Busting Brackets
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NCAA Basketball: Best player from each conference entering January 2019

By Jason Kinander

DURHAM, NC - DECEMBER 01: Zion Williamson #1 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts following a dunk against the Stetson Hatters in the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium on December 1, 2018 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NC - DECEMBER 01: Zion Williamson #1 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts following a dunk against the Stetson Hatters in the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium on December 1, 2018 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /
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SYRACUSE, NY – DECEMBER 18: CJ Massinburg #5 of the Buffalo Bulls handles the ball against Frank Howard #23 of the Syracuse Orange during the second half at the Carrier Dome on December 18, 2018 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
SYRACUSE, NY – DECEMBER 18: CJ Massinburg #5 of the Buffalo Bulls handles the ball against Frank Howard #23 of the Syracuse Orange during the second half at the Carrier Dome on December 18, 2018 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /

MAC: C.J. Massinburg, Buffalo

This one wasn’t even close. Buffalo is the top team in the MAC, and is easily the top mid major team west of the Mississippi River.

The Bison are led by senior guard C.J. Massinburg, who is no stranger to putting up monster stats. Massinburg is averaging 18 points and 7 rebounds per game on the season, and has performed huge in big games for Buffalo.

Massinburg dropped 40 points against West Virginia in a season-opening win on the road, and was the Bison’s leading scorer when they pulled off a first round upset against Arizona in last season’s NCAA tournament.

Massinburg will definitely be playing in March, and will have a chance to carry his Bison all the way to the Final Four if he can perform up to par.

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: R.J. Cole, Howard

Howard might not be too great of a team, but they have easily the best player in the MEAC in sophomore guard R.J. Cole.

Cole is averaging 21 points per game and 7 assists per game for Howard on the season, and has emerged as one of the top mid-major players in the country in just his second season.

Howard isn’t the MEAC favorite, but if they can manage to pull off a few upsets, Cole instantly makes them a sleeper team to pull off a run in the NCAA tournament. They’ll only get as far as Cole takes them, but 21 points per game is pretty good, and that’s an indicator that Cole can take them pretty far.

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