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'BT Powerhouse 25' - #6 Bryant McIntosh

BTPowerhouse's staff counts down the best players in the Big Ten heading into the 2017-’18 season.

By Justin Frommer
NCAA Basketball: Northwestern at Maryland Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

In the months leading up to the 2017-’18 college basketball season, BTPowerhouse will be releasing a new series called the 'BTPowerhouse 25,' which features the Top 25 players in the Big Ten as voted by members of the staff. All players set to be on Big Ten rosters for next season were eligible during the staff vote with their top selection receiving 25 points and their 25th and final selection receiving 1 point.

Today's edition will take a brief look at Bryant McIntosh of the Northwestern Wildcats, who came in at No. 6 in the rankings. After leading Northwestern to their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance, McIntosh will look to lead the Wildcats to two straight.

'BTPowerhouse 25' - #6 Bryant McIntosh:

  • Eligibility: Senior
  • Career Totals: 100 games, 3,439 minutes, 1,341 points, 294 rebounds, 551 assists
  • 2016-17 Averages: 34.2 min, 14.8 pts, 2.8 rebs, 5.2 asts, 0.1 blks, 0.7 stls
  • Positional Role: Point Guard

Last season it finally happened. The Northwestern Wildcats saw their name and logo appear in the bracket on Selection Sunday. When the moment finally arrived nobody was more excited and emotional than Junior point guard Bryant McIntosh.

“For a while, you question if you are ever going to be a part of it,” McIntosh said. “Now, to see our name pop up on that video board….I am speechless.” (Sports Illustrated)

McIntosh, now entering his final season as a Wildcat does not want just one tournament appearance to be his collegiate career highlight. A strong senior campaign by McIntosh could lead to a second straight trip to the Big Dance.

Player Strengths

McIntosh is known as the "floor general" for Northwestern as well as one of the most skilled guards in the Big Ten. There is a reason he played over 34 minutes a game last season for the Wildcats. He is one of the most valuable talents in the Big Ten. Though he is not a strong shooter from three-point range, McIntosh does most of his damage from midrange shots and at the rim. His field goal percentage in the paint is over 51 percent while his midrange shooting percentage is 41 percent from the field.

Last season, Mcintosh’s supporting cast vastly improved with the emergence of players like Scottie Lindsey and Vic Law. This allowed McIntosh to become one of the best ball distributors in the conference. Though his assist numbers went down from his sophomore to junior seasons, McIntosh was able to use the threat of his midrange shot to find open passes to players like Lindsey on the perimeter.

Areas for Improvement

If there is one area that McIntosh can improve on, it is holding on to the basketball. Since arriving in Evanston, Macintosh’s yearly turnover averages has increased in every year. As a freshman he averaged 2.4 turnovers per game. As a sophomore, he averaged 2.5 and last season as a junior averaged 2.7 turnovers per game.

Leading the Wildcats at point guard for his fourth straight season, McIntosh will need to take care of the ball better to return to the NCAA Tournament.

Player Projection

McIntosh most likely will not hear his name called in April’s NBA Draft. However, he does have the skill level to make a case for a last roster spot on a NBA team with a good summer league. The realistic future for McIntosh is a long and successful career playing overseas or in the NBA G-League.

‘BT Powerhouse 25’ Rankings:

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