NCAA Basketball: 7 players vital for their teams in 2018-19

CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 18: Sterling Manley #21 of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts against the Texas A&M Aggies during the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 18, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

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HONOLULU, HI – DECEMBER 23: Martins Igbanu #1 of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane brings the ball up court after colliding with Trey Kell #3 of the San Diego State Aztecs during the second half of the Diamond Head Classic NCAA college basketball game at Stan Sheriff Center on December 23, 2016 in Honolulu, Hawaii. San Diego State defeated Tulsa 82-63. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images) /

Martins Igbanu – Tulsa

Cincinnati and Wichita State have been powerhouses in the American Athletic conference but could take a step back. Memphis has gotten a ton of much-deserved publicity; Central Florida is a trendy pick to compete for the conference’s top spot, but the Tulsa Golden Hurricane are another team that could make a jump to the upper echelon of the AAC.

One of the reason’s that head coach Frank Haith’s squad is in the conversation is sophomore forward Martins Igbanu. The 6-8 native of Lagos, Nigeria wasn’t heavily recruited by high-major schools out of high school and only took an official visit to Tulsa. Having attended Covenant Christian Ministries Academy in Marietta, Georgia, the big man committed to play for Haith in September of 2015 and was productive in a reserve role from the moment he stepped on the court.

In 2016, Igbanu nearly registered a double-double in a loss to Jacksonville State with 10 points and nine rebounds. Over the remainder of non-conference play during his freshman season Igbanu averaged just three points and two rebounds per game, those numbers would see an uptick during conference play. He would make 17 starts, including the final 13 contests while averaging 7.7 points and 4.6 rebounds during AAC play, and finished the regular season with his first double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Tulane.

In his sophomore season the 240lb. Igbanu saw increased playing time, averaging over 22 minutes per game and started in Tulsa’s final 23 games. He recorded double figures in 15 contests including a career-high 27 points against Houston and his second double-double in a win over UConn with 14 points and 10 rebounds. He improved in most offensive categories, but where he improved most from his first season to his second would be at the free throw line where he shot 59% as a freshman and that number jumped to 72% last season.

With Junior Etou gone, Igbanu is the team’s top returning big man and with Sterling Taplin and DaQuan Jeffries likely to be the focus of opposing defenses, Igbanu has the chance to be a strong third option for the Golden Hurricane in his junior season.

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