Indiana basketball is set to host the top player in the NAIA this week for a visit in Elijah Malone from Grace College.
Malone will be on campus starting Wednesday night through Thursday, he confirms to HoosierIllustrated.com.
Malone is a 6-foot-10 big man who was named the 2024 Bevo Francis Award winner, given to the best player among all of ‘small college basketball’ which includes NCAA Div. II, Div. III, NAIA, and all junior colleges.
Malone averaged 17.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.9 assists per game this year in just 24.4 minutes a game. He shot 63 percent from the floor, 37 percent from three and 81 percent from the free throw line.
He was 38-of-103 on 3s, making 1.1 3s per game. He had 10 games with at least two made 3s.
Malone had nine double-doubles and scored in double-figures 34 times.
Malone graduates from Grace ranked No. 1 in career blocks (308) and career field goal percentage (65 percent).
He averaged 14.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game as a junior.
As a sophomore, Malone averaged 14.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. As a freshman his averages were 9.6 points and 5.4 rebounds a game.
Malone has very good skill and great size. He does a tremendous job sealing his defender in the paint and has good footwork and hands that allows him to finish at the rim despite not being a super explosive jumper. He can play on the perimeter as well which makes him a very intriguing player. Malone can take a defender off the dribble with decent handle, but he’s best either on the block or in pick and pop action. Malone is not going to be someone to put up monster numbers in the Big Ten, but he could carve out a very good role in a limited setting because of his ability to pop on the perimeter and defend the rim.
