NCAA Basketball: Top 100 returning players for 2022-23 season
60. PJ Hall – Clemson Tigers
2021-22 stats: 15.5 ppg and 5.8 rpg
The 6’10 forward was a breakout star for the Tigers last season, leading them in scoring. Hall was in double figures in all but one game, including a career-high 28 points versus Florida State. It was one of six games with 20+ points and his consistency was a big part of his success. He’s currently recovering from an offseason injury but the hope is that he’s back sometime in November.
59. Posh Alexander – St. John’s Red Storm
2021-22 stats: 13.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg and 5.5 apg
The only weakness in the point guard’s game is from three-point range but the junior is a solid scorer, including a 29-point and 12-assist game against Providence, along with placing second in the Big East in total assists. Alexander also was Co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year and ranked in the top 5 of NCAA Basketball in steals. Without star forward Julian Champagnie around, it’ll be Alexander that leads St. John’s this season.
58. Johni Broome – Auburn Tigers
2021-22 stats (at Morehead State): 16.8 ppg, 10.5 rpg and 3.9 bpg
Broome was the Defensive Player of the Year in the Ohio Valley last year, ranking 3rd in the country in blocks. That includes a career-high 12 against Tennessee-Martin. The 6’10 center also is a legit offensive weapon, including a 32-point effort versus Murray State in the OVC Tournament. If he can replace Walker Kessler as the defensive anchor for Auburn, they’ll be a contender in the SEC.
57. Jared Bynum – Providence Friars
2021-22 stats: 12.2 ppg and 4.0 apg
The Big East 6th Man of the Year was an unsung hero for the Friars, leading them in passing while also being a dynamic defender. Bynum also has shown to be a great scorer when he has the ball in his hands, including 57 points in a two-game span against Georgetown and DePaul. The 6’0 guard is likely to start and be the focal point of the new-look roster and Bynum could really break out offensively this year.
56. Baylor Scheierman – Creighton Bluejays
2021-22 stats (at South Dakota State): 16.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg and 4.5 apg
The 6’6 wing was the Summit League Player of the Year, putting up huge numbers while shooting 51-47-80 spilts. Scheierman had 11 games of at least 20 points, as well as an 18-rebound performance versus Alabama. He gives Creighton another capable scorer in the lineup and a potentially lethal shooter on the perimeter.
55. Jack Nunge – Xavier Musketeers
2021-22 stats: 13.4 ppg and 7.4 rpg
The 6’11 big man went from being a role player at Iowa to a leading scorer at Xavier last season. Nunge posted career-high numbers across the board, including 24 points against both Iowa State and Butler as a whopping 31 and 15 performance against Cincinnati. He’s a capable floor spacer and post-scorer and if he can play well with fellow forward Zach Freemantle, will create one of the best frontcourt pairings in NCAA Basketball.
54. Kyle Lofton – Florida Gators
2021-22 stats (at St. Bonaventure): 12.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg and 5.9 apg
The “iron man” of NCAA Basketball, Lofton has 116 career starts at around 38 mpg in four years. And he’s been very productive during all that time when on the court, including a career-high 17 assists in a game against UMass last season. Lofton is a quality defender and passer and also can go for 15+ points on many occasions.
53. Deandre Williams – Memphis Tigers
2021-22 stats: 11.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg and 1.7 apg
He took a backseat to Jalen Duren and all the other newcomers while dealing with injuries last year but Williams still managed to be an All-AAC player. The 6’9 forward proved he can be a quality scorer dating back to his days at Evansville but also is an elite defender and can playmake from the inside. He’s the clear centerpiece of the frontcourt this season and look for his stats to start to equal his value at Memphis.
52. Antoine Davis – Detroit Mercy Titans
2021-22 stats: 23.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg and 4.4 apg
One of NCAA Basketball’s top scorers over the past four years, Davis is the school’s all-time leading scorer and has a good chance to crack the top 10 in the sport’s history. Davis was the Co-Horizon League Player of the Year last season, with games such as 39 points against Milwaukee and 38 versus Green Bay as examples. The volume scorer and shooting didn’t have fewer than 15 points in any game last year and with the greenest of green lights, look for that feat to be replicated.
51. Mark Sears – Alabama Crimson Tide
2021-22 stats (at Ohio): 19.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg and 4.1 apg
In a MAC that was filled with quality backcourt talent, Sears was statistically the best. He shot 41 from three-point range and 88% from the free throw line on some good volume while scoring 8+ points in every single game. That includes performances such as 33 points against USC Upstate and 22 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists at Bowling Green. With Jahvon Quinerly out until SEC play, look for Sears to have a big role in the backcourt.