Now things get interesting. With top 50 (or so) top centers already profiled and my quixotic belief that I shouldn't repeat players (and who would really want to read about Ekpe Udoh every week?), this column requires increased digging. I am not complaining because the depth of Division 1 basketball is one of the best things about fantasy college basketball. It is akin to fantasy baseball except all of the minor leagues would be included. This is the same sort of appeal to those fantasy owners who like digging for their own players. Or they can just stop by CFHI and let us do the digging for you.
Luka Mirkovic, Northwestern Wildcats
Unfortunately for fantasy owners, the Wildcats do not need their 6-foot-11 Serbian postman to score very much. Even without Kevin Coble, Northwestern had a number of other scoring options, including John Shurna (17.3 points), Michael Thompson (13.4), and freshman Drew Crawford (11.1). Nevertheless, Mirkovic, a sophomore, is an important piece to the Northwestern puzzle for this year and for the next two. He is already an impact rebounder and is second on the team with 6.5 boards. His importance on the glass has increased during Big Ten conference play, as he has averaged 10.1 rebounds in six games against familiar foes. Mirkovic has also showed off some passing skills with 3.5 assists in league play. While he is unlikely to be a centerpiece-type center, he could be someone to watch.
Brendon Knox, Auburn Tigers
In his senior season, the 6-foot-10 Knox has shown flashes of promise. Those flashes haven't been enough to get him in the starting lineup (at least not since the first three games), but when he is on the court and actually has the ball in his hands, he knows what to do with it: put it in the hoop. Knox is making 70.8% of his shots and is averaging 8.7 points despite playing just 20 minutes per game. He had his best game against South Carolina (those de-throners of Kentucky). He went 9 of 11 from the field and ended up with 22 points and seven rebounds in the loss. If you have him on your squad, you have to take the good with the bad. For example, in his most recent game against Vanderbilt, he played just 12 minutes before fouling out. Knox is an option in SEC-heavy leagues.
Nkem Ojougboh, Northeastern Huskies
Through his basketball travels, Ojougboh has been seen as a work in progress. Based on his numbers in his senior season, the work is starting to look pretty good. Until their January 27 loss against Drexel, the Huskies had won 11 games in a row, and their 6-foot-9 senior is a big reason why. He is averaging career-highs of 10.1 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks. The last number is particularly significant because Ojougboh had not had much affect on opponents' shots in his first three seasons (including his freshman year at UT-San Antonio). He has blocked 12 shots in his last three games, including five in the loss to the Dragons. Ojougboh is also shooting 58.9% from the field and hasn't fouled out of a game since December 29. With eight games left on schedule, you can expect Ojougboh to finish his collegiate career in style.
Greg Smith, Fresno State Bulldogs
Smith, a 6-foot-10 freshman, looked like the odds on favorite to win the WAC Freshman of the Year before Bulldog stud Paul George went out with a sprained ankle. In his first game as the go-to player for the Bulldog offense, Smith provided 25 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists to help Fresno State defeat Nevada. It was his fourth double-double of the season, although three of them came in the first four games of the season. Smith is averaging 12.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks, but those numbers figure to get a nice bump while George is out for the next three weeks. Smith is not without his flaws: he had seven turnovers against the Wolf Pack and he is converting just 58.4% of his free throws. When George comes back, he and Smith should form the basis of one of the best frontcourts west of the Rockies.
Mike Muscala, Bucknell Bison
Like Smith, Muscala is a freshman, but there were very few expectations placed on him prior to the season. Blue Ribbon conjectured that he might be too skinny to hold up to the pounding of big time college basketball, but the 6-foot-10, 223 lb Muscala has shown intestinal fortitude in his first season. He started very slowly with just 26 points in his first seven games. Muscala broke out in a high-scoring loss to Cornell on December 2 with 20 points on 9 of 11 shooting. Since that point, he has seen his role increase and he even joined the starting lineup on December 30. In his most recent game on January 27, he had his first double-double with 16 points and 10 blocks to help the Bison defeat Lehigh. If you are in a dynasty league, Muscala would be worth adding now so you don't have to worry about your center slot for the next few years.
Yamene Coleman, Troy Trojans
I used to write an annual column in which I spotlighted players coming from Tier 1 schools to smaller programs. In general, these big fish generally made rather small splashes because they were over-recruited and didn't really belong in Tier 1. However, now and then, a big school transfer would make a cannonball. While Coleman, who transferred from Alabama, has not produced a tsunami of production, the 6-foot-9 center is coming along as a Trojan. In his senior season, he is averaging 10.6 points and 8.0 rebounds. His high marks with the Crimson Tide were 3.7 points and 3.8 boards. Coleman has been particularly effective in his last six games in which he has averaged 12.0 points and 10.8 rebounds. He is not a good free throw shooter (54.2%), but he doesn't go to the line often (2.4 free throws per game). If you are in need of a center for the stretch drive, you could do worse than Coleman.
William Mosley, Northwestern State Demons
Another nice thing about finding centers in the Tier 3 and 4 conferences is that they don't always have to be "center" sized. Take Mosley, for example. At 6-foot-7, 220 lbs, he would barely qualify as a small forward in Tier 1. However, in the Southland, the Demon can and does qualify as a center. Mosley has had three tremendous rebounding efforts in his last six games, including 17 boards against Southern-New Orleans, 21 rebounds against Southeastern Louisiana, and 19 rebounds in his most recent game against Stephen F. Austin on January 27. He added 13 points for his first double-double. Mosley is also a nice shot blocker with 2.8 rejections, but like other players on this list, he is brutal from the line. His 41.8% on freebies is actually an improvement from his freshman season (35.8%). If you can take the hit in points (5.8), Mosley can supply boards and blocks aplenty.