Top 10 stories from the Big 12 regular season

#4: Melvin Ejim scores 48 on TCU

Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

The second highest point total for any player in Big 12 history, senior Melvin Ejim put up 48 points for the Iowa State Cyclones on February 8th against the TCU Horned Frogs. This fascinating performance on 20 of 24 shooting spurred Ejim on to win the Big 12 Player of the Year award this season.

It is hard not to root for a guy like this who had been through all of the ups and downs of a four year career. He started as a roll player and blossomed into a star. In his postgame interview Ejim said, “This 48 was all to [my teammates], they looked out for me and that’s what a real brotherhood is like.” It’s so great to see true team players in the current era of college basketball.

The 2013-2014 campaign is much of a renaissance for seniors. With seniors like Doug McDermott, Scottie Wilbekin, Sean Kilpatrick, and Ejim either winning or contending for their respective conference player of the year awards, it shows the value of hanging around a program all four years.

Maybe there are exceptions that can dominate as freshman and move on to the NBA, but the maturity and basketball knowledge a player can gain in a career is invaluable. Melvin Ejim’s spectacular game against TCU was proof.