After class of 2018 signee Jordan Lathon was refused admission, Chris Collins was in dire need of a point guard. Then-high school junior Ryan Greer had already been offered a scholarship to play the following year but decided to reclassify and head to Evanston earlier than expected.

Since then, Greer has yet to solidify a starting role on the team, despite being the most experienced point guard on the squad during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. However, the junior was at times a small bright spot for the ‘Cats in the past year, as he has made impressive strides from his underclassmen seasons.

Stats

The following numbers are taken from KenPom.com

Greer’s accuracy is notable, as the Atlanta native was shooting higher than 50% on both field goals and three-pointers. Additionally, according to NUsports.com, Greer contributed 63 points this season, nearly three times his total of 24 from last season.

Greer’s 2.6 to 1 assist-to-turnover ratio is illustrative of his reliability as a passer as well as his improved ball handling skills. He also contributed just 19 fouls through more than 300 minutes of playing time.

Shot Distribution

The following percentages are taken from hoop-math.com

Greer’s shots this season were evenly distributed between the rim, mid-range and behind the arc. The junior had the second highest true shooting percentage on the squad, mostly thanks to his above accuracy at the rim and from deep. He took a slightly higher percentage of shots from beyond the arc and when he wasn’t shooting the 3-ball, he had success shooting floaters at the rim. Greer’s high percentage of assisted field goals at the rim is likely due to plays like this, in which he grabbed a pass from Miller Kopp after making a cut inside.

The Good

With the additions of Chase Audige and Ty Berry, playing time for Greer looked to be sparse heading into this season. Nevertheless, the junior made massive strides from last season and proved himself a formidable addition off of the bench.

The Bad

While Greer’s experience and leadership were effective on the court, his ball handling skills are not up to the caliber of other Big Ten point guards. Despite having improved as an all-around player, he still struggles to guard some of the better athletes in the league.

The Bottom Line

In what was a disappointing season for Chris Collins’ squad, Greer’s improvement was one notable positive. Despite only playing around 30% of the time, his accurate shooting and reliable energy were refreshing to see on the court. The junior’s strides from last season are perhaps best illustrated by this sequence of tweets: