October has arrived, which means charity exhibitions in men’s college basketball are set to be held this month. Friday marks exactly one month until the season officially starts, so I figured now is the time to start hyping up the season.
This edition of Sam’s Section will cover my favorite players in college basketball outside the Big East, which will be covered later this month.
R.J. Davis, G, North Carolina (2023-24: 21.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.2 spg, 42.8 FG%, 39.8 3P%, 87.3 FT%)
Davis is returning after a consensus first-team All-American season, leading the Tar Heels to an ACC regular season title and a trip to the Sweet Sixteen. Following the departure of former Tar Heel Caleb Love, the White Plains, N.Y. native had his breakout season. He became the 19th player in program history to earn consensus first-team All-American honors, leading the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in scoring. He became the first Tar Heel to lead the conference in scoring since Tyler Hansbrough in 2007-08. He broke the Dean E. Smith Center record for scoring with a 42-point performance against the University of Miami, which was one of the 23 games he scored at least 20 points. He also set single-season program records for three-pointers (113) and three-pointers per game (3.05). The Jerry West Award recipient (the nation’s best shooting guard) is a Wooden Award-caliber (nation’s best player) player.
Hunter Dickinson, C, Kansas (2023-24: 17.9 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.4 bpg, 54.8 FG%)
Dickinson had his best season since his freshman year at the University of Michigan, earning his second consensus second-team All-American honor. The senior from Alexandria, Va. became only the second player in college basketball history to achieve such honors at two different schools, with Elmer Oliphant being the first–Purdue University in 1914 and the United States Military Academy (Army) in 1915. He became the only player named a Wooden All-American at two different schools. His most impressive feat was four 20-rebound performances last season, which ranks third all-time at the University of Kansas in 20-rebound games, behind Wilt Chamberlain (20) and Bill Bridgers (13). He had 17 of his 48-career double-doubles last season in Lawrence, Ks. Despite a disappointing season for the Jayhawks which saw the most conference losses since the 1988-89 season, Dickinson should return as one of the best players in the country.
Mark Sears, G, Alabama (2023-24: 21.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4 apg, 1.6 spg, 50.8 FG%, 43.6 3P%, 85.7 FT%)
Sears had his breakout season last year, similar to Davis. He led the University of Alabama to its first Final Four in program history. He earned consensus second-team All-American honors last year after increasing his scoring average by nine points. The Muscle Shoals, Al. native set the program record for most points scored in a single season with 797 points. He became the first player in Division I college basketball in the last 31 years to record 795 points, 150 rebounds, 145 assists and 95 3-pointers in a single season. He scored at least 20 points in 26 games last season, which broke Reggie King’s school record set in 1978-79, who recorded at least 20 points in 23 games. The former Ohio University Bobcat scored 121 total points in the Crimson Tide’s run to the Final Four, which ranked second among all NCAA Tournament players. He is primed to be one of the best players in college basketball for his fifth season. Alabama looks to be one of the best teams in the country, being ranked No. 2 in the ESPN Way-Too-Early Top 25.
Caleb Love, G, Arizona (2023-24: 18 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.2 spg, 41.3 FG%, 33.2 3P%, 83.9 FT%)
Despite criticism for leaving the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Love silenced those critics by earning his way onto the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-American second teams. The Wildcats were phenomenal in the school’s final season in the Pac-12 Conference, winning the conference’s regular season title and going to the Sweet Sixteen, where they lost to Clemson University. Love was one of five finalists for the Jerry West Award, becoming the third Wildcat under head coach Tommy Lloyd to reach 600 points in a season, with 648 points last season. With a new conference that looks to be the best in college basketball, Arizona should be ecstatic with their star guard returning for a fifth season.
Johni Broome, F, Auburn (2023-24: 16.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.2 apg, 2.2 bpg, 54.8 FG%)
Broome improved in his second season at Auburn University, scoring 2.3 points more per game than the 2022-23 season. The former Morehead State University Eagle helped the Tigers win the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Tournament for the first time since 2019, winning the tournament’s Most Valuable Player honor. He was named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press (AP), USBW and The Sporting News. The Plant City, Fla. native was the only player in the top 10 among SEC leaders in scoring and rebounding. He also boasted the second-best field-goal percentage and second-most blocks in the SEC.