NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of Maryland of last decade
By Joey Loose
4. Kris Jenkins – Villanova
Some may argue that Jenkins should be lower and some could argue that he should be higher since he holds quite the place in college basketball lore. A 6’6 forward from Upper Marlboro, he was a top 100 recruit who found his way to Villanova, playing four seasons with the Wildcats under Jay Wright at the beginning of the newly formed Big East.
His first two years saw him as a decent contributor off the bench, but he really made his mark in that junior season. He averaged 13.6 points per game, becoming a starter for the Wildcats, and making nearly 39% of his long-range attempts. He had a 31-point game against DePaul and a 21-point effort in the Big Dance against Miami, but Jenkins will forever be known for hitting the buzzer-beating shot to win the national championship for Villanova in 2016.
Jenkins had a solid senior season, but it’s that moment in the title game that will live in infamy forever. He actually led the Big East in three-pointers that year, though clearly none was as momentous as his final attempt. He wasn’t the only star of the team, but he was a fantastic offensive player who clearly served an important purpose at Villanova. After a brief international playing career, Jenkins returned to the campus working in the athletics department.