Big West Basketball: Top 5 rising juniors for 2018-19

LAS VEGAS, NV - NOVEMBER 24: Tommy Rutherford #42 of the UC Irvine Anteaters looks to pass against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks during the 2017 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on November 24, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. UC Irvine won 77-71. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) /

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Photo by David Becker/Getty Images /

4. Tommy Rutherford, UC Irvine

UC Irvine Anteaters forward Tommy Rutherford will pose a big threat in their frontcourt in 2018-19. Despite being in the starting lineup in 2017-18, Rutherford’s minutes went up from 17.8 to just 21.3 minutes per game through 32 starts. Rutherford fouled out of three games during his sophomore season, something he’ll need to limit in 2018-19 to see success.

He averaged 2.9 fouls per game as a sophomore, a number that will need to improve during his junior year. Despite the fouls, he still managed to average 10.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game for the Anteaters. He recorded three double-doubles last season, on his way to a second-team All-Big West selection.

He’s proven to be reliable when on the floor, scoring in every game he appeared in last season. The 6-foot-8 forward will need to stay out of foul trouble next season and if he does, the Anteaters could find themselves on top of the Big West standings.