Big Ten's top 25 players for 2017-18 Basketball (InsideTheHall.com)
Hasn't done top 5 yet, but it's releasing a few at a time. Guessing they have Mason in top 5.
21. Reggie Lynch, Minnesota (6-foot-10, center, redshirt senior)
When Lynch is on the floor, he’s arguably the most devastating shot blocker in college basketball. Over his first three seasons (two at Illinois State and one at Minnesota), Lynch has ranked first, first and second nationally in block percentage. Last season as a redshirt junior in Minneapolis, he was named to the league’s All-Defensive team and was a key piece in the program’s turnaround. Offensively, he’s a role player, but he did rank in the top 15 in the league in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage. Unlike last season, Lynch and Minnesota enter the 2017-18 season with expectations. And although he won’t be counted on for major offensive production, Lynch has room to grow as both a finisher (54.3 percent on 2s) and free throw shooter (63.9 percent).
15. Jordan Murphy, Minnesota (6-foot-6, forward, junior)
Murphy quietly put together a strong sophomore season that was a major reason the Gophers made a major leap up in the Big Ten standings. He was fifth in Big Ten games in defensive rebounding percentage (24.9) and first in free throw rate (63.8 percent), two numbers that suggest he belongs in the top 15 to begin the season. Murphy was also ninth in conference games in 2-point field goal percentage at 58.2 and 13th in block percentage. The next step is to add a reliable perimeter game, which he’s lacked through two seasons in Minneapolis. Murphy is just a 17.8 percent 3-point shooter (73 career attempts). The combination of Murphy and Reggie Lynch in the frontcourt gives Richard Pitino one of the best combinations in the league.
7. Amir Coffey, Minnesota (6-foot-8, forward, sophomore)
Amir Coffey averaged 12.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in his first year at Minnesota, earning a spot on the conference’s All-Freshman team. At 6-foot-8, it is Coffey’s versatility that sets him apart from other wings in the league. He’s an effective slasher from the wing and boasts an impressive 50 percent free throw rate (FTA/FGA). He shot 50.3 percent on twos and 33.7 percent on threes last season and those numbers are solid. But if he wants to be a breakout star he’ll have to become more effective in the ball screen game (34th percentile on 149 possessions) and more consistent with his three-point jumper..
Hasn't done top 5 yet, but it's releasing a few at a time. Guessing they have Mason in top 5.
21. Reggie Lynch, Minnesota (6-foot-10, center, redshirt senior)
When Lynch is on the floor, he’s arguably the most devastating shot blocker in college basketball. Over his first three seasons (two at Illinois State and one at Minnesota), Lynch has ranked first, first and second nationally in block percentage. Last season as a redshirt junior in Minneapolis, he was named to the league’s All-Defensive team and was a key piece in the program’s turnaround. Offensively, he’s a role player, but he did rank in the top 15 in the league in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage. Unlike last season, Lynch and Minnesota enter the 2017-18 season with expectations. And although he won’t be counted on for major offensive production, Lynch has room to grow as both a finisher (54.3 percent on 2s) and free throw shooter (63.9 percent).
15. Jordan Murphy, Minnesota (6-foot-6, forward, junior)
Murphy quietly put together a strong sophomore season that was a major reason the Gophers made a major leap up in the Big Ten standings. He was fifth in Big Ten games in defensive rebounding percentage (24.9) and first in free throw rate (63.8 percent), two numbers that suggest he belongs in the top 15 to begin the season. Murphy was also ninth in conference games in 2-point field goal percentage at 58.2 and 13th in block percentage. The next step is to add a reliable perimeter game, which he’s lacked through two seasons in Minneapolis. Murphy is just a 17.8 percent 3-point shooter (73 career attempts). The combination of Murphy and Reggie Lynch in the frontcourt gives Richard Pitino one of the best combinations in the league.
7. Amir Coffey, Minnesota (6-foot-8, forward, sophomore)
Amir Coffey averaged 12.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in his first year at Minnesota, earning a spot on the conference’s All-Freshman team. At 6-foot-8, it is Coffey’s versatility that sets him apart from other wings in the league. He’s an effective slasher from the wing and boasts an impressive 50 percent free throw rate (FTA/FGA). He shot 50.3 percent on twos and 33.7 percent on threes last season and those numbers are solid. But if he wants to be a breakout star he’ll have to become more effective in the ball screen game (34th percentile on 149 possessions) and more consistent with his three-point jumper..
