To be clear, this is through the entire season not just the last game.
Here we go:
1) Devin McGlockton - I really can't understate how much of a beast DM has been so far this year. Averaging 11.6 ppg and 8.4 rpg are both big numbers but that doesn't tell the entire story. McGlockton's ability to do a lot to impact games without requiring the ball to be in his hands is something special. His offensive rebounds, crafty finishes around the rim and his 1.4 blocks per game allow others to do what they do best. The fact that we won at LSU last night with Glock in foul trouble all game and having to sit long key stretches was really really impressive because his absence was noticeable on the defensive end.
2) Jason Edwards - The guy is simply a pure scorer. He defies all common sense when you watch him play and you look up and he is leading the team in scoring again. His lightning quick release allows him to get any shot he wants and as I've said a few times, I'm happy with almost every shot he puts up. Edwards is averaging 18.3 ppg and is an amazing weapon coming off the bench. He's also getting 1.1 steals per game while shooting 39% from 3 and 86.7% from the free throw line.
3) AJ Hoggard - The dude that showed up in Baton Rouge last night was a First Team ALL SEC player and while I don't expect that night in and night out from him, it was damn sure nice to see it when we needed it most. Hoggard straight up put his team on his back and willed his guys to victory. Hoggard is our most versatile player averaging 10.5 ppg, 2.6 rpb, 4.3 apg and 1.5 steals per game. I'm worried about his FT percentage at 61.4% and I'm pretty sure that will get us a few times this year, but I have to think he's working hard to bring his confidence and consistency up. Hoggard isn't dynamic at anything but he's a big bodied guard who can defend and rebound and depending on matchups, can get to the rim and finish. I like him as a #3, he's a weapon there.
4) Grant Huffman - The sneakiest badass in college basketball. Averaging 5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.8 apg and 1.7 steals per game, Grant Theft Auto is the cracker that gets picked last and whoever picks him is always the team that wins... Go figure?!? Having him on the floor as a total glue guy and without selfish cell in his body means we know we have a guy we can trust out there on both ends of the floor. Is he our 4th best player, probably not, but I want that guy on the floor when it matters.
5) Tyler Nickel - Nickel has big value on this team as our lone sniper and he's dragged his 3 pt percentage up to 37.9%. 38% is kind of the magic number in college and he's right there, and the fact that his percentage is going up is a big deal. We need him to continue to make shots to keep defenses honest and help some of our non shooters get to the rack. Of note, I've given up on Nickel's ability to rebound but he's averaging 2.4 so it's not like he has dicks for hands... TN is averaging 10.7 ppg and that's probably about right where we need him to be. If we ever get a 4-5 3 night from him, we become pretty difficult to guard as a team.
6) Jaylen Carey - Carey has been an interesting watch so far (7.4 ppg and 5.9 rpb). At times, you can see an absolute monster about to arrive on the scene and at times, you want him off the floor. You can't coach body though and he has a body that is worth investing in. So Coach Byington has chosen to invest in Carey while living with some of the mistakes he's prone to making. That investment paid off last night in Baton Rouge big time. Carey had one of those 3 turnover games (one was a kicked ball the refs chose not to call), but he also had a few huge rebounds, a couple of nice assists, 2 steals a block and the biggest And 1 of the night on a wizard level spin move to the lefty finger roll... I thought we had an All American after the first game of the year then he went on to drive me crazy for about 5 games in a row, then some good, then some head scratching games, but all the while Coach Mark Byington has seen enough and is working on making this guy a beast. I really don't know what to expect from Carey but I know that if he's working hard, he has some good stuff ahead of him.
7) MJ Collins - MJ is not a selfish player, he's a guy who has been put in a role and he's chosen to play that role to the best of his ability. He's had about 3 huge games and I've seen improvement in his shooting as the year has gone on. I don't think of him as a great player, but he is an important player on this team. Total team guy who I'm glad we picked up in the portal. Averaging 8.1 ppg and 1.9 rpg, solid defender and athletic in the open court.
8) Tyler Tanner - Y'all know I love this guy and it needs to be said that if we NEEDED Tanner to be a top 5 player, he would be. He's capable of so much more than what Coach B asks him to do but I think it's bloody genius that he serves the role he does. Energy - Defense - Pick 6's, Spacing - Layups/Dunks. Like Huffman, his stat line is crazy as he's at 7.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.1 apg, and a whoping 2.4 steals per game. I've mentioned this in another thread to @WoodyVU66 but I love that Byington relies on his upperclassmen to win games away from Memorial. Coming home, I'd love to see the Tanman drop some triples on Mississippi State this Tuesday night.
9) Chris Manon - Hard not to like Manon, he's a tough defender and a plus rebounder. Averaging 5.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.6 steals per game and .9 blocks per game, here is another dude that does a little bit of everything to hep his team win and he does all of that averaging the least playing time of our 9 guys in the rotation. I love Chris as a starter and I hope that continues because as Byington says, good things happen when he's on the floor.
10) JQ - Keep working hard, young man.
That's all I got. Any thoughts or glaring errors?
Here we go:
1) Devin McGlockton - I really can't understate how much of a beast DM has been so far this year. Averaging 11.6 ppg and 8.4 rpg are both big numbers but that doesn't tell the entire story. McGlockton's ability to do a lot to impact games without requiring the ball to be in his hands is something special. His offensive rebounds, crafty finishes around the rim and his 1.4 blocks per game allow others to do what they do best. The fact that we won at LSU last night with Glock in foul trouble all game and having to sit long key stretches was really really impressive because his absence was noticeable on the defensive end.
2) Jason Edwards - The guy is simply a pure scorer. He defies all common sense when you watch him play and you look up and he is leading the team in scoring again. His lightning quick release allows him to get any shot he wants and as I've said a few times, I'm happy with almost every shot he puts up. Edwards is averaging 18.3 ppg and is an amazing weapon coming off the bench. He's also getting 1.1 steals per game while shooting 39% from 3 and 86.7% from the free throw line.
3) AJ Hoggard - The dude that showed up in Baton Rouge last night was a First Team ALL SEC player and while I don't expect that night in and night out from him, it was damn sure nice to see it when we needed it most. Hoggard straight up put his team on his back and willed his guys to victory. Hoggard is our most versatile player averaging 10.5 ppg, 2.6 rpb, 4.3 apg and 1.5 steals per game. I'm worried about his FT percentage at 61.4% and I'm pretty sure that will get us a few times this year, but I have to think he's working hard to bring his confidence and consistency up. Hoggard isn't dynamic at anything but he's a big bodied guard who can defend and rebound and depending on matchups, can get to the rim and finish. I like him as a #3, he's a weapon there.
4) Grant Huffman - The sneakiest badass in college basketball. Averaging 5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.8 apg and 1.7 steals per game, Grant Theft Auto is the cracker that gets picked last and whoever picks him is always the team that wins... Go figure?!? Having him on the floor as a total glue guy and without selfish cell in his body means we know we have a guy we can trust out there on both ends of the floor. Is he our 4th best player, probably not, but I want that guy on the floor when it matters.
5) Tyler Nickel - Nickel has big value on this team as our lone sniper and he's dragged his 3 pt percentage up to 37.9%. 38% is kind of the magic number in college and he's right there, and the fact that his percentage is going up is a big deal. We need him to continue to make shots to keep defenses honest and help some of our non shooters get to the rack. Of note, I've given up on Nickel's ability to rebound but he's averaging 2.4 so it's not like he has dicks for hands... TN is averaging 10.7 ppg and that's probably about right where we need him to be. If we ever get a 4-5 3 night from him, we become pretty difficult to guard as a team.
6) Jaylen Carey - Carey has been an interesting watch so far (7.4 ppg and 5.9 rpb). At times, you can see an absolute monster about to arrive on the scene and at times, you want him off the floor. You can't coach body though and he has a body that is worth investing in. So Coach Byington has chosen to invest in Carey while living with some of the mistakes he's prone to making. That investment paid off last night in Baton Rouge big time. Carey had one of those 3 turnover games (one was a kicked ball the refs chose not to call), but he also had a few huge rebounds, a couple of nice assists, 2 steals a block and the biggest And 1 of the night on a wizard level spin move to the lefty finger roll... I thought we had an All American after the first game of the year then he went on to drive me crazy for about 5 games in a row, then some good, then some head scratching games, but all the while Coach Mark Byington has seen enough and is working on making this guy a beast. I really don't know what to expect from Carey but I know that if he's working hard, he has some good stuff ahead of him.
7) MJ Collins - MJ is not a selfish player, he's a guy who has been put in a role and he's chosen to play that role to the best of his ability. He's had about 3 huge games and I've seen improvement in his shooting as the year has gone on. I don't think of him as a great player, but he is an important player on this team. Total team guy who I'm glad we picked up in the portal. Averaging 8.1 ppg and 1.9 rpg, solid defender and athletic in the open court.
8) Tyler Tanner - Y'all know I love this guy and it needs to be said that if we NEEDED Tanner to be a top 5 player, he would be. He's capable of so much more than what Coach B asks him to do but I think it's bloody genius that he serves the role he does. Energy - Defense - Pick 6's, Spacing - Layups/Dunks. Like Huffman, his stat line is crazy as he's at 7.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.1 apg, and a whoping 2.4 steals per game. I've mentioned this in another thread to @WoodyVU66 but I love that Byington relies on his upperclassmen to win games away from Memorial. Coming home, I'd love to see the Tanman drop some triples on Mississippi State this Tuesday night.
9) Chris Manon - Hard not to like Manon, he's a tough defender and a plus rebounder. Averaging 5.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.6 steals per game and .9 blocks per game, here is another dude that does a little bit of everything to hep his team win and he does all of that averaging the least playing time of our 9 guys in the rotation. I love Chris as a starter and I hope that continues because as Byington says, good things happen when he's on the floor.
10) JQ - Keep working hard, young man.
That's all I got. Any thoughts or glaring errors?
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