The NCAA Basketball National Freshman of the Year race is heating up with conference battles heating up.
There wasn’t much of an offseason for freshmen to prepare for the NCAA basketball season, but it hasn’t slowed down too many prospects. After all, adversity builds character and for some, it’s another step in the right direction.
Big Ten basketball, for instance, looks to have a bright future ahead of it with Michigan Wolverines big man Hunter Dickinson leading the way. He’s evidence that the presence of the big man certainly isn’t going away in the paint anytime soon.
A little lower on the map, SEC basketball boasts freshman star power: LSU Tigers guard Cam Thomas, Arkansas Razorbacks sharpshooter Moses Moody and Kentucky Wildcats wing Brandon Boston Jr. Thomas leads all SEC freshmen in scoring (24.6 ppg) while Moody ranks second among them in rebounding (6.1 rpg).
In the Big 12 basketball realm, Cade Cunningham continues to shake things up at the hybrid forward spot for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. They’re just 1-2 so far in conference play, but it’ll be interesting to see where they stand by the end of February.
Then in the Mountain West Conference, success is being built under Wyoming Cowboys first-year head coach Keith Linder and freshman point guard Marcus Williams. Williams ranks among the top freshman in scoring and assists as the Cowboys are off to a 7-1 start.
The freshmen are playing well and contributing factors as teams make a push to the NCAA Tournament. Here’s a look at the top candidates for National Freshman of the Year.