Aside from freshman Anthony Gaines, no Northwestern player saw a bigger minutes-jump from 2016-2017 to 2017-2018 than Jordan Ash (3.8 to 12.7 per game). After playing sparingly as a sophomore, Ash found meaningful minutes as a junior, largely contributing as a solid defender and complementary player offensively. Ash’s role wasn’t to create offense or initiate many sets, but the Bolingbrook, Ill. native’s defensive prowess and ability to take care of the ball allowed him to surpass Isiah Brown in the rotation as Bryant McIntosh’s backup (though McIntosh rarely sat).
Ash missed the final seven games of the season with a lower-body injury, meaning he didn’t get the chance to prove himself as a starter when McIntosh went down for two games with a shoulder injury.