It seems like North Carolina has a frontcourt player make a significant breakthrough each year. Last season, it was Brice Johnson. This season, so far, it's Isaiah Hicks.
The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 1.2 points as a freshman, 6.6 as a sophomore and 8.9 as a junior. Nothing special. But he's now averaging 15.0 points and 5.0 rebounds as a senior after getting 22 points and six rebounds in Monday night's 104-61 victory over Chaminade in UNC's Maui Invitational opener. Hicks is shooting a career-high 66.0 percent from the field and a career-high 76.5 percent from the free-throw line. He's among the main reasons why Roy Williams' Tar Heels are 5-0 with an average margin of victory of 28.8 points heading into Tuesday night's game against Brad Underwood's Oklahoma State Cowboys.
UNC is No. 7 in the updated CBS Sports Top 25 (and one).
The complete Top 25 (and one) is below.
Biggest Movers
3
Michigan
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Malik Monk scored 14 points in Sunday's win over Duquesne. The freshman guard is averaging 15.5 points in 26.0 minutes per game while shooting 38.7 percent from 3-point range. | -- | 23-10 |
| 2 |  | Josh Hart finished with a team-high 15 points in Sunday's win over UCF. Hart is averaging 19.2 points and 4.8 rebounds through five games. | -- | 18-16 |
| 3 |  | James Blackmon finished with 20 points and nine rebounds in Saturday's win over Liberty. He's shooting 51.9 percent from 3-point range. | -- | 19-14 |
| 4 |  | The Jayhawks have won three straight since a season-opening 103-99 OT loss to Indiana. Freshman Josh Jackson is averaging 14.3 points per game. | -- | 23-11 |
| 5 |  | Amile Jefferson got 17 points and 15 rebounds in Sunday's win over Rhode Island. He's averaging 13.0 points and 10.0 rebounds through five games. | -- | 27-9 |
| 6 |  | Trevon Bluiett got 21 points and eight rebounds in Sunday's win over Northern Iowa. He's averaging a team-high 18.6 points through five games. | -- | 16-18 |
| 7 |  | UNC's five wins have come by an average of 28.8 points. Isaiah Hicks is averaging a team-high 15.0 points in 26.4 minutes per game. | -- | 29-8 |
| 8 |  | The Cavaliers held Yale to 33.3 percent shooting in Sunday's blowout of the Bulldogs. Marial Shayok got 15 points off of the bench. | -- | 23-11 |
| 9 |  | Lonzo Ball finished with 20 points and 11 assists in Sunday's win over Long Beach State. The freshman guard is averaging 16.3 points, 9.0 assists and 6.3 rebounds through four games. | -- | 16-17 |
| 10 |  | Jock Landale made six of the eight shots he took and finished with 15 points in Saturday's win at Dayton. The junior center is averaging 20.3 points per game. | -- | 26-8 |
| 11 |  | Missouri transfer Johnathan Williams got 20 points on nine shots in Friday's win over Bryant. He's averaging 10.0 points and 6.7 rebounds. | -- | 27-8 |
| 12 |  | Jaylen Johnson scored 14 points in 18 minutes in Thursday's win over Long Beach State. He's averaging 15.3 points this season. | -- | 8-24 |
| 13 |  | Allonzo Trier still hasn't played for the Wildcats this season. Freshman Lauri Markkanen is averaging a team-high 19.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. | 1 | 27-9 |
| 14 |  | The Bluejays already have three top-100 KenPom wins. Kansas State transfer Marcus Foster is averaging a team-high 18.0 points per game while shooting 51.4 percent from 3-point range. | 1 | 25-10 |
| 15 |  | The Badgers have won two straight since losing 79-67 at Creighton. Bronson Koenig is averaging a team-high 17.0 points per game despite shooting just 28.9 percent from 3-point range. | 1 | 22-14 |
| 16 |  | Miami transfer Manu Lecomte's 19 points and four assists Friday pushed Baylor past Florida Gulf Coast. He's averaging 16.7 points and 7.0 assists. | 1 | 24-11 |
| 17 |  | The Spartans benefitted from a controversial ending Sunday night while beating Florida Gulf Coast 78-77. Eron Harris finished with a game-high 31 points. | 2 | 20-15 |
| 18 |  | The Rams missed eight of the 11 3-point shots they attempted in Sunday's loss to Duke. Jarvis Garrett was 0-of-4 from beyond the arc. | 2 | 12-20 |
| 19 |  | Caleb Swanigan's 19 points and 11 rebounds Friday led Purdue past Georgia State. He's averaging 20.7 points and 13.0 rebounds. | 2 | 34-5 |
| 20 |  | Nebraska transfer Andrew White got 18 points in Friday's win over Monmouth. Taurean Thompson added 12 points off of the bench. | 2 | 20-12 |
| 21 |  | Monte Morris recorded the fifth triple-double in Iowa State history during Sunday's win over The Citadel. The senior point guard finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and zero turnovers. | 3 | 29-8 |
| 22 |  | The Mountaineers forced New Hampshire into 34 turnovers in Sunday's win over the Wildcats. West Virginia is causing turnovers on 34.2 percent of its opponents' possessions. | 3 | 9-23 |
| 23 |  | The Shockers made 15 3-pointers and shot 66.0 percent from the field in Sunday's win over Maryland-Eastern Shore. Landry Shamet and Daishon Smith each had 16 points. | 3 | 15-19 |
| 24 |  | The Wolverines already have two top-50 KenPom wins. Zak Irvin is averaging a team-high 14.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. | NR | 8-24 |
| 25 |  | KeVaughn Allen is one of three Gators averaging at least 12 points per game. He's 11-of-11 from the free throw line so far this season. | NR | 24-12 |
| 26 |  | The Bearcats' lone loss is a 76-71 neutral-court loss to Rhode Island. Jacob Evans is averaging a team-high 20.3 points per game. | NR | 22-15 |
