College Basketball's Top Ten Returning Scorers for 2023-24

A new page has turned as we are about to start the 2023-24 college basketball season. We are now only a couple of months away from the game’s beginning, and the transfer portal has slowed down to a snail’s pace. While the majority of sports headlines center around college football, this is the perfect time in the college basketball cycle to start putting things together.

Everyone loves buckets. Let’s discuss the top ten returning scorers in college basketball for the 2023-24 season.

1. G Jordan Dingle, St. John’s

23.4 points, 46.4% FG, 35.6% 3P, 85.6% FT

Jordan Dingle was the second-leading scorer in D1 Men’s Basketball last season. The 6-foot-3 guard transferred from Penn to St. John’s in the offseason. The reigning Ivy League Player of the Year has scored 1,537 career points, averaging 19.5 for his career.

2. G Elijah Pepper, UC Davis

22.5 points, 44.9% FG, 32.2% 3P, 81.6% FT

Elijah Pepper finished first-team All-Big West last year after finishing second-team his previous two seasons. His 22.5 points were fourth in D1 Men’s basketball last season. The 6-foot-4 guard has scored 1,602 career points in his four seasons at UC Davis.

3. Zach Edey, Purdue

22.3 points, 60.7% FG, 0 3s Attempted, 73.4% FT

Zach Edey is the reigning National Player of the Year. Along with his 22.3 points leading the BIG Ten in scoring, his 12.9 rebounds did as well. The 7-foot-4 center has scored 1,533 points in his three-year Purdue career.

4. Max Abmas, Texas

21.9 points, 43.6% FG, 37.3% 3P, 91.9% FT

Max Abmas is D1 Men’s College Basketball’s active leading scorer with 2,561 career points. Last season was his second time being named the Summit Player of the Year. He is the second-all-time scoring leader in the Summit Conference. Abmas, originally from Dallas, transferred from Oral Roberts to Texas in the off-season.

5. C Josh Cohen, UMass

21.8 points, 58.5% FG, 0 3s Attempted, 65.6% FT

Josh Cohen was last season’s NEC Player of the Year, and his 21.8 points were 10th in D1 Men’s College Basketball. The 6-foot-10 post has scored 1,132 points in his three seasons playing at Saint Francis (PA). Cohen transferred from Saint Francis (PA) to UMass in the off-season.

6. G James Bishop, George Washington

21.6 points, 42.9% FG, 29.9% 3P, 76.6% FT

James Bishop was named first-team All-A10 last season after his third consecutive year averaging more than 16.5 points per game. Originally signed with LSU, Bishop has scored 1,518 points in his three years at George Washington.

7. F Drew Pember, UNC Asheville

20.9 points, 46.4% FG, 38.0% 3P, 83.7% FT

Drew Pember was named the Big South Player of the Year and the Big South Defensive Player of the Year last season. It was his second consecutive year finishing first-team All-Leauge. Pember started his college career at Tennessee. He has scored 1,243 points in his two seasons at UNC-Asheville.

8. G Jameer Nelson, Jr., TCU

20.6 points, 44.5% FG, 30.7% 3P, 77.6% FT

Jameer Nelson, Jr., so of former NBA point guard Jameer Nelson, earned first-team All-CAA last year as well as getting an All-Defense nod. The 6-foot-1 guard started his career at George Washington, and played his last two seasons at Delaware, where he averaged 16.8 points per game. This offseason, Nelson transferred to play for Jamie Dixon at TCU.

9. G Trey Calvin, Wright State

20.3 points, 49.2% FG, 39.0% 3P, 88.3% FT

Trey Calvin earned All-Horizon first-team honors last season after finishing top ten in the conference in points, assists, steals, and field goal percentage. Calvin has scored 1,532 points and knocked down 182 threes through his first four seasons at Wright State. 

t10. G Aaron Estrada, Alabama

20.2 points, 47.8% FG, 36.8% 3P, 80.9% FT

Aaron Estrada is the back-to-back CAA Conference Player of the Year. In his two seasons at Hofstra, he has scored 1,219 points. Last season he led the league in field goal attempts while finishing fifth with 4.3 assists per game. Alabama is Estrada’s fourth school, starting off at St. Peter’s and spending time at Oregon and Hofstra. 

t10. SF Dalton Knecht, Tennessee

20.2 points, 47.9% FG, 38.1% 3P, 77.1% FT

Dalton Knecht finished second-team All-Big Sky last season after leading the conference in points per game. Knecht started his college career at Northeastern Junior College, where he averaged 17.5 points through his two seasons. He then transferred to Northern Colorado, where he averaged 14.3 points and shot 37.3 percent from three over the last two years. This offseason, Knecht transferred to Tennessee.

t10. G Andrew Taylor, Mississippi State 

20.2 points, 41.7% FG, 36,4% 3P, 80.0% FT

Andrew Taylor finished first-team All-Sun Belt last season after finishing top five in the conference in points, assists, steals, and three-point percentage. Taylor has started all 110 games in his career and scored 1,609 points. Taylor transferred from Marshall to Mississippi State this off-season.