The most skilled big man in College Basketball currently plays in Tallahassee, Florida. The Florida State Seminoles may have had their ups and downs through the first month of the season, but Malique Ewin has put his skillset on the table. Ewin has played a crucial role in big wins for Florida State this season and continues to emerge as a top player in the country.
The hype around Ewin heading into this season was deserved. This was a player who was praised by his teammates and coaching staff once he transferred to Florida State. In the basketball program's history, there’s never been a big man who possessed the skill of ball-handling, scoring, and playmaking at the level that Ewin has shown this season.
Ewin’s journey to Florida State is an interesting one. His college career began at Ole Miss as he later transferred to South Plains where he played at the JUCO level. Ewin used that year as a chance to elevate himself as an all-around player. Ewin averaged 15 points along with nine rebounds on 62 percent shooting. Ewin took the NJCAA by storm by emerging as the #1 player while leading his team to a Conference Championship and winning Player of the Year.
While Ewin was dominating at the JUCO level, Florida State was taking notice of what the big man was doing. Sure, he was playing at a lower level from Division I. But Ewin’s skillset as a big man was off the charts. He proved he could be a multi-dimensional talent and could lead a team in multiple ways. With that being said, Florida State gave him an offer and he later accepted it.
The journey back to Division I basketball was not an easy adjustment for Ewin. The biggest struggle for him was playing through physicality. Opposing teams understood that and made sure to pressure him in critical moments. Ewin went scoreless in Florida State’s season opener against Northern Kentucky. Also, in the Seminoles’ first loss against Florida, he was shut down by the Gators’ defense.
The Florida loss was an embarrassing one not only for Ewin but the entire Seminoles team. It’s a hard pill to swallow when a team loses to their rival on their home floor. Florida State had to bounce back after a subpar performance. In order to do so, they needed better production from their starting center.
Ewin became a monster moving forward. He became more physical on both ends of the floor while also displaying his skillset on the offensive end. Ewin bounced back from his poor performance vs Florida with 13 points and 6 rebounds on 6/8 shooting in a win against Hofstra. What stood out in that performance was his ability to control the paint as a scorer and rebounded. Ewin’s impact helped the Noles bounce back in a 79-61 victory at home.
Ewin’s performance against Hofstra was the beginning of his high level play. As time continued, he became more comfortable playing his style of basketball while continuing to match the opposing team’s physicality. Sooner than later, Florida State’s offense began to run through Ewin as he caught the ball on the block and created opportunities for himself and his teammates.
Ewin later dominated the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip Off against Temple and UMass. He averaged 16 points and 8 rebounds on 70 percent shooting over the weekend. The performances were a sign that Ewin could not be stopped. Once again, he became the number one option for Florida State by being in control and dominating. Ewin’s performances led the Noles to an undefeated record over the weekend as they continued to roll on a four-game winning streak.
Although Florida State has had their recent struggles, Ewin has continued to produce at a high level. In a high octane game against NC State, Ewin scored 23 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. Truth be told, if he didn’t foul out during the second half, Florida State could have walked out with a win. The biggest challenge for Ewin moving forward is staying out of foul trouble. His impact is crucial to the team and it’s important that he stays on the floor.
As of today, Malique Ewin is averaging 12.2 points along with seven rebounds on 55 percent shooting. It took time for him to find his rhythm but Ewin is looking like one of the best players on the floor for Florida State. As conference play kicks off in a few weeks, Ewin will face a few of the ACC’s top big men. Considering high high level play through the first few months of the season, he’ll be able to answer the challenge and continue to be a leading factor in Florida State’s success.