6. Braxton Huggins – Fresno State
2018-19 stats: 18.8 ppg 4.0 rpg 1.4 apg
On New Mexico State’s 28-win NCAA Tournament team, Huggins played an integral role, scoring nearly 14 ppg as their second-leading scorer. For his final year of eligibility, the 6’5 guard elected to go to Fresno State.
However, things have changed since he joined the Bulldogs. Head coach Rodney Terry left the program for UTEP, with Justin Houston coming in as the new man in charge. That may have ultimately been a blessing for the senior, who has excelled this season.
Huggins has been one of the best overall players in the Mountain West Conference, ranking in the top-10 in both offensive and defensive rating, while leading Fresno State in scoring. He’s been a much better individual scorer than anticipated, scoring at least 17 points in 11 of 12 games this season.
The Bulldogs have been off to a surprising 9-3, with All-MWC guard Deshon Taylor missing the last several games with an injury. Huggins has carried the team in his absence and will become a lethal 1-2 punch once the other senior comes back into the fold.
After Nevada, the Mountain West is wide open for who the second best team is. Fresno State has a great chance to take that spot, with Huggins playing even better than expected. He may end up being the Bulldogs’ best player by the end of the season.