NCAA Basketball: 10 mid-major gems to watch for 2018-19

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 24: A detailed view of a Wilson Basketball with a NCAA March Madness logo on it during the first half between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Florida Gators during the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament East Regional at Madison Square Garden on March 24, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

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ORLANDO, FL – MARCH 16: Devontae Cacok #15 and C.J. Bryce #12 of the North Carolina-Wilmington Seahawks react after a play against the Virginia Cavaliers during the first round of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Amway Center on March 16, 2017 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

Devontae Cacok-Sr. – UNC-Wilmington

Devontae Cacock is a 6-7 240lb senior forward from Georgia who began his career at UNC-Wilmington in nondescript fashion under then head coach Kevin Keatts. After scoring 37 points in his first four games, he would net just 60 points in the remaining 25 games in which he played. He ended the season averaging 3.5 points and three rebounds in just nine minutes of play.

There was no sophomore slump for the Alpharetta High School alumnus. He got his opportunity, as he was inserted in the starting lineup and seeing his minutes balloon to over 25 per game. He averaged 12.3 points and 9.8 rebounds as Cacock would become a rebounding machine in his second season. He would record 13 double-doubles and had a total of 16 games with double-digit rebounds including a 12-point, 24-rebound effort in a win over Drexel that set a school and conference record for rebounds in a game. The most amazing stat of his sophomore year is that he shot an astounding 80% from the field, only missing to connect on 46 of his 230 shots.

If his sophomore season was a building block, then his junior year cemented him as a mid-major star. The Seahawks only won 11 games but Cacock flourished, ending his season with averages of 17.7 points and 13.5 rebounds. He scored 10 or more points in 30 of his 32 games and had three games where he pulled down at least 21 rebounds. Those numbers put him on the statistical map nationally, his 22 double-doubles was third most in the country, his 13.5 rebounding average led the country, as did his 5.06 offensive rebounds per game and his 8.41 defensive rebounds were 4th best. He continued to be efficient on the offensive end, shooting 58.5% from the field, the 23rd best percentage in the country.

With guard Jordon Talley having graduated, and opposing defenses likely to focus more on Cacok, can he continue to be the machine we saw last season?

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