Each faculty basketball coach preaches the significance of guard play within the NCAA Event. And every March, followers search the following “Kemba candidate,” a title fittingly named after former UConn guard Kemba Walker, who carried the Huskies to a Nationwide Championship in 2011.
12 months after 12 months, stand-out guards change the ceiling of their workforce within the Large Dance, and that was the theme on the second day of the match:
Kyan Evans, Guard, Colorado State
As Colorado State surged to a Mountain West Event title and an automated bid within the NCAA Event, it was guard Nique Clifford, who captured the headlines along with his scintillating shot-making. However when Clifford went chilly on Friday, within the Rams first spherical matchup with Memphis, sophomore Kyan Evans stepped up.
The smallest man on the court docket had the most important evening of anybody. Evans made a career-high six 3-point pictures and scored a career-high 23 factors. He additionally had 4 assists and did not flip the ball over as soon as. Regardless of capturing 3-of-13, Clifford nonetheless impacted the sport, with six assists and eight rebounds, whereas Evans took the load off his shoulders within the scoring column. Colorado State has gained 11 straight, courting again to Feb. 15, and have become the second 12 seed to finish an upset. The Rams now carry all that momentum right into a matchup with fourth-seeded Maryland on Sunday.
Baylor’s freshman duo
The Bears have had an up-and-down season as a result of, effectively, that is life whenever you’re led by sporadic freshman. However then there are performances like Friday that remind you simply how dynamic prime NBA prospects will be. Baylor’s pair of projected first-round picks, V.J. Edgecombe and Robert Wright Jr., mixed for 35 factors to steer the Bears to a 75-72 win over Mississippi State on Friday. Edgecombe hit two well timed 3-pointers within the second half, his capturing contact opening the lane for Wright to assault the Bulldogs with slashing drives.
Sean Pedulla, Guard, Ole Miss
Pedulla is the solar that Ole Miss’s offense revolves round. When he has a giant sport, the Rebels have a tendency to come back out on prime. On Friday, he scored 20 factors and dished out 5 assists within the Rebels 71-64 win over North Carolina. The efficiency was spectacular because it got here towards a Tar Heels workforce that has a pair of powerful perimeter defenders in Seth Trimble and Elliot Cadeau. OIe Miss led by double-digits for the primary half-hour of Friday’s sport, however then North Carolina stormed again and lower it to 66-64. With 52 seconds remaining, Pedulla hit a 3-pointer from the right-wing, which was the dagger.
Donovan Dent, Guard, New Mexico
The Mountain West Participant of the 12 months represented his convention effectively on Friday, as he led New Mexico to a 75-66 win over Marquette. He scored 20 factors and dished out six assists, whereas capturing an ideal 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. Dent is likely one of the prime guards within the nation and is able to main the Lobos on a deep run.
Jackson Shelstad, Guard, Oregon
Shelstad was in such a zone that he began shaking his head after hitting a mid-range jumper, in disbelief of his personal unconsciousness. He had eight of Oregon’s first 16 factors, pulling down a deep pull-up 3-pointer to offer the Geese a 16-2 lead and ended the sport with 17 factors. Oregon imposed its will from the bounce, and by no means regarded again, dominating Liberty 81-52, on Friday. Shelstad, a West Linn, Oregon native, wears No. 3 due to his idol and mentor Payton Pritchard, who had numerous memorable runs within the inexperienced and yellow. Shelstad channeling Pritchard would imply good issues will proceed to come back for these Geese.
Will Riley, Ahead, Illinois
In Large Ten nation, they name Will Riley a “thirty-in-a-hurry” sort of scorer. That is as a result of he’ll go from having an off evening, to a break-out evening. And that is precisely what he did on Friday. Riley began the sport 0-of-3 and scored simply 4 factors within the first half, earlier than erupting for 18 second-half factors as he helped Illinois to an 86-73 win over Xavier. Riley, a freshman from Ontario, began simply seven video games for the Illini, however is comfy in a microwave position off the bench. His scoring punch may spark a March Insanity run for Illinois.
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