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

4. Aaric Murray

Believe it or not, Murray was considered a Top 40 recruit way back in the Class of 2009 when he opted to join La Salle and John Giannini’s program. He had two very solid seasons with the Explorers before transferring to West Virginia. After moderate production as a redshirt junior, he grad transferred to Texas Southern back in 2013, spending his final year of eligibility in the SWAC.

During Murray’s senior season, he averaged 21.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, fitting in quite nicely with the Tigers. This was still early in Mike Davis’s tenure with the program, and Murray helped lead them to the NCAA Tournament that season. Murray had a 48-point outburst against Temple earlier in the season before leading the Tigers to that SWAC Tournament crown. In his final collegiate game, he scored 38 points in a loss to Cal Poly in the Big Dance.

Emerging as the conference’s top scorer and shot blocker, Murray was named both SWAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year for that incredible senior season. Not only did he lead Texas Southern to their first NCAA Tournament in over a decade, he also put up monster numbers and showed off his athleticism and talent, proving that he belonged among the top players in the country.