NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of Alaska of last decade

10. Dane Kuiper – New Mexico

A native of Wasilla, Kuiper spent four seasons at New Mexico, beginning back in 2015. Under head coaches Craig Neal and Paul Weir he worked his way into the starting lineup and was one of the important pieces in the frontcourt for the Lobos. He was a role player who played limited minutes his freshman year, but he was more vital after that, starting 59 of the 88 games in his final three seasons.

The Lobos won 50 games the next three seasons, while Kuiper averaged around 6 points per game during that stretch. He had a career-high 24 points in a tough loss to Arizona during his junior season. That same season he made 40 3-pointers and had career-highs in making 83.7% of his free throws and recording 32 steals on the season. His senior season was a solid effort as well, averaging 5.6 points per game with slightly less impressive cumulative numbers.

Kuiper was a solid piece for the Lobos even if he was never really a star for the team. He provided necessary depth and was a key piece of the puzzle for two different head coaches and coaching styles. He had the misfortune of being a Lobo just a few years after New Mexico’s recent run of success, but Kuiper still proved on the court that he was talented.