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

13. Javon McCrea

McCrea is a 6’7 forward originally from Newark, New York. His collegiate journey began long ago, arriving at Buffalo back in 2010 when Reggie Witherspoon still helmed the program. For his first three seasons, he developed into a talented scorer and rebounder for the Bulls, though we’re just looking past 2013, meaning his senior year under Bobby Hurley is all we care about right now.

During that final year, McCrea averaged 18.5 points and 9.9 rebounds again, setting career highs and leading the Bulls to a 19-win season. He also had decent block numbers (2.2 a game) and continued to improve every aspect of his game. He set a career-high with 34 points on senior night against Bowling Green and he helped lay the groundwork for Buffalo’s future success.

One of the MAC’s most accurate shooters, McCrea was named MAC Player of the Year for his senior season, helping get the Bulls back on track. He was among the conference’s very best in points, rebounds, and blocks, and led the conference in field goal percentage. He didn’t experience the same level of success as more recent Bulls players, but his role was important for this program; there’s no question about that.