 42 percent from the floor and is putting up 22.1 points per game. The SEC isn’t usually known as a basketball powerhouse, but LSU could surprise some teams in the Big Dance.
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