They say players make their biggest strides between their freshman and sophomore campaigns. That is the case at tier two schools, or so called mid-majors, just as it at BCS schools. Some players like Gordon Hayward of Butler and Luke Babbitt of Nevada are well known commodities so this list will not include them, but there are plenty of players who have avoided a sophomore slump, stepped into a big role during their second season or transferred into a situation where they were asked to put up some big numbers.
Chris Johnson, Dayton Flyers
Chris Wright has garnered all the attention at Dayton, and rightfully so, but Chris Johnson is the next Flyer superstar. As a freshman Johnson was a productive player off the bench, but now he can take over a game. Coach Brian Gregory has mostly used Johnson off the bench this year, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to leave him off the floor. Through nine games, Johnson, a 6-foot-6 wing, is averaging an impressive 13.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists. If your league gives points for steals, he also leads the team in that category.
Jordan Crawford, Xavier Musketeers
Jordan Crawford is no surprise to anybody who follows college basketball closely. The 6-foot-4 guard started at Indiana as a freshman two years ago and spent last year off the court after transferring to at Xavier. He was expected to do well, but he has done more than that. Crawford has made the Musketeers one of the most dangerous mid-major teams out there thanks to his 18.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
Orion Outerbridge, Rhode Island Rams
Orion Outerbridge might not be a household name, not even in A-10 territory, but the 6-foot-9 forward has improved greatly between his freshman and sophomore campaigns. As a freshman he tallied just 2.6 points and 0.6 rebounds per game. Through nine games as a sophomore those numbers have ballooned to 7.8 and 4.0, respectively. Outerbridge could be available in some leagues and he is only going to get better as he earns more minutes.
Willie Reed, Saint Louis Billkens
The Billikens have a whole lot of sophomores who are contributing, but this is a team that is basically only playing underclassmen. However, even on the young team, the play of Willie Reed stands above the rest. The 6-foot-9 forward had a very productive freshman campaign, but he is absolutely dominating the paint thus far in his sophomore season. Not only is he averaging a double-double in the scoring and rebounding department, but he is also a great shot blocker and averages 1.4 steals per contest.
Samme Givens, Drexel Dragons
Drexel's current record does not indicate how good this team will be by the end of the season. And the emergence of Samme Givens is a big reason why. The undersized forward has always been a good rebounder, but now he is emerging as a big time scoring threat as well. Despite his 6-5 frame, Givens is a tough scorer around the basket and is averaging 8.5 points per game through ten contests. And as his experience and confidence grows, so will his numbers.
Ryan Pearson, George Mason Patriots
A year ago Ryan Pearson was contributing approximately 17 minutes per game off the bench. Suddenly he has found himself as the main scoring threat under the basket for George Mason. His ability to stretch out the defense with his outside shooting makes him difficult to guard and that means Pearson should continue to score about ten points per game and grab at least six boards per contest.
Steven Idlet, Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Without Ray Reese on the team, Steven Idlet had no choice but to step up. And it turns out the 6-foot-10 forward is a perfect compliment to the dominating interior force of Jerome Jordan. Idlet may see his minutes dwindle as Bishop Wheatley gets back into the swing of things, but Idlet has certainly made big strides during his second year with the Golden Hurricane.
Elliot Williams, Memphis Tigers
This was a scenario that just about everybody saw coming. Memphis lost a ton of players and Williams transfers in from Duke to take over the team. However, it is not like the Tigers had no talent returning and Williams is exceeding expectations. Through eight games Williams is averaging 20.8 points per game and is third on the team in rebounding and second in assists.
Brandon Wood, Valparaiso Crusaders
Valparaiso hoped to get some production out of Brandon Wood after he transferred in from at the junior college level, but few expected him to average over 20 points per game. Wood appeared in six games for Southern Illinois during the 2007-2008 campaign before suffering a season ending injury and receiving a medical redshirt. After that he went to HighlandCommunity College where he averaged 16.1 points per game. His scoring production has gone up at Valpo and he is already emerging as the team's go-to-scorer.
Taylor Brown, Bradley Braves
Bradley lost a couple key frontcourt players and somebody had to step in and pick up the slack. Brown, a 6-foot-6 forward, only averaged 3.4 points and 3.0 rebounds as a freshman, but he has grown as a player and continues to grow. In the six games he has played in this season, Brown has led the team with 16.8 points and 6.2 rebounds and only seems to get better as the season progresses.
Toure' Murry, Wichita State Shockers
Toure' Murry is the classic example of a player who had a superb freshman campaign and hoped to avoid a sophomore slump. So far Murry has not just avoided a slump, but he has built on his earlier success. Murry is still a consistent double-digit scorer, but the 6-foot-4 guard is also second on the team in rebounding and assists. Murry was plagued by turnover problems last year, but that seems to be behind him so far this season, which has allowed Coach Gregg Marshall to keep his super scorer on the floor more often.
Oscar Bellfield, UNLV Runnin' Rebels
As a freshman Oscar Bellfield was a steady point guard, but UNLV did not do need him to do much scoring. The Runnin' Rebels still have plenty of capable scorers, but now Bellfield is one of them. The 6-foot-2 guard is a decent outside shooter, but he does most of his damage attacking the basket. His ability to hit the glass and find his teammates makes his fantasy value even greater.
Ronnie Moss, TCU Horned Frogs
They play basketball at TCU too and Coach Jim Christian has a pretty good team on his hands thanks to Ronnie Moss. The 6-foot-2 sophomore was a double-digit scorer last year, but he spent most of that time providing a spark off the bench. This time around he is averaging 35 minutes per game and running the show. Moss is among the nations leaders early in the season with his 6.8 assists per game average, but he is also a great all-around scorer and a pretty decent rebounder for his size.
Paul George, Fresno State Bulldogs
Paul George, a 6-foot-7 wing, had a great freshman campaign, but still went largely unnoticed at FresnoState despite averaging 14.3 points and 6.2 rebounds. George is emerging as a superb all-around player as a sophomore. Through nine games he is averaging an incredible 17.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.8 steals. George will even block the occasional shot. There is little doubt that George is an underappreciated player, but any fantasy team owner should know all about George by now.
Olu Ashaolu, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
There were some very high expectations for Olu Ashaolu heading into his freshman season at Louisiana Tech. However, Ashaolu only ended up averaging 5.3 points and 4.3 rebounds on the season. But now the wait is over. One year after he failed to live up to those high expectations he is exceeding them. Through 11 games, Ashaolu is averaging 12.0 points and a team high 8.7 rebounds. As long as he can learn to stay out of foul trouble and stay on the floor, those numbers could get even better by the end of the year.