In With An Agent

Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest

Cole Aldrich, Kansas

Manny Harris, Michigan

Craig Brackins, Iowa State

Lance Stephenson, Cincinnati

Evan Turner, Ohio State

Testing The Waters

James Anderson, Oklahoma State

Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech

Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall

Herb Pope, Seton Hall

Jeff Robinson, Seton Hall

Paul George, Fresno State

Kenneth Faried, Morehead State

Daniel Orton, Kentucky

Darnell Dodson, Kentucky

Tommy Mason Griffin, Oklahoma

Armon Bassett, Ohio

Avery Bradley, Texas

Xavier Henry, Kansas

Going Back To School

Jeff Taylor, Vanderbilt

Elias Harris, Gonzaga

The first weekend is in the books and was it ever action packed.  The following players stood out in round two.  Some of them improved their draft stock, some of them went from unknown to media darlings, and some continued the strong play they've shown all season. 

Omar Samhan, St. Mary's

Here’s a guy most people had never heard of, never mind seen play coming into the NCAA tournament. Now Omar Samhan is a household name. At 6-11, 260 pounds Omar is an absolute load in the paint. He dominated Villanova on Saturday in a variety of different ways. Omar beat his opponents down the floor in transition, hit the mid range jumper, created space for himself in the post, scored at the line, and provided the necessary senior leadership to keep his team believing. Omar shot 13-16 from the floor, going for 32 total points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. Samhan has become one of the tournament darlings, not just for his play but his outspoken personality on the court. As the leader of this Gaels team, Omar plays the crowd onto his side and has been providing the media with some great quotes at the press conferences. Samhan has the size and the skill set to play in the NBA and I think scouts took notice. With a regimented workout plan to turn some of the baby fat into muscle before the draft and another game or two like this past weekend, we may have not seen the last of Omar Samhan.

J.P. Prince and Scotty Hopson, Tennessee

They say guard play is the key to making a deep tournament run and Tennessee certainly got everything they could ask from their terrific veterans.  Prince and Hopson were extremely efficient, as both players made 7 of their 9 shots.  Hopson showed off his stroke, making 2-3 from three and connecting on some mid range jumpers.  I remember seeing Prince while he played for Arizona and thinking he was going to be special one day.  He's got great length, energy, and heart.  He plays with emotion and effects the game in a variety of ways.  He pulled down 4 rebounds, handed out 3 assists, and got to the line 7 times.  His length is going to be very important in the next round vs. Evan Turner and he will be asked to limit Evan Turner's production as much as humanly possible.  

LaceDaruis Dunn, Baylor

After declaring Dunn the best player you've never heard of earlier in the week, Dunn has made sure he won't ever have that label again.  He put it to Old Dominion Saturday, connecting on 9 of his 16 shots and 4 of his 5 free throws.  He finished with a game high 26 points and picked up the slack on a night where Ekpe Udoh had a rare quiet game.  Dunn converted game changing alley-oops early to give Baylor a lead, and converted dunks and  three's late allowing the Bears to hold on.  He won't be flying under the national radar anymore, and now the world knows what everyone at Baylor already knew.  Dunn is a heck of a player.  

Quincy Pondexter, Washington

Quincy Pondexter is making this tournament his own personal showcase and as a result should be rising on draft boards. He has been toiling for four years up in the Pacific Northwest and hasn’t had a much national exposure thanks to the East Coast bias.  That said, he’s really making a name for himself in this tournament with two strong back-to-back performances. Pondexter showed how dynamic he is in transition by filling the lane and finishing with authority. On offense he always stays moving and makes very hard cuts to the ball. Washington had 21 assists on 32 field goals in this game and Pondexter was the major beneficiary of the Huskies’ great ball movement. He finished with 18 points and 5 rebounds on 7-12 shooting.  Pondexter will be tested by West Virginia’s front line in the next round, but his performances so far indicate that he’s up to the challenge.

Ali Farokhmanesh, Northern Iowa

Have a bracket that's been busted?  You aren't alone.  Ali Farokhmanesh singlehandedly destroyed the brackets of millions across the country when he put the dagger in the heart of #1 overall seed, Kansas Jayhawks.  While he only scored 16 points, he made the biggest shot of the weekend (sorry Korie Lucious); a three which shocked the world and sent Northern Iowa to the Sweet 16. 

Jacob Pullen, Kansas State

Pullen came to Kansas State in the Michael Beasley recruitment class and many passed judgement on Jacob as being only a complimentary shooting guard. Shame on them. Pullen has grown into a leader, a defensive presence, and an offensive juggernaut for this K-State team that is carrying a ton of momentum into the sweet sixteen. Pullen drew the tough assignment of guarding Jimmer Fredette versus BYU. Jimmer came into the tilt having scrored thirty plus points in three consecutive games. Not only did Pullen hold him to 21 points on 4-13 shooting but he provided the defensive spark the team needed to close out the first half after a collision with Fredette. After the collision, Jacob led the Wildcats with an offensive flurry scoring the last 11 points of the first half. Pullen had his career high offensive game scoring 34 points including 7-12 shooting from long range. Next up the Xavier Musketeers and the ever so dangerous Jordan Crawford.

Darius Miller, John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky

Sophomore guard Darius Miller stepped up and netted a career high 20 points for the Wildcats, who showcased yet another way to beat up on their opponent. Miller hit on a number of soft floaters in the lane and drained a couple of jumpers from the left elbow. He led Kentucky in scoring, but perhaps, more impressively also led the team in rebounds with 9. John Wall had another strong game finishing with 14 points and a game-high 7 assists.  He was whipping the ball all over the court and finding open teammates with a number of wrap-around passes, while also threading the needle with pinpoint accuracy. Wall really exhibited his game changing speed in this game. One of the commentators described John Wall as a "one man fast break".  This could not be any more accurate as Wall gets out faster than third graders for recess. DeMarcus Cousins also had a very strong game in the paint, dominating to the tune of 9-10 shooting  from the floor. He runs the floor very well for a big man and he overpowered defenders and finished strong inside with 3 dunks and a bunch of layups. Cousins also continued to show prowess on the defensive end, blocking a shot and changing countless others. The only weakness in his game was that he shot poorly (1-7) from the foul line. In a 30-point blowout, there are no consequences, but in a close game his free throw shooting could end up being the difference.

Wesley Johnson and Andy Rautins, Syracuse

The Orange steamrolled the Zags in round two, dazzling their defacto home court  in Buffalo.  They combined to shoot 18 of 29 from the floor and 9 of 15 from deep.  When you give up those types of shooting numbers to your opponents two best players, chances are you're going to get run out of the gym.  Unfortunately for the Zags, that's exactly what happened.  Johnson seems to be healthy again and returned to early season form in his two games in Buffalo.  He made effortless three's, step back jumpers, and mid range fadeaways.  He proved to scouts he was the best prospect in Buffalo, and made his case as the best small forward in the upcoming draft.  Rautins is also quietly making his way onto the NBA radar.  While his shooting is a known commodity, it's Andy's passing, defensive effort, and length that have scouts intrigued.  He put the Orange on his back while it remained close early, connecting on a plethora of first half three's and proving he thrives when the lights shine brightest.  A terrific outing for both of these veteran superstars.  They seem to be on a mission and if they continue to play this well, the Cuse could be the toughest out in the dance going forward. 

Evan Turner, Oho State

Turner did what Turner always seems to do.  He nearly recorded a triple-double (actually nearly a quadruple if you count turnovers).   He scored 24 points, pulled down 9 rebounds, and handed out 9 assists.  He does it all for the Buckeyes.  He runs their half court sets, brings the ball up the court, gets them a hoop when they need a score, attacks the glass on both ends (3 offensive rebounds), and often guards the best player on the defensive end.  He's as complete a player as I've seen in the tournament since Carmelo Anthony led Syracuse all the way in '03.

Da’Sean Butler, West Virginia

Senior Forward Da’Sean Butler had a complete game. once again doing a little bit of everything for the Mountaineers. He showed off his range, hitting on 4 of 9 from downtown and was a presence inside.  He was able to draw fouls on Missouri all game long. Da’Sean shot the ball well from the line converting 12 of his 13 attempts. He also had 8 rebounds and had 2 blocks on the defensive end. However, Butler’s signature play in the game was an offensive rebound off a missed free throw and a stick back lay-up with just over a minute left that put West Virginia up by 7 and clinched the game for the Mountaineers.  He continues to make all the plays for West Virginia with the game on the line.  He is officially the most clutch player in America.  HANDS DOWN. 

Louis Dale and Ryan Wittman, Cornell

Seniors Louis Dale and Ryan Wittman were not satisfied with just one brilliant performance in the tourney.  They came strong again and upset Wisconsin with a mixture of hot shooting, tough inside drives, and precise passing.  Wittman showed his unlimited range by draining three-pointers from beyond NBA range with consistency.  Dale showed off his shot making skills, sinking  floaters in the lane and converting on a couple  three point plays. Dale led the way with a game-high 26 points and also handed out a couple of very nice dimes to center, Jeff Foote.  Wittman wasn't too far behind, finishing with 24 points and perhaps solidifying his case as the tournaments best shooter. As we predicted last week, The Big Red have taken on the role of Cinderella and marched their way into the sweet 16. 

Jordan Crawford, Xavier

Crawford has shed his rep as the guy with the YouTube clip and proved to the world that he's a complete player.  He's been one of the three or four most impressive players of the first weekend.  After going for 28 and 6 vs. Minnesota, Crawford torched Pittsbugh for 27 points on 9-15 shooting.  Known as a terrific athlete, Crawford has made 9-18 from three point thus far.  Look for him to see the most significant rise up draft boards this week. 

This article was put together by a collaboration between Nolan Shulman, Justin Shulman, and Marcus Kwamie. 

The NCAA tournament is upon us which means it's time to fill out your brackets and call in sick for Thursday/Friday. It's the best two days in sports. Getting together with the boys, dramatic buzzer beaters, Cinderella's, and Miller Light. It doesn't get any better. But before you finalize your bracket, let Flagrant Fouls fill you in on everything you need to know about each region.

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Everything You Need to Know: East Region

Everything You Need to Know: South Region

Everything You Need to Know:  West Region

When the brackets were first revealed early Sunday evening, it came as no surprise to any avid college basketball fan, that Kansas locked up the number one overall seed in the entire field.  The shocker is how tough their road to the Final Four appears to be in the Midwest Region.  The challengers include Ohio State, Georgetown, Maryland and Michigan State.  In Ohio State, this bracket will feature perhaps a pseudo #1 seed if not for Evan Turner's early season injury, and the one player who can singlehandedly win games on his own.  Georgetown enters as the three seed and features a PG/C tandem of Chris Wright and Greg Monroe.  Should they meet Kansas down the road they are the only team that can somewhat offset Kansas' biggest assets in Collins and Aldrich.  Gary Williams' squad is the fourth seed, and has his team playing inspired basketball finising the season 12-2 led by senior guard Greivis Vasquez.  And lets not discount the chances of last year's championship game finalist, the Spartans, who return the core of last season's final four nucleus. 

This bracket has perhaps the most experienced group of coaches in one bracket in the history of the NCAA tournament.  They have a combined 14 trips to the final four and Four NCAA Championships.  Bill Self (2007-2008) Kansas , Thad Matta (2006-2007) Ohio State, John Thompson III (2006-2007) Georgetown, Gary Williams (2001-2002) Maryland, Paul Hewitt (2003-2004) Georgia Tech, and Tom Izzo (1998-1999, 1999-2000, 2000-2001, 2004-2005, 2008-2009) Michigan State, have all previously led their current teams to the Final Four.  Two other coaches in Steve Fisher (San Diego State) and Lon Kruger (UNLV) respectively coached previously led programs to the Final Four.  Fisher led the Fab Five to the championship game two consecutive seasons during 1991-1992, 1992-1993 seasons.  He also led the Wolverines to a championship in 1988-1989 as the Interim head coach taking over the team prior to the tournament.  Kruger led Florida to the 1993-1994 Final Four.

Best First Round Matchup

#10 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. #7 Oklahoma State Cowboys

The Yellow Jackets are going to push the ball and get up and down using their bigs to finish in transition.  The Cowboys are in turn going to run a spread offense, set ball screens and let thier guards create and score.  This game features three NBA first round draft selections in Derrick Favors, Gani Lawal and James Anderson.  Anderson has scored in double digits every single game this season and has eclipsed twenty points on twenty-two different occasions.  Georgia Tech will try to take advantage of a small Cowboys team and wear them down with their depth.  The Cowboys offer little size off the bench so if Favors and Lawal can create some foul trouble, Travis Ford is not going to have many options down his bench.  In a contrast of styles, look for the team that dictates their prefered style of play to come out on top.

Top NBA Draft Prospects

1. Evan Turner, Ohio State

2. Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech

3. Cole Aldrich, Kansas

4. Greg Monroe, Georgetown

5. Xavier Henry, Kansas

6. James Anderson, Oklahoma State

7. Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech

8. Sherron Collins, Kansas

9. Iman Shumpert, Georgia Tech

10. Kalin Lucas, Michigan State

Best Player You've Never Heard Of

Armon Bassett, Ohio

For those that didn't catch the MAC tournament this past weekend, Bassett averaged 30.3ppg and played virtually every minute, willing his team to the conference tournament title.  Bassett is a junior guard that has the ability to put his team on his back.  With guard play being imperative for tournament success, Ohio has a chance with the ball in Bassett's hands.  A battle with Georgetown's Chris Wright looms, and both players enter the matchup playing their best basketball of the season.  Ohio may not have the horses to pull the upset but you Armon will definately get your attention along the way.

Potential Cinderella

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Not sure you want to call this team a cinderella but they are sitting on a #10 seeding.  Georgia Tech is starting to roll making it to the final game of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament and coming within one possession of beating Duke for an automatic bid.  The Yellow Jackets already have wins this season against the likes of Siena, Clemson, Maryland, Wake Forest, and even #1 Duke, all teams in this years tournament field.  Their freshman sensation Derrick Favors seems to have finally shed the freshman label, having gone eight consecutive games in double digit scoring figures and staying out of foul trouble.  Combining Favors' impressive play with frontcourt mate Gani Lawal and Oklahoma is going to have to contend with two NBA power forwards.  Being that the Cowboys only use two players in their rotation taller than 6-7 and nobody above 6-8, I like the Georgia Tech frontcourt to overpower and carry the Yellow Jackets to an upset.  A potential matchup against Ohio State would be waiting whereby the Buckeyes almost employ a four guard offense.  Georgia Tech has to be thrilled with their draw in that they won't see a player who can physically matchup with Favors and Lawal until a potential date with Georgetown.  If the Yellow Jackets can get some consistent guard play from Shumpert, than I see no reason why Georgia Tech can't give Ohio State the fight of their life in the round of 32.

Best Potential Head to Head Battle 

Greivis Vasquez vs. Kalin Lucas

This potential second round matchup features two hall of fame coaches with championship pedigrees and two floor generals that know how to win.  Vasquez is a senior that has been at Maryland in what seems since the Dinosaur era.  He is the only player in ACC history to record 2000 points, 700 assists, and six hundred rebounds.  Vasquez has hit game winning shots and is one of a handful of players that can carry his team on his shoulders alone.  To do that and have the swan song Greivis deserves, the terps will have to get by last year's tournament finalists.  The Spartans have to be the most feared #5 seed in this tournament.  They have been to the Final Four three times in this decade and evey player in their current rotation played a part in last year's tournament success.  State was a top ten team for a stretch of the season and their success is based on the play of Kalin Lucas.  In his first two NCAA tournaments, Lucas has taken his team to the sweet sixteen and the championship game.  Both of these players are faces that the nation has become synonomous with when thinking about college basketball.  Unfortunately, only one of them will be around for the second weekend of the madness.

Elite 8 Prediction 

Kansas vs. Ohio State  

Kansas has been given what many analysts are calling the toughest road given to a #1 seed.  A tough sweet sixteen matchup could loom against either the team that bounced them last year in Michigan State or the Maryland Terrapins.  Both teams have veteran guard play and championship calibre coaching.  Kansas will have their hands full regardless of the opponent but they are by far the more superior team on thier side of the bracket.  Ohio State has a much tougher run in that they will have to shield off the winner of Georgia Tech versus Oklahoma State.  Georgia Tech has the size to slow State down and the Cowboys have a premier scorer in James Anderson, who has the skillset to go heads up wth Turner.  In the end, the Buckeyes will prevail and square off against Georgetown, in what I expect to be one of the tournament's best matchups.  Georgetown has all the ingredients to beat Ohio State, except they are somewhat thin off the bench.  I expect fatigue to play a factor in the outcome, as the Hoyas have continuously been playing six players in their rotation, while coming off four games in four days at the Big East Tournament.

Final Four Prediction

Kansas Jayhawks

The Jayhawks were the preseason choice to win the championship and have given no reason at this point to believe they won't be able to follow through.  Collins and Aldrich are the country's best inside outside duo and the team doesn't have to rely on either of their scoring efforts to win ballgames.  The Morris  twins, Xavier Henry, Brady Morningstar, and Ty Taylor all contribute.  Ohio State will have to grind through a tougher path to meet the Jayhawks and Evan Turner will have to be at his best for about his hundredth consecutive game.  The Jayhawks have too many weapons, too much size, too much depth and they have been here before with their current nucleus.  Ohio State will have to beat them from the perimeter and Kansas has excellent perimeter defenders and a host of bigs that can clean the glass.  In a matchup that would feature plenty of star power, Evan Turner's magical season will come to an end.

Midwest Region MOP 

Sherron Collins, Kansas Jayhawks

At the end of the day, no player is going to be the face of this bracket more so than Sherron Collins and Evan Turner.  Collins is one of a handful of players that has actually led his team to the final four in the past and has been nominated for both the Naismith and the Bob Cousy awards this season.  The Jayhawks have a lot of talented players but expect Collins to have the ball in his hands and deliver the way big time players are suppose to deliver in big time games. 

Turner had another great game. Early on he showed his prowess on the defensive end. He was able to convert defense to offense with a couple of blocks and full court length passes that led to easy buckets on the other end. Turner was tasked with covering Joseph in Ohio State’s man set. Evan showed great off the ball defense in the first half, as he used his length and wingspan to deny Joseph the ball and limit any chance for Devoe to create on the offensive end. The Golden Gophers ran Joseph off a lot of screens but Turner made the adjustments by communicating with his teammates and switching off the ball when necessary. For the most part, Ohio State was able to neutralize Joseph, but he kept the game close by faking Tuner out of his shoes and hitting a three at the halftime buzzer to keep the score close at 33-30.

At the half Turner nearly had a double double with 9 points and 8 boards. In the 2nd half as Ohio State pulled away, Turner showed good range from his sweet spot, as he hit three deep jumpers from the top of he key. Turner’s final line was 31 points, 11 boards, 6 assists and 2 blocks. The only negative aspect to his game today was that he had a tendency to be sloppy with the ball early in the first half, but once he got into a rhythm he was unstoppable.

The Golden Gophers fought valiantly, but were simply outclassed by a better team in the end. Senior guard, Lawrence Westbrook tried to stem the tide with some key buckets early in the 2nd half. He showed a good mid-range game and Westbrook proved to be a good option for Minnesota when Joseph was tied up. He finished with a team-high 17 points.

Turner had another great all-around performance but was also buoyed by his supporting cast, who stepped up with some significant contributions. David Lighty added 20 points, 7 boards and 5 assists. He rebounded the ball well and was able to start the fast break as well as finish on a number of baskets in transition. William Bufford also hit a few jumpers in transition that kept Ohio State’s momentum, and allowed them to pull away in the second half. Defensively, Bufford was able to disrupt the passing lanes and had three steals that led to fast break opportunities. John Diebler had the hot hand from beyond the arc as he connected on 5 attempts from downtown and finished with 19 points. Ohio State is not the deepest team in the country. They typically only go 6 or 7 deep, so their starters all log heavy minutes and fatigue could be a factor in close game situations. However if Thad Matta’s squad can produce these sorts of balanced, quality performances during the big dance, Ohio State should go far in the tourney.

Although they were defeated by a record-tying 29 points in the final, Minnesota’s run in the Big Ten tournament earned them one of the 34 coveted at-large bids. So we will get another opportunity to see Tubby Smith’s squad in action later on in the week.

Day 2 of the Big Ten tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis saw four of the nation’s top 25 teams in action. There were some great team performances, but also some great individual performances. Here are the standouts and flops from a busy day in the Big Ten.

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Day 1 Standouts/Flops

Day 2 Standouts

Evan Turner, Ohio State

March is all about those incredible moments that catapult players from star to superstar and from superstar to legend. Sporting News player of the year, Evan Turner, certainly took one of those leaps on Friday afternoon with his 37-foot game winner against Michigan in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten tournament. With 2.2 seconds remaining, Turner showed composure taking the ball half of the length of the court in two dribbles and getting to a spot on the court where he felt comfortable putting up a leaning jumpshot to beat the clock and seal the win. Be clear, this was no desperation heave; he was in control, well aware of the clock, squared up, and he followed through on his shot. Also be clear that although Turner scored 18 and had 8 assists, this was not one of his better overall performances this year.  Michigan’s swarming defense was able to keep the game close by frustrating Turner into some rushed shots and bad decisions all game long. That being said, when the game was on the line Evan Turner shook off the pressure, answered the call, and came through in the clutch. That’s what great players do.  He's solidifying his case as the #2 pick in the NBA Draft.  Unless he has an out of this world tournament, that's as high as he'll likely climb. 

Manny Harris, Michigan

The devastating loss to Ohio State is a shame, in that we won’t be able to see more of Manny Harris. The junior guard hit a number of huge buckets down the stretch, including a driving floater off the glass with 23 seconds remaining that gave Michigan its first lead of the 2nd half.  He also made the would-be-game winner: a 15-foot pull up jumper on the right elbow. Harris finished with a game-high 26 points and added 6 rebounds and 4 assists as well. In his two games in the Big Ten tournament, Harris impressed any scouts that had questions. Manny is quick off the dribble and handles the ball relatively well. Harris can create his own shot, get to the line, and even convert his free throws (Harris was 7-8 from the stripe on Friday). With senior Deshawn Sims graduating, next year Harris will have to accept a larger leadership role and will have many opportunities to improve his draft stock. Over the summer Harris would be well served to bulk up and add 5-10 pounds of muscle to his 6-5, 180 frame in order to deal with stronger, more athletic defenders at the next level.

E’Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson, Purdue

E’Twaun Moore and Jajuan Johnson combined for 50 of Purdue’s 69 points. They complemented each other nicely inside and out. Johnson played a tough physical game and dominated the paint with 22 points and 8 boards. He demanded the ball and displayed some nice post moves with strong finishes. The 6-10 junior was too much for John Shurna and Northwestern’s front line, as he was able to get the Wildcats into foul trouble. Moore tied a career high with 28 points and exhibited a deft shooting touch, nailing 4 threes in the first half. Moore used his quickness to attack the basket and get to the line where he shot 12-17. Both Moore and Johnson continue to elevate their games and lead the Boilermakers to a possible #1 or #2 seed in the tourney in the face of the absence of junior forward Robbie Hummel, who is done for the year with a torn ACL.  Johnson is making a case as a potential first round pick and Moore is making a case to be the Big Ten Preseason Player of the year in 2011.

Devoe Joseph, Minnesota

Joseph was non-existent in the first half of this game, but down the stretch and in overtime he hit big shot after big shot to lead the Golden Gophers on a 10-0 run in the extra frame that sealed the game. The freshman guard scored all 17 of his points in the 2nd half and OT and also led Minnesota with 6 boards and 4 assists. He showed deep range on his jumper, played with poise and picked his spots. Even facing excellent perimeter defense with a constant hand in his face, Devoe was able to connect from downtown. Joseph has now had back-to-back solid performances in the Big Ten tournament as bubble team Minnesota march on in search of a golden ticket to the big dance.  He's taken over the ball handlin duties and has shown great improvement as the season's gone along. 

Raymar Morgan, Michigan State

In a losing cause, senior forward Raymar Morgan had an impressive performance. He was a strong presence in the paint and was the game’s leading scorer with 23 points. He pulled down 6 boards and was able to constantly finish around the hoop and get to the line. The Spartans have many weapons offensively which will be on full display throughout the tournament. With junior guard Durrell Summers playing hide and seek, and backcourt mate Chris Allen on suspension, Morgan stepped up and carried the load for the Spartans. 

Day 2 Flops

Jason Bohannon, Wisconsin

Unlike his teammate Trevon Hughes, who scored 12 points during a 1:20 span during a furious shooting frenzy at the end of the 2nd half, Jason Bohannon was not able to salvage a miserable shooting day (1-10) as the 18th ranked Wisconsin Badgers bowed out to the Fighting Ilini. Bohannon missed a clean look with 15 ticks remaining that could have tied up the game with under a minute to go. The senior guard shot 1-6 from beyond the arc and ended up with 5 points- well below his season averages of 12 per game and 41% shooting from downtown. Wisconsin and Bohannon will have another chance to show what they can do once the tourney starts next week, but will have to be less reliant on outside shooting to win games. 

On March 21, 2010 to conclude the first weekend of the NCAA tourney, CBS will be announcing the four finalists during their coverage of the event.  The award will be presented to the winner at the Final Four in Indianapolis.

2010 NAISMITH AWARD FINALISTS

Cole Aldrich, Kansas

Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest

James Anderson, Oklahoma State

Luke Babbitt, Nevada

Trevor Booker, Clemson

Matt Bouldin, Gonzaga

Da'Sean Butler, West Virginia

Sherron Collins, Kansas

Demarcus Cousins, Kentucky

Devan Downey, South Carolina

Jerome Dyson, Connecticut

Jimmer Fredette,BYU

Luke Harangody, Notre Dame

Gordon Hayward, Butler

Robbie Hummel, Purdue

Damion James, Texas

Wesley Jonshon, Syracuse

Dominique Jones, South Florida

Sylven Landesberg, Virginia

Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech

Kalin Lucas, Michigan State

Greg Monroe, Georgetown

Jacob Pullen, Kansas State

Scottie Reynolds, Villanova

Omar Sanham, Saint Mary's

Jon Scheyer, Duke

Evan Turner, Ohio State

Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State

Greivis Vasquez, Maryland

John Wall, Kentucky

Stock Rising:

Evan Turner, Ohio State (Junior)          

After opening the season with the second triple double in the history of Ohio State basketball, Evan Turner has not slowed down.  Playing the point for Ohio State this season has only made Turner even more versatile in the eyes of scouts as he projects out as a wing player in the league.  Turner is leading the conference in both points per game (19.7) and rebounds per game (9.4) while also averaging 5.8 assists.  Turner spent six games on the bench nursing an injury during the month of December and the Buckeyes were lost without him.  Of all the skills that Turner brings to the table, the most evident trait lacking during the six game stretch was the leadership and respect he commanded.  Turner will be able to guard multiple positions in the NBA and has a unique combination of size and skill that doesn't exist in this draft at the guard position.  After John Wall, Evan Turner is without question the safest pick in this draft.  He has the rare combination of size, skill, experience, upside and intangibles.

Robbie Hummel, Purdue (Junior)

Hummel grabbed the attention of scouts in his freshman season at Purdue by coming in and showing off a very versatile game.  Robbie goes after it, gets on the floor, rebounds, shoots the deep ball and even plays some point forward.  Last season, Hummel regressed battling a back injury that derailed the notion that Robbie would one day be drafted.  But his junior season has proven to be the comeback that scouts were looking for.  The boilermakers jumped out of the gate winning 14 games in a row before losing three consecutive contests in the same week.  They have since won five straight and are one of the most dangerous teams in the country.  Hummel is averaging 16.5 ppg and 7.2 rebounds along the way.  He won't fool anyone with his athleticism but Hummel also won't be outworked similar to a former Purdue star named Brian Cardinal.  So long as Purdue keeps winning, scouts are going to take further notice of their healthy leader.  Should Hummel declare for June's entry draft, expect to hear the deputy commissioner call out his name in the second round. 

Treading Water:

Kalin Lucas, Michigan State (Junior)

Ever since Lucas has suited up for the Spartans, the team has been a perennial winner.  Last season, Lucas even guided the team to the final game in Indianapolis but decided to come back to school.  The NBA made the decision to stay in school easy as it was a deep point guard class.  A year later and the Spartans are again a top 10 team in the country.  Yet even with a weak point guard class in 2010, scouing services and experts aren't sending any love Kalin Lucas's way.  It's almost as if Lucas is seen in the same light as another Spartan alumnus Mateen Cleaves.  Lucas will have to settle being a great college point guard who will never crack the first round of the NBA draft regardless of personal achievements and team successes.

Stock Falling:

Manny Harris, Michigan (Junior)

Manny Harris made such a smooth transition his freshman season at UM that scouts were considering him to be a late first round pick.  Harris' team didn't have much success and he decided to hang around and push his way up the draft board.  His progress thus far has not been significant and now his upside is almost viewed as having peaked.  Harris' personal statistics just haven't flourished from a progression standpoint the way scouts would have expected.  A 6-5 shooting guard, striping it at 28% from beyond the arc is not going to cut it in the league.  Michigan has lost five of their last six games and Harris was suspended for one of the losses due to an undisclosed incident in practice.  Harris was once thought of as the guy who was going to bring Michigan basketball back to prominence but instead has just become another good college player to come through the program.  A second round pick is the best case scenario for Manny.

It isn’t quite March when college basketball is at it’s pinnacle, but there has been a lot of buzz early on about some new faces in new places, some underclassmen stepping into the limelight, and some of the freshman living up to potential. The non-conference slate of games and the early season tournaments are often a great opportunity for NBA prospects to showcase what they have and generate a set of expectations, scouts can come to expect from them the rest of the way.

Players who have taken advantage of their early season opportunities:

Evan Turner-Ohio State-Junior

No player in college basketball has come out of the gate with numbers like Evan. Two triple doubles in his first four games will open a few eyes. Already viewed as a lottery pick in the pre-season, Turner may have already sealed that fate. At 6-7 he has all the measurables to play the swing positions but because Ohio St does not have a true point guard Turner has put some of those skills on display. Kind of reminds me of a young Anfernee Hardaway.

Current Draft Projection: #3 to #9

Wesley Johnson-Syracuse-Junior

Johnson took the garden by storm after leading his Syracuse squad to the 2K Sports title with wins over Cal and UNC. After spending all of last year dominating in practice, Johnson finally got his opportunity and made the most of it. A 6-7 athletic freak, Wesley has been unguardable. He is stroking from the outside, attacking the rim, getting into the passing lanes, and contesting anything and everything near his own basket. In his two day display at the garden he poured in 42 pts, 20 rebounds and 7 blocks. That won him MVP of the tournament, put him on the national radar and surely caught the eye of every scout in America. Seems to be the closest thing to Shawn Marion I have seen in years.

Current Draft Projection: #7 to #20

Al Farouq-Aminu-Wake Forest-Sophomore

Last year Aminu played a complimentary role on a star studded cast that sent two players to the league in the first round. Anyone who watched that team play more than once knew that the best player was still a freshman. With the white gloves off Farouq has been let out of the cage and has become the team’s best player and go to scorer. One of the knocks on his game was that he is 6-8 and did most of his damage from 6 feet and inwards. Thus far Aminu is averaging 23.3 pts per game through three contests and has been showing shooting range out to and beyond the three point stripe. The most impressive part about those stats is he is only attempting eleven field goals per game. If he can maintain this torrid pace against some of the tough ACC competition, scouts will be talking about Aminu in the top five picks.

Current Draft Projection: #6 to #12

Players who have yet to take advantage of their opportunities:

Devin Ebanks-Sophomore-West Virginia
Ebanks came to West Virginia last year as a talent but was red flagged by scouts as having some character flaws. Those concerns were put to rest as Devin was only in the spotlight because of his play. He simply dominated toward the end of the season and took the Big East tournament by storm grabbing 18 rebounds in one of the games. Heading into the season, experts have had Devin pegged as a top ten draft pick. That said nobody has a read on why Devin has yet to suit up. His Mountaineers look sharp without him and all we have heard is that he is out of the line-up for personal reasons. This is the most sure fire way to get back into the national spotlight for the wrong reasons. Until Ebanks plays, I don’t think he has hurt his stock much, but he has given nothing to the perception that it is on the rise.

Current Draft Projection: #11 to #20

Jon Henson-Freshman-North CarolinaHenson came into his freshman season as the next UNC prodigy. Standing 6-10 with a wingspan over seven feet and the skill set of a perimeter player experts were anticipating Henson as a sure fire lottery pick. Thus far, Roy Williams has had difficulty getting Henson into the rotation. This is partially due to the fact that Henson doesn’t really have a position and because the heels are loaded in the frontcourt. In addition, Henson’s body desperately needs to fill out. All of these factors will be become strengths over time and I still anticipate Henson to be a lottery pick but it might not be this year. Should he declare at season’s end, Henson will find his way into the first round on potential alone, but his game has yet to suggest he can back it up.

Current Draft Projection: #17 to #30