Temple’s Dalton Pepper Needs Some Attention

Averaging 17.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, Temple Owls senior guard Dalton Pepper should be a household name. Other than having one of the coolest names in all of college basketball, the dude can flat-out ball. Coming off last season in which he averaged just 2.9 points in 11.3 minutes per game, he has miraculously morphed into one of the best overall players in the American Athletic Conference.

Shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 42.4 percent from 3-point range, the senior has been extremely efficient shooting the basketball. Add in an 89.5 percent free throw percentage, and you have the complete shooter. He has scored in double-figures in nine of Temple’s 12 games, and has scored over 19 points five times. In a seven-game span from November 22 until January 1, he scored in double-figures seven games in a row and racked up 22 points three times in that span.

His best games came against Georgia on November 22 (22 points, six rebounds, five assists), UAB on November 24 (24 points, seven rebounds), Texas on December 7 (20 points, four rebounds, five assists) and LIU Brooklyn on December 21 (26 points, 10 rebounds). No one is talking about this kid despite the fact that he made a giant leap from last season to this year. I have a feeling Temple will surprise a ranked team due to Pepper’s talent. Maybe then he will be recognized.

Dan Karpuc is an American Athletic Conference basketball writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @dan_karpuc, “Like” him on Facebook, and add him to your network on Google.