NCAA Basketball: Early breakout stars to watch for 2022-23 season
By Shea Irish
Zeke Mayo
This 6’3” guard from South Dakota State is an elite shooter, posting a 46.7% mark from the field and connecting on 56 3-pointers at an impressive 41.5% rate a year ago. He shot an incredible 93.3% from the line, a number that would have ranked 2nd in all of NCAA basketball if he had shot enough free throws to qualify for the national leaders.
As just a freshman, Mayo was a critical piece of a Jackrabbits team that won 30 games for the first time in school history and became the only Summit League team ever to go undefeated in conference play. He averaged 9.6 PPG and was selected to the Summit League All-Newcomer Team.
In just his second collegiate game, the smooth shooting guard scored 12 points and added 3 rebounds without committing a single turnover against an Alabama team that was ranked 14th in the country at the time. One of his best performances of the season came in a win against Pac-12 opponent Washington State. He scored 17 points on 6-7 shooting, including a 3-3 showing from beyond the arc. Mayo ended the season scoring in double figures in 4 of the last 5 games, including the NCAA Tournament matchup against Providence.
The Jackrabbits are set to lose leading scorer Douglas Wilson to graduation and are uncertain about the return of Summit League POY Baylor Scheierman who entered his name to test the NBA draft waters. Look for Mayo’s number to be called upon more often as a sophomore and if he continues his efficiency as a three-level scorer, he will be one of the best players in the Summit League next season and could emerge as a breakout mid-major star.