The Big 12’s Most Dominant Big Man

Freshman sensation Oscar Tshiebwe, who nearly averages a double-double for the 7-0 Mountaineers early in the season, has already established himself as the Big 12 Conference’s most dominant, feared interior player.

Tshiebwe, a former 5 star recruit and McDonald’s All-American out of high school, currently averages 12.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.3 block shots per game while shooting 58.2% from the field.

The Big 12 is filled with outstanding players, but it is rather thin on talented big men this year.

Udoka Azubuike, the Kansas Jayhawks Center, currently averages 15.1 points, 7.6 rebounds while shooting 79.1% from the field, but has historically struggled with injuries.

Kevin Samuel of TCU, a 6’11 Sophomore Center, is averaging 11.4 points and 8.4 points per game while shooting 72.5% from the field, but is only shooting 28.6% from the foul line.

The only other player that will likely challenge Tshiebwe for the Big 12’s most dominant is his own teammate, West Virginia Sophomore Derek Culver.  Culver, who has struggled to adapt to playing alongside Tshiebwe, is averaging 11.1 points, 8.1 rebounds while only shooting 37.1% from the field.

Tshiebwe’s consistency has been his biggest problem early in his Freshman season.  Tshiebwe’s point totals have gone from 5 points against Akron to 20 points and 17 rebounds at Pitt to 4 points against Northern Colorado to 21 points and 10 rebounds against Boston to 6 points against Northern Iowa to 19 points and 11 rebounds against Wichita State and 11 points and 9 rebounds in the most recent win against Rhode Island.

In other words, he’ll have an incredible, dominant game one game and then be relatively absent the next game.  When Tshiebwe is able to become more consistent on a game to game basis, he has the potential to not only be the most dominant big man in the Big 12 but also one of the best interior players in the entire country.