CUSA Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

By Joey Loose | Jul 19, 2023

Mar 19, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; North Texas Mean Green guard James Reese (0) celebrates with guard Mardrez McBride (1) and guard Javion Hamlet (3) during overtime against the Purdue Boilermakers in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /

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CUSA Basketball Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders forward JaCorey Williams Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /

9. Jacorey Williams

Williams played just one season in the CUSA but he made it count. A 6’8 big man from Birmingham, Alabama, he actually began his career at Arkansas, serving mostly as a frontcourt reserve for three seasons with the Razorbacks. He decided to transfer, spending his final season of eligibility at Middle Tennessee during the 2016-17 college basketball season.

In his senior season, obviously his only year in the CUSA, Williams averaged 17.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and made a major impact for Middle Tennessee, who was replacing significant talent from the previous year’s team. He had a career-high 31 points in a win over Toledo and had a slew of double-doubles along the way. Most importantly, Williams played a major role in the Blue Raiders winning another CUSA Tournament title and upsetting another foe in the Big Dance, scoring 13 points in their win over Minnesota before putting 20 on Butler in his final collegiate game.

We won’t know what Williams would’ve done with more time in the CUSA, but he did win the league’s Player of the Year award for that impressive senior season. He was one of the best scorers in the leader, finishing 10th in the nation in total field goals, and had impressive defensive numbers too. Williams was the perfect addition to the frontcourt and helped the Blue Raiders pull off another stunner in the Big Dance.