NCAA Basketball: Ranking of top 100 senior players from 2019-20 season
40. Raiquan Clark (LIU Brooklyn)
Career stats: 15.4 ppg 6.3 rpg 1.4 apg
An elite mid-major scorer whose college career was thought to be over a year ago, Clark gained an extra year by the NCAA. He took advantage of the opportunity, leading the Northeast Conference with 19.5 ppg. That was good for another First-Team award, while also eclipsing the 2,000 point mark, the first player from LIU Brooklyn to do so.
39. Jordan Lyons (Furman)
Career stats: 11.6 ppg 2.0 rpg 1.5 apg
Lyons has only been a starter for the past couple of seasons for the Paladins but has had as big an impact as any player in program history. He averaged 16 ppg in both seasons, awarded with an All-SoCon first-time placement. The 5’11 guard scored 17 points in the huge upset over Villanova as a junior, while also making an NCAA record 15 three-pointers in 34 attempts in a game against D-II North Greenville, scoring 54 points. Lyons has been part of Furman’s only pair of 25-win seasons, along with their first-ever ranking in the AP top-25.
38. TJ Gibbs (Notre Dame)
Career stats: 11.6 ppg 2.1 rpg 2.8 apg
A huge and consistent part of the Fighting Irish’s offense the past few years, Gibbs has averaged at least 35 mpg in each of the last three seasons. A strong passer, scorer and shooter overall, the 6’3 guard was the kind of four-year player who thrives in a Mike Brey system.
37. Christian Vital (UConn)
Career stats: 13.7 ppg 5.2 rpg 2.1 apg
It’s been a tough go of it for the Huskies in the finals years of the AAC but Vital kept them afloat, averaging at least 14 ppg in the final three seasons. He made an all-conference team this year and ranked in the top-10 nationally in steals, while also being a pretty good shooter from deep.
36. Nico Carvacho (Colorado State)
Career stats: 10.7 ppg 9.8 rpg 1.8 apg
There aren’t too many players in the modern era with three seasons of 10+ rebounds per game average but that’s what the 6’11 big man was able to accomplish with the Rams. His best year came as a junior, producing 16.1 ppg and 12.9 rpg, good for 1st in the country a year ago. Carvacho had four games of at least 20 boards, including a career-high 22 as a junior against Long Beach. He finished his career not only as of the best rebounder in Colorado State history but overall in the Mountain West altogether.
35. Nijal Pearson (Texas State)
Career stats: 16.0 ppg 5.6 rpg 2.2 apg
Before Pearson arrived at Texas State, the program only had one season with 20+ wins in its history as a D-I program. Since then, the Bobcats have amassed three at last 20, becoming a mainstay at the top of the Sun Belt. Pearson was a starting and leading scorer for all four years, winning this year’s Sun Belt Player of the Year Award after averaging 19.4 ppg. His 2,122 total points are also good for No. 1 in Texas State history.
34. Kevon Harris (Stephen F. Austin)
Career stats: 14.4 ppg 5.3 rpg 1.6 apg
This year’s recipient of the 2019-20 Southland Player of the Award has been part of many big moments of t Lumberjacks in the last few years. That includes scoring a team-high 26 points in the history road upset of No. 1 Duke. Harris and his 1,833 points are No.1 for Stephen F. Austin as a D-I program, surpassing another fan-favorite in Thomas Walkup.
33. Jerrick Harding (Weber State)
Career stats: 18.6 ppg 2.9 rpg 1.5 apg
Another respective all-time leading scorer, Harding’s 2,266 points are No. 1 all-time for the Wildcats. That’s what happens when you have three straight years of at least 21 ppg, getting a pair of All-Big Sky first-team nods. Harding has 12 career games of 30+ points, including a career-high 46 against Montana State.
32. Mustapha Heron (Auburn and St. John’s)
Career stats: 15.1 ppg 4.8 rpg 1.3 apg
An interesting career arc, as Heron has proven to be one of the better pure scorers in all of NCAA Basketball for two different teams. He led the Auburn Tigers in scoring in his first couple of seasons, before transferring to St. John’s to be close to family. He made another trip to the Big Dance with the Red Storm but was saddled with injuries as a senior this past season. His numbers were never in the 20 ppg range but from Day 1, Heron was ready to contribute at a high and consistent level.
31. Quincy McKnight (Sacred Heart and Seton Hall)
Career stats: 12.9 ppg 4.0 rpg 3.7 apg
After a breakout sophomore season at Sacred Heart (18.9 ppg), McKnight transferred to the Pirates where he took on a different role. He was the starting point guard and turned out to be a great fit to Myles Powell, providing defense and an overall balance that was needed to make things work for Seton Hall. The numbers took a dip but few mid-major transfers would’ve been able to have the same kind of impact.