Around the NCAA - November Recap
- Fast out the gates with a quick 5-0 start has been the Duke Blue Devils led by their star SF Da’Sean Ford who has had a big month posting 19.5 ppg along with 4 rpg and 3.5 apg. Duke has been blowing out the competition early this season by an average margin of 32 points a game. Early on, they are showing why they are the favorites to win it all this year.
- #3 Ranked Kentucky Wildcats also have started the season with a perfect record through the month of November. Their unique duo twin towers have given teams nightmares so far this season. Junior Chase Walker who has not made much noise during his previous 2 seasons with Kentucky has emerged as a defensive monster for the Wildcats so far averaging over three blocks a game thus far in the young season. While Walker has been doing the dirty work on defense, Afolabi has been putting on a show offensively. The freshman has been dazzling the crowd with his outstanding ball handling ability for a big man, as well as displaying his vast variety of was he could punish defenders offensively.
- Syracuse’s Freshman Braylon Talley Drops 35 points for Syracuse in their 87 – 79 win over Garrett Horton and the #12 ranked Ohio State Buckeye. Talley scored Syracuse’s last 15 point down the stretch knocking down five straight 3 pointers to help rally Syracuse to victory.
- Arkansas’s Freshman SG Alex Pierce expected to miss at least 3 weeks after suffering a fractured index finger on his right hand. Pierce was off to a great start for the Razorbacks and this is sure to have an impacting effect on the team.
- Struggling to catch fire this season is Texas Forward Damon Lewis. The sophomore has not been much of a help with his shooting slump for the longhorns for the start of the season. Lewis is shooting 38% from the field and 25% from deep through the first 5 games. Lewis really flourished at the end of the year last season for the Longhorns, and looked poised to have a breakout year this season so this slump is surprising to many although the year is young still. Thankfully, for the longhorns Junior Jacory Davis has been ballin this season shouldering the load.
NCAA Leaders (November)
Points Per Game
1. SF John Harris - Ole Miss 29.5
2. SF Braylon Talley - Syracuse 28.2
3. SG Payton Adams - Creighton 27.6
4. SG Lorenzo Stephens - Arizona State 27.5
5. SF Quan Aldridge - DePaul 24.4
Rebounds Per Game
1. C Andrew Hope - Indiana 14.2
2. C Connor Locke - Weber State 14.0
3. C Leonard Chandler - Oakland 13.5
4. PF Jermaine Hopkins - Wake Forest 12.8
5. PF Ryan Harper - Kansas State 12.5
Assists Per Game
1. PG Shawn Nash - Gonzaga 11.5
2. PG Khalid Woodruff - Duquesne 10.2
3. PG Brandon Armstrong - Illinois 9.0
4. PG Vicktor Jenkins - Michigan 8.7
5. PG Marco Gibson - Michigan State 8.0
Blocks Per Game
1. PF Randall Pittman - Purdue 4.2
2. C Andrew Elbert - Missouri 4.0
3. C Julius Davis - Oregon 3.7
4. C Nick Jamison - Auburn 3.4
5. C Connor Locke - Weber State 3.4
Steals Per Game
1. PG Derek Waters - Iowa 3.5
2. SG Glenn Adkins - Georgia Tech 3.0
3. SF Andre Hicks - Indiana 2.6
4. SF Alex Martinez - San Diego State 2.4
5. PG Jay Brooks - Kansas 2.4