College Basketball: Player of the Year Week 19 Power Rankings

The college basketball regular seasons have come to an end, and we are prepping for conference tournaments. Selection Sunday is now less than a week away. With that, we have gathered a pretty good understanding of where these players stand in terms of player of the year conversation.

Zach Edey, the reigning national player of the year, has held such a title in these power rankings from the start of the season. No one has done much to even make the top spot a conversation to this point. Right behind Edey, Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht and UNC’s RJ Davis have separated themselves along with Houston point guard Jamal Shead. While Edey is in a tier of his own at this point, nothing can move things around like a loud March run.

Here we stand on March 11, so let’s discuss the power rankings for college basketball’s national player of the year.

1. C Zach Edey, Purdue

The Buzz: The reigning National Player of the Year is the best player on a Purdue team that has remained in the top five for the entire season. Zach Edey’s 24.2 points per game are second in Division One and his 11.7 rebounds are third. He has scored in double figures every game this season which includes 22 double-doubles. In B10 conference play, Edey’s numbers have jumped to 25.4 points and 12.9 rebounds

2. F Dalton Knecht, Tennessee

The Buzz: Once Dalton Knecht came back 100 percent healthy from an ankle injury suffered in a 37-point November game against UNC, he has been on a tear. The 6-foot-6 transfer from Northern Colorado simply continues to put out more impressive performances. Already this season, Knecht has seen seven 30-plus point games including 40 in his last game against Kentucky. His scoring output has been consistent and it has been efficient, shooting 40.5 percent from three. Knecht’s 21.4 points lead the SEC and his 557 points produced is second.

3. G RJ Davis, UNC

The Buzz: There were a lot of questions about UNC coming into the season. Especially coming off a season where they did not make the NCAA Tournament and opted out of all post-season events. RJ Davis came into this season, on a mission. No longer sharing the backcourt with the departed Caleb Love, Davis immediately took control of this team, leading the Tar Heels to another regular season ACC title. Davis’ 21.1 points lead the ACC, and he is shooting 41.6 percent from three while dishing 3.5 assists per contest. 

4. G Jamal Shead, Houston

The Buzz: Houston moved into the Big 12 this season, and in doing so, the team did not seem to miss a beat. The Cougars are led by their senior point guard Jamal Shead. The reigning AAC Defensive Player of the Year leads the team in assists (6.1) and steals (2.3) per game, terrorizing the opposition at the point of attack. The 6-foot-1 guard has even upped his production during Big 12 play, jumping to 15.7 points and 6.5 assists per game. Houston heads into conference tournament play with a nine-game win streak and as the No. 1 team in the country.

5. C DaRon Holmes, Dayton

The Buzz: It would be hard to discount what DaRon Holmes was able to do this year. Already a first-team All-A10 performer, Holmes upped the ante in 2023-24. The 6-foot-10 center leads the A10 in scoring at 20.2 per game. His 8.3 rebounds per game are second in the conference and his 2.1 blocks are fourth. Holmes has scored in double figures in all but three games this season and has finished with eight double-doubles, including in six of his last eight games. The post is shooting 38.7 percent from three and 55.1 percent from the field on the season.

6. G Devin Carter, Providence

The Buzz: Devin Carter went from a good Big East starter to arguably the most productive player in the league in December. Now the 6-foot-3 guard is second in the conference with 19.4 points per game, third with 8.6 rebounds, and fourth at 1.7 steals per game. Carter has not only been one of the Big East’s top perimeter defenders, he has also grown into one of the top offensive threats. In Big East play, Carter is averaging 21.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. His 18.6 points produced per game leads the conference. Even for a team that finished 10-10 in conference play, his production is hard to ignore. 

7. G Tristen Newton, UConn

The Buzz: UConn, the defending NCAA Tournament Championships, has remained in the top five of the A.P. Poll throughout the season. Tristen Newton has been a large part of that as the former East Carolina transfer has had two triple-doubles on the season and eight double-doubles. In Big East play, the 6-foot-3 guard has averaged 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 5.8 assists. On a team that has five players in double figures and eight playing more than 13.0 minutes per night, Newton has been a constant force.

8. G Mark Sears, Alabama

The Buzz: Alabama has been the most prolific offense in college basketball this season, and a big reason for that has been the play of point guard Mark Sears. Sears’ 21.1 points are second in the SEC, just 0.3 behind leader Dalton Knecht. The 6-foot-1 Ohio transfer’s 4.1 assists per game are sixth in the league and his 1.7 steals are fifth. Alabama has remained in the top 25 for the better part of SEC play as they will carry a three-seed into the SEC Tournament. Sears has scored in double figures in all but one game, including 20-plus points in 16 of his last 18 games played. He is shooting 50.6 percent from the field, 44.1 percent from three, and 86.4 percent from the free-throw line.

9. G Tyler Kolek, Marquette

The Buzz: While others on the team might be flashier, it is Tyler Kolek who has been the reason Marquette has remained in the top ten throughout the season. Kolek bleeds leadership, simply a player you trust with the ball in his hands. If he is not scoring 20 or more, he is dishing double-figure assists. He can find the mismatch and exploit it. He has six point/assist double-doubles on the season, with eight games with ten or more assists. Marquette is 23-8, currently sitting at No. 10 in the A.P. men’s college basketball Poll.

10. G Antonio Reeves, Kentucky

The Buzz: With so much going on around Antonio Reeves, he has been a consistent scoring threat this season. Even while there has been a lot of up-and-down play for the Wildcats, the fifth-year-senior has been in double figures for all but one game. Reeves has scored 20 or more in each of his last seven games, and 13 times overall in SEC play. Even taking 14.0 shots per game, the 6-foot-5 guard has maintained shooting percentages of 50.7 from the field and 44.0 from three. College Basketball Reference says that Kentucky’s 89.5 points per game are the second most in men’s Division 1. Reeves leads the Wildcats in minutes, shot attempts, and points.