UW Freshman Fultz Only Power-League Player Among Nation's Top 14 Scorers
May 9th, 2017 - 21:45
Seth Greenberg missed on a couple of sizzling scorers for Virginia Tech when he failed to successfully recruit the sons of Gobblers great Dell Curry. Stephen Curry (Davidson) and Seth Curry (Liberty/Duke) went on to become the highest-scoring brother tandem in NCAA Division I history. But amid the fizzling program Greenberg left behind for ACC cellar dweller VT when he was fired as coach was guard Erick Green who paced the country with 25 ppg in 2012-13.
Green, who averaged only 2.6 ppg with the Hokies as a freshman in 2009-10, became the first player in 19 years from a power six conference to lead the nation in scoring. Glenn Robinson Jr. (30.3 ppg for Purdue in 1993-94) had been the only player from a power six league to pace the country in scoring in the previous 41 campaigns.
When Creighton's Doug McDermott finished atop the country in scoring in 2013-14, the Big East Conference's MVP combined with Green to become the first players from power leagues to lead the nation in scoring in back-to-back campaigns since Louisiana State's Pete Maravich (1969-70) and Ole Miss' Johnny Neumann (1970-71) from the SEC.
In the 2016-17 campaign, Washington freshman Markelle Fultz was the only power-league player among the nation's top 14 point producers. The scoring leaders among power leagues since Robinson included (in reverse order):
Season Leader Among Power Leagues School Avg. NCAA Ranking 2016-17 Markelle Fultz Washington 23.2 sixth 2015-16 Buddy Hield Oklahoma 25.0 second 2014-15 D.J. Newbill Penn State 20.7 eighth 2013-14 Doug McDermott Creighton 26.7 first 2012-13 Erick Green Virginia Tech 25.0 first 2011-12 Terrell Stoglin Maryland 21.6 sixth 2010-11 Marshon Brooks Providence 24.6 second 2009-10 Devan Downey South Carolina 22.5 fourth 2008-09 Jodie Meeks Kentucky 23.7 seventh 2007-08 Michael Beasley Kansas State 26.2 third 2006-07 Kevin Durant Texas 25.8 fourth 2005-06 J.J. Redick Duke 26.8 second 2004-05 Ike Diogu Arizona State 22.6 sixth 2003-04 Ike Diogu Arizona State 22.8 ninth 2002-03 Troy Bell Boston College 25.2 fifth 2001-02 Casey Jacobsen Stanford 21.9 14th 2000-01 Troy Murphy Notre Dame 21.8 13th 1999-00 Eddie House Arizona State 23 fifth 1998-99 Quincy Lewis Minnesota 23.1 sixth 1997-98 Cory Carr Texas Tech 23.3 sixth 1996-97 Ed Gray California 24.8 second 1995-96 Allen Iverson Georgetown 25 seventh 1994-95 Shawn Respert Michigan State 25.6 eighth