5. Dexter Werner – North Dakota State
A 6’6 forward from Bismarck, Werner stayed in-state for his collegiate career, spending all four of his seasons over at North Dakota State. He had limited opportunities early in his career, but developed into a very solid forward and eventual starter for the Bison, with pretty solid numbers during his senior season in 2017.
North Dakota State upset Oklahoma in the NCAA Tournament during Werner’s freshman season, though he didn’t play much that year. He was more involved in the offense in his following seasons, with a run of solid scoring efforts early in his sophomore season. As a sophomore, he scored 22 points in an NCAA Tournament loss to Gonzaga back in 2015. As a senior, he averaged 12.0 points and 7.3 rebounds a game, leading the Bison in rebounding in each of his final three years. He also had a career-high 30 points in a rivalry game against North Dakota during that final campaign.
Werner established himself as a solid rebounder, finishing among the conference leaders in those final seasons. He also ranked among the league leaders in points and steals as a senior and certainly grew into a solid force for the Bison. He was never the go-to player on offense nor a star at the mid-major level, but Werner was a very solid and steady player, exactly the kind of paint presence programs like this love to have.