Honorable Mention: Niven Hart (Fresno State), Omari Moore (San Jose State), Kwane Marble II (Wyoming)
5. Zane Meeks, Nevada
Previous Ranking: 5th
Season Stats: 6.7 PPG 3.8 RPG 0.7 APG
Best Performance: 16 Points, 5 Rebounds, and 2 Assists against Santa Clara 12/4
It’s a little crazy to think that Nevada is in a bit of a transition year with the team’s current success and four players getting double-digit minutes in their first year in division one. Meeks is one of those guys and also one of the reasons why Nevada is living up to that top-five preseason prediction currently in a three-way tie for third with New Mexico and Colorado State.
Meeks fills a current void of production in the post for the Wolf Pack, just enough for us to forget they don’t really have an impactful big man in the paint. He’s a good young player and with the ability to shoot the three should develop nicely under Alford’s staff in years to come.
4. Jarred Hyder, Fresno State
Previous Ranking: 1st
Season Stats: 10.1 PPG 3.0 RPG 2.8 APG
Best Performance: 26 Points, 3 Assists and 2 Steals against Winthrop 11/10
Hyder’s production has fallen a bit since our first edition but also a lot of other freshman have really stepped up for their teams since then (including a teammate), which has caused him to fall from that previous number one ranking. He’s still averaging double-digits on the season but is now fourth on his Bulldog team in scoring with a couple of senior guards finally heating up around him. He’s a big contributor and a reason why the Bulldogs are beginning a climb out of the conference’s basement in late January.
They may be working from behind after that top-5 preseason prediction (5th) they had back in the fall, which was probably unfair considering the pair of all-conference guards they lost to graduation and had to replace.
3. Orlando Robinson, Fresno State
Previous Ranking: 3rd
Season Stats: 13.2 PPG 6.9 RPG 1.6 APG
Best Performance: 27 Points, 5 Rebounds, 5 Blocks and 1 Steal against UC-Riverside 12/28
Robinson is exceeding expectations in year one for Justin Hutson’s team and is beginning to show why he had Power-5 offers and interest out of high school. He’s leading the Bulldogs in scoring and is second in rebounds and blocks behind senior Nate Grimes, all while doing a little bit of everything on the court.
Robinson can face up and shoot the ball while occasionally knocking them down from deep, he had four against UC-Riverside earlier in the year. Robinson looks to be a dominant presence in the Mountain West for years to come, but will need a little help next year if the Bulldogs want to enjoy the success they had the last four seasons under Rodney Terry and Hutson alike.
2. David Roddy, Colorado State
Previous Ranking: 4th
Season Stats: 12.0 PPG 5.7R RPG 1.7APG
Best Performance: 26 Points, 8 Rebounds and 3 Assists against Fresno State 1/22
The Rams may be one of the bigger surprises of the season going into February. Sitting in a three-way tie for third with New Mexico and Nevada after being predicted to finish 9th after a 7th place finish in Niko Medved’s first season and with the mass exodus of transfers that took place in the Spring. The mix of youth and experience on this Ram’s roster is a reason way and David Roddy is one of two key freshman excelling under Medved this season.
As mentioned previously Roddy chose basketball over football in his senior year of high school when he committed to the Rams to play on the hardwood instead of the field. I think it’s been a good decision so far as Roddy has Colorado State in the top-5 while posting eight straight 20-point games in his last ten appearances.
1. Isaiah Stevens, Colorado State
Previous Ranking: 2nd
Season Stats: 13.3 PPG 2.9 RPG 4.4 APG
Best Performance: 26 Points, 12 Assists, 6 Rebounds and 5 Steals against Tulsa 12/21
The other half of the fantastic freshman duo in Fort Collins this season is Isaiah Stevens who is currently leading the team in scoring and assists while leading the Rams to that previously mentioned current top-3 place in the Mountain West. Stevens has been the catalyst in the Rams success all in his first year of division I play.
The future is bright for this Ram’s program but will see some pressure to perform next season without double-double machine Nico Carvacho in the post and only three players standing 6-9 or above on next season’s roster. Steven’s should be up to the challenge with a plethora of back court talent on deck next season in Moby Arena.
UP NEXT: SOPHOMORES
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