At the midway point of the 2024-25 men's college basketball season, the player of the year race seemed just about over. Auburn's Johni Broome was the best player on the best team in the country, averaging career highs in points, rebounds and assists while blocking nearly three shots per game.
Then everything changed on Jan. 11.
Broome suffered an ankle injury against South Carolina, while Duke's Cooper Flagg had one of the biggest breakout games of any freshman in college basketball history: 42 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists in a win over Notre Dame.