Ranking the best Big Ten basketball players at midway point
7. Dawson Garcia, F, Minnesota
Garcia was a highly-touted four-star recruit coming out of high school and after stops at Marquette and North Carolina to begin his college career, he is finally living up to the billing back home with Minnesota. Garcia has taken a sizable leap forward in his second season with the Golden Gophers, averaging 17.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and two assists on offense while getting nearly a block and steal per game on defense. Garcia鈥檚 25% 3-point shooting leaves something to be desired, but he shoots 45% from the field overall as a scorer that can win in the post and with his mid-range shot. The 6-foot-11 forward is also getting to the free-throw line over six times a game and shoots 82% at the charity stripe. Garcia鈥檚 play is a big reason why Minnesota has hung around the middle of the pack in the conference this season.
