Zach Edey, Trayce Jackson-Davis headline top 25 performances of season
Following a dominant 77-61 home win over Michigan State back on Jan. 29, Purdue junior Zach Edey — who towers over defenders at 7-foot-4, 300 pounds — was asked how he would go about guarding himself if he were an opposing coach.
"I have no idea," Edey replied.
It’s a simple response, but one shared by coaches across the college basketball landscape, including Hall of Famer Tom Izzo, who simply didn’t have an answer for Edey on that Sunday afternoon in late January.
Edey’s 38-point, 13-rebound performance that day was one of the most dominant individual outings in a regular season that was filled with plenty of them. But where does it rank among the best showings of the 2022-23 campaign?
Here is a breakdown of the top 25 individual performances in college basketball this season.
1. Zach Edey, Purdue
Opponent: Michigan State
Date: Jan. 16, 2023
Stats: 32 points, 17 rebounds
Not only did Edey put up 32 points and 17 boards in a crucial Big Ten matchup against Michigan State, but he also hit the game-winning shot with three seconds remaining to lead the Boilermakers to a 64-63 win on the road. In doing so, Edey became the only Big Ten player in the last 25 years with multiple 30-point, 15-rebound games in the same season.
Zach Edey hits go-ahead bucket against Michigan State
2. Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky
Opponent: Georgia
Date: Jan. 17, 2023
Stats: 37 points, 24 rebounds, three steals
The reigning national player of the year got off to a slow start this season, but he came on strong in the second half. With his 37-point, 24-rebound outing against Georgia, Tshiebwe became the first player to record 35-plus points and 20-plus boards in a game since Trevion Williams had 36 and 20 against Michigan on Jan. 9, 2020.
3. Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Opponent: Michigan State
Date: Jan. 22, 2023
Stats: 31 points, 15 rebounds, five blocks
Jackson-Davis played the best basketball of his college career from mid-January through mid-February. That included a 31-point, 15-rebound, five-block, four-assist effort in a victory over Michigan State. In doing so, Jackson-Davis became just the second Division I player in the last 15 seasons to record that type of stat line. It also marked the 40th double-double of his career.
4. Bryce Hopkins, Providence
Opponent: Marquette
Date: Dec. 20, 2022
Stats: 29 points, 23 rebounds
Hopkins, who has enjoyed an outstanding season with the Friars after spending his freshman year at Kentucky, put up 29 points and 23 rebounds in a 103-98 double-overtime win against Marquette. He became the first Providence player since 2010 to record 20-plus points and 20-plus rebounds in a game.
5. Zach Edey, Purdue
Opponent: Michigan State
Date: Jan. 29, 2023
Stats: 38 points, 13 rebounds
As good as Edey was in the first matchup of the season against Michigan State, he was equally impressive in the second outing. The newly-minted Big Ten player of the year put up 38 points and 13 rebounds in a dominant 77-61 victory over the Spartans. In doing so, Edey became the first Purdue player to have at least 38 points, 13 rebounds and three assists in a game since Glenn Robinson had 41-13-3 vs. Portland back in 1993.
6. Markquis Nowell, Kansas State
Opponent: Baylor
Date: Jan. 7, 2023
Stats: 32 points, 14 assists
Nowell helped guide Kansas State to a 23-8 record and an 11-7 mark in Big 12 play this season. He scored 36 points in a road win at Texas on Jan. 3, and then followed that up with 32 points and 14 assists in a road win at Baylor that same week. In doing so, Nowell became the first Wildcat with consecutive 30-point games since Michael Beasley did it in four straight games from Feb. 23-March 4, 2008.
7. Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana
Opponent: Purdue
Date: Feb. 25, 2023
Stats: 35 points, seven rebounds
Not only did Hood-Schifino put up a career-high 35 points on the road, but he did so against the Hoosiers’ in-state rival. The standout freshman led IU to an upset over the Boilermakers, becoming the first Indiana player to score 20-plus points at Mackey Arena since Yogi Farrell scored 21 in January 2015.
Jalen Hood-Schifino speaks on win over Purdue
8. Emoni Bates, Eastern Michigan
Opponent: Toledo
Date: Jan. 24, 2023
Stats: 43 points, seven rebounds
Bates, a former No. 1 recruit coming out of high school, delivered a jaw-dropping performance against Toledo back in late January, scoring 43 points, including 29 straight to close out the first half. He established career highs for points (43), field goals made (15) and 3-pointers made (nine), while also grabbing seven rebounds. Bates’ 43 points were the most by an Eastern Michigan player since Ray Lee scored 50 points in 2017. It marked the ninth-highest point total scored in a game in school history.
9. Markquis Nowell, Kansas State
Opponent: Texas
Date: Jan. 3, 2023
Stats: 36 points, nine assists
Nowell’s 36-point outing in a 116-103 win over Texas on Jan. 3 marked the seventh-highest point total scored in a Big 12 game in program history. It was the highest point total since Barry Brown dropped 38 points against Oklahoma State back in 2018.
10. Zach Edey, Purdue
Opponent: Minnesota
Date: Dec. 4, 2022
Stats: 31 points 22 rebounds
Edey had a dominant outing in an impressive 89-70 win over Minnesota in the Boilermakers’ Big Ten opener. He recorded 22 rebounds on his own, while Minnesota totaled 21 rebounds as a team. With that, Edey became the first major-conference player to out-rebound an opponent in a league game since 2009-10.
11. Azuolas Tubelis, Arizona
Opponent: Oregon
Date: Feb. 2, 2023
Stats: 40 points, nine rebounds
Tubelis has been a force for the Wildcats this season, leading the Pac-12 in scoring and rebounding. He put up 40 points against Oregon on Feb. 2, which was the highest point total by a Wildcat since 1995, when Damon Stoudamire had 40 points against Washington State.
12. Foster Loyer, Davidson
Opponent: Wright State
Date: Nov. 9, 2022
Stats: 38 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists
Loyer, who transferred to Davidson from Michigan State in 2021, had a career game against Wright State back in early November. The former Spartan scored 38 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and dished out nine assists in the Wildcats’ 102-97 victory. He became the first player since Jermaine Morrow to have at least 35 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in a game.
13. Kris Murray, Iowa
Opponent: Georgia Tech
Date: Nov. 29, 2022
Stats: 31 points, 20 rebounds, four assists
Murray put together an outstanding individual performance in Iowa's 81-65 win over Georgia Tech. The Hawkeyes junior forward put up 31 points, 20 rebounds and four assists in the victory. The last Iowa player to pull down 20 or more rebounds in a game was Kris’ brother, Keegan, back on Nov. 16, 2021. Murray’s 20-rebound performance marked the 25th time in program history that feat was accomplished.
14. Drew Pember, UNC Asheville
Opponent: Presbyterian
Date: Jan. 25, 2023
Stats: 48 points, 12 rebounds
Pember had the highest-scoring total of any Division I player in a game this season, dropping 48 points in a win over Presbyterian. Pember was 14-of-24 from the field and 8-of-10 from 3-point range, while also adding 12 rebounds in the victory.
15. Jalen Pickett, Penn State
Opponent: Illinois
Date: Feb. 14, 2023
Stats: 41 points, eight assists
Pickett is the only Big Ten player to top the 40-point mark in a game this season. The Nittany Lions senior guard did so in an impressive 93-81 win over Illinois back on Feb. 14. Pickett hit 15 of his 20 shots, including 5-of-9 from 3-point range, while also adding eight assists in the victory. His 41 points was the highest total scored by a Penn State player in a conference game since they joined the Big Ten.
16. Eric Williams, San Diego
Opponent: Utah State
Date: Nov. 17, 2022
Stats: 43 points, 13 rebounds
There were four Division I players to record a double-double with 40-plus points this season, and one of those games belonged to Williams. A 6-foot-7 senior guard who had previous stops at Oregon and Duquesne, Williams exploded for 43 points and 13 boards in an overtime loss to Utah State back on Nov. 17.
17. Morris Udeze, New Mexico
Opponent: Northern Colorado
Date: Nov. 27, 2022
Stats: 33 points, 14 rebounds
Udeze exploded for 33 points and 14 rebounds in a win over Northern Colorado. He became the first player in New Mexico program history to record at least 33 points and 14 rebounds in a game since Ruben Douglas put up 39 points and 14 rebounds against Utah back in 2003.
18. Jesse Edwards, Syracuse
Opponent: Wake Forest
Date: March 4, 2023
Stats: 27 points, 20 rebounds, five steals
Edwards celebrated his senior night with a career game, putting up 27 points and 20 rebounds, to go along with five steals and two blocks as Syracuse defeated Wake Forest 72-63 to close out the regular season. Edwards became just the 11th player this season to record a 20-20 stat line.
19. Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Opponent: Illinois
Date: Jan. 19, 2023
Stats: 35 points, nine rebounds, five assists
Jackson-Davis led Indiana to its first win over Illinois since 2019 and put on an incredible display on both ends of the court. The senior forward hit 15 of 19 shots from the field for 35 points, while also grabbing nine rebounds, five assists and three blocked shots in the victory.
20. Drew Timme, Gonzaga
Opponent: Alabama
Date: Dec. 17, 2022
Stats: 29 points, 10 rebounds, four assists
Timme has enjoyed a storied career at Gonzaga, but his best game of the 2022-23 season came in a memorable victory over Alabama back in mid-December. The All-American big man put up 29 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in the win. Timme has now topped the 25-point, 10-rebound mark nine times in his career.
21. Keyonte George, Baylor
Opponent: West Virginia
Date: Jan. 11, 2023
Stats: 32 points, seven rebounds
George is enjoying a standout freshman season at Baylor and is expected to make plenty of noise in the NCAA Tournament. His best game of the season came back in mid-January when he recorded 32 points, seven rebounds and was 5-of-9 from 3-point range. He became the first player in program history to record 30 points, five rebounds and five 3-pointers made in a game since Pierre Jackson in 2012.
22. KJ Williams, LSU
Opponent: Wake Forest
Date: Dec. 10, 2022
Stats: 35 points, 10 rebounds
Williams, who transferred to LSU this offseason after spending the past four years at Wichita State, has been outstanding for the Tigers. His 35-point, 10-rebound outing against Wake Forest marked the 30th double-double of his career.
23. Marcus Sasser, Houston
Opponent: USF
Date: Jan. 11, 2023
Stats: 31 points, four assists
Sasser is the best player on arguably the best team in the country. The Cougars senior guard had a career night against USF back on Jan. 11, putting up a career-high 31 points in the win. He scored 25 of his 31 points in the second half, which accounted for more than half of the Houston offense.
24. Kendric Davis, Memphis
Opponent: UCF
Date: Jan. 11, 2023
Stats: 42 points, five rebounds, four assists
Davis, who transferred to Memphis after spending his freshman year at TCU, and three years after that at SMU, put on an offensive show in a 107-104 double-overtime loss to UCF back on Jan. 11. The 6-foot senior guard put up a career-high 42 points, while also adding five rebounds and four assists in the game. His 42-point effort is tied for the fifth-highest point total in program history.
25. Jalen Wilson, Kansas
Opponent: Duke
Date: Nov. 15, 2022
Stats: 25 points, 11 rebounds, five assists
Wilson put up a double-double against Kentucky in the 2020 Champions Classic, and then followed that up with a 25-point, 11-rebound outing against Duke in the 2022 version. He is the first and only Kansas player to record multiple double-doubles in the event.
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