The standout player for Week 18 in men’s college basketball has emerged as Alex Condon, a sophomore forward from Florida’s Gators. Impressively maintaining a consistent form, Condon, who hails from Perth, Australia, averaged 22.0 points and 12.5 rebounds, helping his team secure wins against teams ranked among the top contenders. His standout performances included a 27-point and 10-rebound contribution in a high-scoring 99-94 victory against the No. 5 ranked Alabama, followed by a solid showing against Mississippi, where he scored 17 points and secured 15 rebounds in just 23 minutes of play.
Following an ankle sprain last month, Condon has been phenomenal upon his return, showing resilience and skill. In his comeback, he initially scored nine points in 21 minutes against Georgia and further improved by scoring 11 points on an efficient 5-for-6 shooting against Texas A&M. His crucial performances against major rivals solidified the Gators’ position entering the SEC Tournament on a triumphant three-game winning streak. Positioned as the second seed in Nashville, Florida is set to face Missouri, Mississippi State, or LSU in the quarterfinals on Friday.
In excellent form, Markus Burton from Notre Dame earned the runner-up mention for the week. The junior guard demonstrated astonishing skill, setting a school record for an ACC game with a stunning 43 points, accompanied by five assists, three steals, and three rebounds in a thrilling quadruple-overtime battle against California. A remarkable 21 of those points were scored during the overtime periods. Additionally, Burton contributed 24 points and seven rebounds in a victory over Stanford, pushing his scoring average to an impressive 22.2 points per game, ranking him third in Division I men’s basketball this season.
Recognition was also given to other outstanding players for their performances. JT Toppin from Texas Tech, Treysen Eaglesaff from North Dakota, and Atin Wright from North Texas received honorable mentions due to their remarkable contributions on the court.
Additionally, one player to watch is Taelon Peter of Liberty. The senior guard, a former Arkansas Tech athlete, scored 33 points along with six rebounds and three steals in a victory over Middle Tennessee. He then followed up with 21 points and nine rebounds in a win against Western Kentucky. These wins propelled Liberty to a 16-2 finish in Conference USA, securing the No. 1 seed for their tournament via a tiebreaker against Middle Tennessee. With an overall 23-6 record, Liberty is a strong candidate for NCAA Tournament consideration, even with a potential loss this week.
