The best mid-major player in the country through the first half of the 2013-14 college basketball season has been Texas Southern center Aaric Murray.
The SWAC’s leading scorer at 24.2 per game is making the most of his third chance after failing to live up to lofty expectations at La Salle and West Virgina.
How good has the senior been this season?
During a stretch against Stanford and Lehigh in November, Murray posted back-to-back 28-point games.
A month later in a slate that featured Tulsa, Cal State Fullerton and Temple, the 6-11 big torched the Golden Hurricanes for 30, the Titans for 21 and the Owls for 48 while shooting 74 percent from the field.
In the conference opener versus Alcorn State Saturday, Murray tallied 26 and 11 to go along with five blocks.
Murray’s dominate play has led to SWAC Player of the Week honors along with recognition from national collegiate basketball scribes.
Murray, who was a top 100 recruit coming out of high school, understands that his maturation as a player and person has contributed to his success.
“I can say I’m a lot more focused now,” he told CSN Philly, comparing himself to how he used to be at La Salle and even West Virginia. “Because this is like … my last chance. I don’t want to mess it up.”
