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

8. Jamal Cain

Cain is a 6’7 wing from Pontiac, Michigan whose collegiate career was almost entirely spent at Marquette. He spent three seasons mostly as a bench piece for the Golden Eagles before the pandemic before breaking out as a senior, averaging 9.6 points a game and contributing, albeit on an underwhelming Marquette team. For his fifth season, he transferred back to his home state and became a key piece for Greg Kampe and Oakland.

His lone season in the Horizon League was quite the campaign, as Cain averaged 19.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, becoming a monster in the paint for the Golden Grizzlies. He helped lead Oakland to a bounce back season and had plenty of standout performances, including a 26-point, 21-rebound effort in a win at Green Bay.

Cain really established himself in that final collegiate season and was named co-Horizon League Player of the Year as a result. In addition to becoming one of the top scorers in the conference, he was among the nation’s top rebounders and one of just a handful of players to average a double-double. He fit in well at Oakland and was a well-utilized weapon, showing off his talent and ability in that one final shot at the game.