Mid-Major Spotlight: Delaware Blue Hens
Delaware has launched out to a 6-0 record to begin this season in surprising fashion. Behind strong shooting from beyond the arc, the team has vastly exceeded expectations while emerging as the biggest KenPom climber of the opening weeks. The Blue Hens are playing at a much higher level than anyone expected. They might not hold any marquee wins but have five of their six wins have come over squads ranked in the top-250 of KP. That is fairly notable for a squad that had been picked outside of that range to begin the year.
Oh, and it helps to have one of the best mid-major stars in the country leading the way. Nate Darling has been absolutely electric to begin this season. The senior guard is averaging 26.4 points per game through his first five contests while shooting a whopping 23-for-40 (57.5%) from 3-point range. Darling is bound to experience a dip in that mark over time but the UAB transfer is well-known as a sniper form distance. He is a career 44.7% shooter.
Kevin Anderson (12.7p/5.2a), Justyn Mutts (12.5p/7.7r), and Ryan Allen (12.2p) are the key pieces around him while all averaging in double-figures themselves. Even with Darling leading the way, the Blue Hens consistently need this junior trio to perform because the squad lacks depth. Nonetheless, Delaware’s hot start deserves attention.