NCAA Basketball: Best player from each conference entering January 2019

Atlantic Sun: Garrison Mathews, Lipscomb

Lipscomb has made major waves in non-conference play, securing wins on the road against SMU and TCU, and nearly pulling off an upset again Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center.

That emergence has been largely in part due to the play of senior guard Garrison Mathews. Mathews is averaging 18 points per game and five rebounds per game, and led the Bisons in scoring in both of the upset wins.

Last season, Mathews led Lipscomb to its first ever NCAA Tournament berth, and has shot Lipscomb up to the top of the ASUN, making them the easy favorites to win the conference, and clinch a second consecutive tournament berth.

Florida Gulf Coast’s Zach Johnson would be the only real challenger to Mathews, but the former Eagles guard transferred to Miami in the spring, clearing the way for Mathews to be the top player in the Atlantic Sun.

Big 12: Dedric Lawson, Kansas

This one was close. Between Dedric Lawson and Texas Tech’s Jarrett Culver, it was pretty much a toss-up.

However, Lawson takes the crown by a slim margin. The junior forward is a transfer from Memphis, and is averaging 20 points per game and 11 rebounds per game. Lawson has led the Jayhawks to an 11-1 record, and has emerged as the top player in the Big 12 in just his first two months in the conference.

The only difference between Lawson and Culver is their roles on their respective teams. Culver does virtually everything for the Red Raiders, while Lawson is just one piece of a stacked Kansas team. Lawson’s stats are better, albeit by a narrow margin, and therefore is the top player in the Big 12.

The Big 12 is worlds different from last year when it comes to talent, as it lacks most of the top recruits that made the conference so explosive last season. Trae Young and Mo Bamba are long gone, as are several solid seniors from last season.