NCAA Basketball: 10 early surprise player performances from 1st two weeks of 2024-25 season

Nick Martinelli, Northwestern Wildcats

2024-25 season stats: 25.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG

Let the Nick Martinelli First Team All Big-Ten chatter begin. After mainly coming off the bench last season, the junior forward has been among NCAA basketball’s biggest surprises, scoring 25+ points in Northwestern’s first three games.

He’s shooting 68.5% from the field and 87.5% from three. He’s a menace on the boards, averaging nearly eight rebounds per game. Nobody -- and I mean nobody -- saw this level of play coming from the 6-foot-7 junior. Boo Buie may be gone but Chris Collins may have another star in the making thanks to Martinelli's surprise start.

Tobe Awaka, Arizona Wildcats

2024-25 season stats: 10.3 PPG, 12.3 RPG

After coming off the bench for the past two seasons at Tennessee, Arizona’s Tobe Awaka has cemented himself not only as a pleasant surprise but as a full-fledged breakout candidate for the Wildcats.

Awaka has wreaked havoc on the glass, bringing down 15 rebounds in its dominant win over Old Dominion and 13 rebounds in its upset loss to Wisconsin. Additionally, Awaka has flashed his scoring touch. That should bode well long-term for Arizona basketball moving forward.