Mountain West Wire’s Player of The Year Watch List: Week Ten

Who is in the running for Player of the Year? Take A Look At the Best Performances Around the Mountain West In Week Ten Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Flynn pulls ahead, while Air Force and San Jose State find representation on the list, in …

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Who is in the running for Player of the Year?

Take A Look At the Best Performances Around the Mountain West In Week Ten

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Flynn pulls ahead, while Air Force and San Jose State find representation on the list, in a week full of upsets.

The staff at the Mountain West Wire wanted to do something a little different this year. We are going to keep track of the top performers from teams around the Mountain West throughout the year and vote on who had the best performances that week.

How it works description now at the bottom of the article

The order for the tenth week is as follows:

1. Seneca Knight, sophomore guard San Jose State (5 Points)

28 Points, 9 Rebounds and 3 Steals against Nevada

21 Points, 8 Rebounds and 2 Assists against Colorado State

Knight makes his debut on the list and does so with a bang with a first place finish after a week that featured handing the Nevada Wolfpack their first loss in conference play while averaging 24.5 PPG and 8.5 RPG for the Spartans. San Jose State has had a well known tough transition into the Mountain West, failing to finish above .500 in conference play, posting a 16-98 record since their move in 2014.

Knight has played well for a Spartan’s team that is enjoying 9th place in the conference standings after two wins against top half teams New Mexico and Nevada this season. Those two conference wins give head coach Jean Prioleau more wins in conference play than his previous two years in San Jose combined (which add up to two).

Knight is leading the team in scoring with 13.7 PPG but is averaging 16.6 PPG in conference play. The Spartans are a bit two sided and can bring an upset caliber team to the court (i.e. Hofstra, New Mexico, Nevada) or a team riding an eight game losing streak (Nov. 23rd-Dec. 22nd) any night.

To be fair the Spartans only have one loss to a team outside KenPom’s top-250, and have a strength of schedule rated 67th in the country. Either way this Spartan team may be a bit underrated (I know how it sounds but ask the Lobos or Wolfpack) and would have a “successful” or progressive season if they finish anywhere inside the top-10. And Knight’s play as of recent can get them there.

2. JaQuan Lyle, senior guard New Mexico (4 Points):

14 Points, 10 Assists and 3 Steals against Fresno State

20 Points, 4 Assists and 2 Rebounds against Air Force

3. Malachi Flynn, junior guard San Diego State (3 Points):

19 Points, 4 Assists and 3 Steals against Wyoming

19 Points, 6 Assists and 3 Rebounds against Boise State

4. Jalen Harris, junior guard Nevada (2 Points):

20 Points, 5 Rebounds and 5 Assists against San Jose State

31 Points, 3 Assists, and 3 Rebounds against Utah State

5. Ryan Swan, senior center Air Force (1 Point):

31 Points, 11 Rebounds and 3 Assists against Utah State

10 Points, 7 Rebounds and 2 Assists against New Mexico

Past Weeks:

Current Overall Point Totals:

Malachi Flynn, junior guard San Diego State (17 Points)

JaQuan Lyle, senior guard UNM (15 Points)

Derrick Alston Jr, junior guard BSU (14 Points)

Jalen Harris, junior guard Nevada (11 Points)

Sam Merrill, senior guard USU (11 Points)

Jazz Johnson, senior guard Nevada (9 Points)

Nico Carvacho, senior center CSU (7 Points)

Hunter Maldonado, sophomore guard Wyoming (7 Points)

Alphonso Anderson, junior guard USU (5 Points)

Carlton Bragg Jr., senior forward New Mexico (5 Points)

Lindsey Drew, senior guard Nevada (5 Points)

Justinian Jessup, senior guard Boise State (5 Points)

Seneca Knight, sophomore guard San Jose State (5 Points)

Justin Bean, sophomore forward USU (4 Points)

Amauri Hardy, junior guard UNLV (4 Points)

Orlando Robinson, freshman forward Fresno State (4 Points)

David Roddy, freshman guard Colorado State (4 Points)

Isaiah Stevens, freshman guard Colorado State (4 Points)

Roderick “RJ” Williams, senior forward Boise State (3 Points)

Bryce Hamilton, sophomore guard UNLV (2 Points)

Corey Manigault, senior forward New Mexico (2 Points)

Jordan Schakel, junior guard SDSU (2 Points)

Donnie Tillman, junior forward UNLV (2 Points)

Abu Kigab, junior forward Boise State (1 Point)

Ryan Swan, senior center Air Force (1 Point)

How It Works:

Each person will award 15 points in total to five players and should award it as so:

1st place (Player of the week): 5 pts

2nd place: 4 pts

3rd place: 3 pts

4th place: 2 pts

5th place: 1 pt

The player with the most points total will be our player of the week and we will keep track of the point totals every week so that the player who has the most at the end of the year will receive the Mountain West Wire Player of the Year award. Just copy the players below and type your names above it like we do for the pick them docs we get and award your points.

Now some guys made the list and others didn’t. A big thing to think about was consistency throughout the week. Something that hurt some guys was having a decent game one day and a bad one the other day. Guys who made the list had a great game one day and a good one on other days, or good games both days.

This column will come out on Sunday nights or Monday mornings depending on how late some games finish on Sundays.

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Hidden gems in the 2020 NBA draft who are currently dominating NCAA

When analysts label a draft class as weak, that often refers to the talent projected early. But there are always good prospects waiting to be found.

Every year, there are players who either out of the second round or who went undrafted that emerge as solid rotational options in the NBA.

Below are guys who were not top recruits coming out of high school and have not been included very high on many mock drafts or big boards. Yet in their 2019-20 campaigns, each has shown appealing traits for their draft stock.

GRANT RILLER, CHARLESTON

(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

Guard, 6-foot-3, Senior

Charleston’s Grant Riller is currently averaging 22.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game. The senior has been one of the most efficient and prolific scorers and creators out of the pick-and-roll. As such, his assist rate (31.7 percent) ranks second-best in his conference. When including assists, he is averaging 1.33 points per possession in a set offense. That ranks in the 93rd percentile this season, per Synergy. Despite his 6-foot-3 frame, Riller is shooting 71.6 percent within five feet of the rim and is capable of attacking the basket. He has also drawn 6.8 fouls per 40 minutes, which ranks No. 18 among all NCAA players. Overall, Riller is a high usage point guard who can potentially make an impact off the bench as an elite mid-major prospect.

DANIEL OTURU, MINNESOTA

Center, 6-foot-10, Sophomore

Minnesota big man Daniel Oturu is averaging 19.1 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. He has the best defensive rebound percentage (27.2 percent) in the Big Ten Conference. Meanwhile, he is averaging 3.0 blocks per game as well and his block percentage (9.4 percent) ranks third-best in the conference. On the offensive side of the ball, Oturu has connected on 80-of-98 (81.6 percent) attempts within five feet of the basket. That currently ranks as the third-best (minimum: 80 FGA) among all college basketball players. He has also shown some improvement as a potential pick-and-pop option at the next level. There is enough upside on both offense and defense to make him a draftable player potentially even in the first round, especially with his size.

JARED BUTLER, BAYLOR

Guard, 6-foot-3, Sophomore

The Baylor Bears are off to an electrifying start to the season with an 11-1 record, including wins over Arizona and Villanova. The program has been led by sophomore guard Jared Butler, who has scored 17.3 points per game. Overall, Butler can shoot well off the catch or the dribble. The sophomore has scored up 2.9 three-pointers per game while shooting 42.2 percent from long range. There is serious 3-and-D potential, too, as he put up 1.5 steals per game and the Bears have a Top 10 defense in the NCAA. If his team keeps it up, there is a chance he plays his way into first-round consideration.

ELIJAH HUGHES, SYRACUSE

Wing, 6-foot-6, Junior

Syracuse wing Elijah Hughes has put up 19.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. He has mostly been used as a spot-up shooter this season, where he is averaging 1.12 PPP – which ranks 84th percentile, via Synergy. Hughes is also 24-for-29 (82.8 percent) on attempts within five feet, which ranks at No. 13 among all players with as many opportunities. Considering his playmaking numbers and rebounding ability, he brings a bit of everything needed to eventually crack a rotation in the NBA. Hughes currently falls No. 97 on ESPN’s big board and No. 92 on The Athletic’s with plenty of time still to rise.

KERRY BLACKSHEAR JR., FLORIDA

Center, 6-foot-10, Senior

After three years at Virginia Tech including a redshirt season due to injury, Kerry Blackshear Jr. became a graduate transfer for the Florida Gators. Now in his final collegiate campaign, he is putting up 14.9 points along with 9.0 rebounds per game. His defensive rebound percentage (23.7 percent) currently ranks fourth-best among all players in the SEC. One thing to note is that he is 84.4 percent in free throws, which shows some promise for his shooting. Blackshear has taken more three-pointers each season he has played, currently averaging 0.9 per game. Overall, he has been a threat in the pick-and-roll both as a roller and on pick-and-pop plays for Florida.

NATHAN KNIGHT, WILLIAM & MARY

Center, 6-foot-10, Senior

One of the most underrated players in the country is Nathan Knight, who has averaged 20.1 points per game. Overall, he is averaging 1.12 points per possession. That currently in the 95th percentile among all NCAA players, per Synergy. Only 10 players in the country have scored more field goals (75) within five feet of the basket. But the most important thing to know about the big man is that he leads all D1 players in points scored on pick-and-pop possessions, scoring 3.6 points per game. That is a trait that will undeniably impress scouts and executives considering how often this play is run in the NBA. Meanwhile, Knight has also pulled down 9.9 rebounds per game and his defensive rebound percentage (29.1 percent) ranks twelfth-best among all players in the country.

MALACHI FLYNN, SAN DIEGO STATE

Guard, 6-foot-2, Junior

After 15 games, San Diego State is still undefeated – including four wins against conference opponents. Their best player has been junior guard Malachi Flynn, whose assist rate (30.7 percent) has helped keep them as one of the more relevant teams in the NCAA. His assist-to-turnover ratio (3.3) has been fantastic and he has looked sharp against Top 75 teams. Flynn is averaging 15.9 points per game and is shooting 43.0 percent from 3-point range. He has shown flashes shooting on handoffs and off screens. But his biggest strength has been his ability to help his team score in the pick-and-roll. When including his passes, per Synergy, Flynn ranks Top 25 in total points created in the PnR among all D1 Players.

MALIK FITTS, SAINT MARY’S

Forward, 6-foot-8, Junior

Saint Mary’s has looked better than expected this season and currently have a Top 10 offense, per Ken Pomeroy. As a team, they have the best three-point percentage in the NCAA. Malik Fitts has helped lead this charge with 15.8 points per game while shooting 41.4 percent from three-point range. He is also grabbing 7.9 rebounds per game with a defensive rebound percentage (24.8 percent) that ranks second-best in his conference.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Darius Days, LSU (Forward)

Mason Jones, Arkansas (Guard)

Matt Haarms, Purdue (Big)

Nate Hinton, Houston (Wing)

Desmond Bane, TCU (Forward)

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Mountain West Wire’s Player of The Year Watch List: Week Nine

Mountain West Wire’s Player of The Year Watch List: Week Nine Take A Look At the Best Performances Around the Mountain West In Week Nine Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire Who is in the running for Player of the Year? Malachi Flynn creates a …

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Mountain West Wire’s Player of The Year Watch List: Week Nine

Take A Look At the Best Performances Around the Mountain West In Week Nine

Contact/Follow @HardwoodTalk & @MWCwire

Who is in the running for Player of the Year? Malachi Flynn creates a two-way tie for first.

How it works description now at the bottom of the article

The order for the ninth week is as follows:

1. Malachi Flynn, junior guard San Diego State (5 Points)

16 Points, 5 Rebounds and 1 Assist against Fresno State

22 Points, 5 Rebounds and 4 Assists against Utah State

Malachi Flynn has been just what Aztec fans have been waiting for in the Brian Dutcher era. He runs this Aztec team with precision, knocks down shots in big moments and has San Diego State at 15-0 (4-0 MW) on the season.

Flynn had a big week, with the Aztec’s garnering a staple conference win against what looked like their biggest challenger in Utah State. He also has San Diego State ranked No. 7 in both the AP and Coaches polls and has contributed greatly to a defense ranked 12th in the nation per KenPom.

The Aztecs have ascended to another level of play with Flynn in the lineup and with this week’s first place finish, he is now tied atop the rankings with Derrick Alston Jr. of Boise State with 14 points each. This confirms his place in the conference for many covering the Mountain West this year and with the momentum he and the Aztecs currently have I can’t see too much disrupting his run for player of the year.

2. David Roddy, freshman guard Colorado State (4 Points):

17 Points and 5 Rebounds against Nevada

19 Points, 13 Rebounds and 3 Blocks against Wyoming

3. Jazz Johnson, senior guard Nevada (3 Points):

9 Points, 4 Rebounds and 1 Assist against Colorado State

34 Points, 7 Rebounds and 2 assists against Boise State

4. Bryce Hamilton, sophomore guard UNLV (2 Points):

20 Points, 6 Rebounds and 1 Steal against Utah State

15 Points, 3 Rebounds and 1 Steal against Air Force

5. Orlando Robinson, freshman forward Fresno State (1 Point):

23 Points, 14 Rebounds and 4 Assists against San Jose State

11 Points, 3 Rebounds and 2 Blocks against San Diego State

Past Weeks:

Current Overall Point Totals:

Derrick Alston Jr, junior guard BSU (14 Points)

Malachi Flynn, junior guard San Diego State (14 Points)

JaQuan Lyle, senior guard UNM (11 Points)

Sam Merrill, senior guard USU (11 Points)

Jalen Harris, junior guard Nevada (9 Points)

Jazz Johnson, senior guard Nevada (9 Points)

Nico Carvacho, senior center CSU (7 Points)

Hunter Maldonado, sophomore guard Wyoming (7 Points)

Alphonso Anderson, junior guard USU (5 Points)

Carlton Bragg Jr., senior forward New Mexico (5 Points)

Lindsey Drew, senior guard Nevada (5 Points)

Justinian Jessup, senior guard Boise State (5 Points)

Justin Bean, sophomore forward USU (4 Points)

Amauri Hardy, junior guard UNLV (4 Points)

Orlando Robinson, freshman forward Fresno State (4 Points)

David Roddy, freshman guard Colorado State (4 Points)

Isaiah Stevens, freshman guard Colorado State (4 Points)

Roderick “RJ” Williams, senior forward Boise State (3 Points)

Bryce Hamilton, sophomore guard UNLV (2 Points)

Corey Manigault, senior forward New Mexico (2 Points)

Jordan Schakel, junior guard SDSU (2 Points)

Donnie Tillman, junior forward UNLV (2 Points)

Abu Kigab, junior forward Boise State (1 Point)

How It Works:

Each person will award 15 points in total to five players and should award it as so:

1st place (Player of the week): 5 pts

2nd place: 4 pts

3rd place: 3 pts

4th place: 2 pts

5th place: 1 pt

This column will come out on Sunday nights or Monday mornings depending on how late some games finish on Sundays.

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Week 7 DPI Rankings: Lobos Rising After Six-Game Streak

It was back to non-conference play last week for the Mountain West. Not everybody was in action—and some who were now wish they hadn’t been.

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Week 7 DPI Rankings: Lobos Rising After Six-Game Streak

The top two stand pat, but plenty of movement below

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

New Mexico, Boise State climbing in the latest DPI rankings for Week 7

It was back to non-conference play last week for the league’s affiliate members on the heels of the opening salvo to the long Mountain West season. Not everybody was in action—and some now wish they hadn’t been.

But it wasn’t all misery.

Some teams are making big strides, including one squad trying to make a move into the uppermost echelon of the MWC.

Below are the DPI rankings heading into the heart of Week 7. If you’re new to the rankings or just want a refresher, head here for a rundown of how the DPI is calculated. The ratings below reflect games played through Tuesday, December 17. As always, non-Division I games are not counted in the DPI.

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#1 — SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS

Last Week: #1

The Aztecs moved to the #1 spot in the Mountain West last week and with no games since their close shave against San Jose State, they haven’t moved much up or down. Brian Dutcher’s team is still undefeated and boasts one of the best defenses in the country. Malachi Flynn’s star turn has propelled SDSU into the national polls, along with the play of Matt Mitchell, Yanni Wetzell, and Jordan Schakel. If KJ Feagin can provide a little more offense, this team could really turn in a special season.

#2 — UTAH STATE AGGIES

Last Week: #2

It’s been a bit of a rough patch for the Aggies over the past few games. They still have one of the two best rosters in the league, but they aren’t quite living up to preseason expectations so far. After losing to Saint Mary’s and looking underwhelming in their first two Mountain West games, Utah State fell to BYU on Saturday in Salt Lake City. It was only their second loss, but it’s a missed opportunity for a good out-of-conference win to put on their NCAA Tournament resume.

Lobos are now 8-0 at home and 6-0 in December! Last time UNM went 6-0 in December was the 2011-12 season. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/KK8TQSbo2G

— Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) December 18, 2019

#3 — NEW MEXICO LOBOS

Last Week: #4

The Lobos have won six straight after toppling New Mexico State and Grand Canyon since the last DPI rankings were posted here. Though they aren’t playing at the level of SDSU just yet, this patchwork roster of homegrown talent and incoming transfers has performed admirably in the early going. JaQuan Lyle has been everything that Paul Weir could have wanted and more. Oh, and Carlton Bragg is averaging a double-double. So far, so good.

#4 — NEVADA WOLF PACK

Last Week: #3

The Wolf Pack looked like they were starting to turn a corner over the past few weeks, winning five straight games on either side of Thanksgiving. But last week, Nevada was the second casualty of BYU’s surge, along with Utah State and UNLV. The offense had been clicking on all cylinders, but immediately downshifted from a 100-point performance against Air Force to a 42-point outing against the Cougars. That kind of volatility that makes it tough to trust Steve Alford’s club.

#5 — BOISE STATE BRONCOS

Last Week: #6

Leon Rice is getting things back on track in Boise, but outside of their win over BYU—before Yoeli Childs came back, of course—the Broncos haven’t really beaten anybody. It was another rocky showing for Boise State last week, with a midweek loss to Tulsa preceding a blowout win over Alabama State. Derrick Alston is averaging 21 points and Justinian Jessup is finding his form. But the starting five is not the problem here; Rice’s team suffers from a lack of depth.

#6 — COLORADO STATE RAMS

Last Week: #5

The Rams jumped out to a promising start, but they’ve lost three of their past four games, including both of their opening Mountain West bouts. Mixed in there was a 72-68 win over South Dakota State, and while the Jackrabbits are not a bad squad by any means, that they played CSU so closely gives a good indication of where the Rams are right now. Niko Medved’s team gave in-state rivals Colorado a run for their money, but ultimately fell 56-48 over the weekend.

Final: Air Force 79, Denver 75
Air Force jumped to a 17-point lead, DU forced a tie, AFA pulled back ahead. AJ Walker's FTs with 6 seconds left sealed it and he led the Falcons with 19 points.
Air Force has won 3 of 4.

— Brent Briggeman (@BrentBriggeman) December 14, 2019

#7 — AIR FORCE FALCONS

Last Week: #8

The defense still leaves a lot to be desired, but recently, the Falcons have been getting better results than they did during a rough November. The new month has been kinder to the cadets, with Air Force winning four of its past five (Note: Tuesday’s 99-42 win over Johnson & Wales is not counted in the DPI). AJ Walker has taken an important step forward as an offensive option. The sophomore was averaging 20 points per game over the past three games coming into Tuesday.

#8 — FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS

Last Week: #10

Justin Huston finally got his team to a second Division I win on Saturday against Cal Poly. But the bigger story here is the seven losses that they have already incurred. Nate Grimes is doing exactly what was expected of him so far, averaging a double-double with 13.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per night. Guards Jarred Hyder and New Williams both have some good performances under their belts, but they haven’t been able to click at the same time. That needs to change.

#9 — UNLV RUNNIN’ REBELS

Last Week: #9

The Rebels didn’t play last week, so the bad taste of the 33-point loss to BYU back has been lingering for a week and a half. There have been a lot of close calls, with UNLV playing in four separate overtime games so far. They are shooting under 42% from the field and turning the ball over 15 times a night. Games against Pacific and Robert Morris this week offer TJ Otzelberger the chance to start making some headway in his first year at the helm.

#10 — WYOMING COWBOYS

Last Week: #7

Allen Edwards got his Cowboys out to a 3-3 start, but they have dropped five straight games, including their most recent defeat at the hands of Northern Colorado. The Bears didn’t just sneak past Wyoming, either—the Big Sky hopefuls handed the home team a 21-point drubbing at Arena-Auditorium. The defense has been fair to middling, but the offense has been dreadful thus far. The Cowboys are shooting under 50% on two-pointers and just over 30% on threes.

Does it feel wrong at this point to look at the San Jose State roster and speculate who will transfer at the end of the season?? @andrewdieckhoff @LoboSauce_777

— Larry Muniz (@HardwoodTalk) December 5, 2019

#11 — SAN JOSÉ STATE SPARTANS

Last Week: #11

There’s a bit of a running joke around here about which Spartan is most likely to transfer next year, since the sputtering Spartans have seen five double-digit scorers depart in the past three offseasons—including Brandon Clarke, who parlayed his post-SJSU star turn at Gonzaga into a budding NBA career. All jokes aside, Seneca Knight has separated himself as the Spartans’ top option, scoring 12.5 points per game. Hopefully the sophomore can remain an important building block for Jean Prioleau.

That’s it for this week. Check back next week to see who’s rising and falling in the Mountain West and be sure to visit the Dieckhoff Power Index daily for updated rankings on all 353 teams in Division I basketball.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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