Matt's Draft Journal

McDonald's All-Americans and Projected 2020 NBA Lottery Picks Scottie Lewis, Kahlil Whitney, and Bryan Antoine (Photo Credit: Jersey Sports Zone) While there are over 50 games at the Division 1 level scheduled for tonight, the contest that offers the most future NBA and pro-talent on one floor on this Wednesday evening won't come from the ACC, Big East, Big 12, PAC-12, SEC or another college conference. Highlighting the I'm Possible , "Jersey Shore Challenge" pits two of the top programs in the ultra-talented state of New Jersey, both ranked in the USA Today Super 25, as high school hoops take the cake as the game for fans to wake their attention to, matching #15 Roselle Catholic and #16 Ranney — featuring three players recently selected to the McDonald's All-American Game and are projected lottery picks in the 2020 NBA Draft, as well as a few other young prospects with legitimate pro potential.  In a rematch of the 2018 state championship g...

Jarrett Culver, Texas Tech 

Justin Robinson, Virginia Tech (Photo Credit: Michael Shroyer/USA Today) Another Saturday offered yet another opportunity for prospects to prove themselves amongst their peers. The schedule in college basketball yesterday provided plenty of games worth watching, featuring a few ranked vs. ranked matches, and a number of inter-conference contests that caught the attention of fans around the country. Surfacing in the numerous games that took place were some standout performances from players whose production presented a peer into their pro potential. In canvassing the landscape of college basketball six individuals who stood out in my evaluations were selected to the "On the Scene Team" for their play on Saturday — effectively a group consisting of a starting five and one deserved sixth man spot. Below you may behold the bunch of players who beamed on the scene yesterday with their play.

Ja Morant, Murray State  Set to be televised on ESPNU at 9 PM (EST) on Thursday night, provides a matchup of two mid-major programs from the Ohio Valley Conference who will take the court against one another looking to make a statement as the potential representative of their conference come March Madness, each led by a legit NBA draft prospect. For Murray State their main man Ja Morant has emerged as one of the most highly regarded players in college basketball and has received a steady wave of well-respected basketball people proclaiming his abilities as deserving of one of the top picks in the upcoming NBA Draft. Highlighting the high-powered offensive output by Belmont is their best player senior Dylan Windler. Emerging as an extremely effective player whose having another productive season after a fine junior year, Windler has surfaced as a name whose play can earn him a potential selection as a second round pick with a continued strong showing. From an overall tea...

Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield are the dyamic duo that drives #1 ranked Tennessee (Photo Credit: Randy Sartin/USA Today Sports) On the schedule for Wednesday night in college basketball is an at least somewhat interesting SEC contest between two teams going in entirely opposite directions at this current juncture of the season. One team in the Tennessee Volunteers enter tonight's game the brand-new number one ranked team in the country for the first time in over ten years after winning 12 straight games (16-1 overall). On the other hand Vanderbilt treks into their home tip-off against the top team in college basketball having lost their last five games and looking to stay above .500, with a record of 9-8. Sporting strong field goal percentages on the offensive end and in defending their opponents, Tennessee supplies a strong attack across their roster with six players scoring 9.9 points per game, driven by a terrific tandem in senior Admiral Schofield and junior Gr...

Ty Jerome, Virginia  The schedule of games on tap for this Saturday in college basketball provides a variance of valid, high-quality contests set to be played throughout the day. A couple of teams with undefeated records look to remain unblemished as they go on the road against tough opponents who'll be motivated to hand them the their first loss of the season — one of them being the currently top ranked program in the country who'll look to rebound from a defeat of their own in their most recent game. Also on the schedule includes an SEC matchup of two teams ranked in the top-25 separated by just one spot in a game that could directly effect where each finds itself in the polls in just a couple of days. Amongst the players that will be on the court for the countless college teams in action today are more than a few talented forces for their respective squads that will find themselves playing in the NBA in the near future. One of the contests will include multiple pr...

Jarrett Culver, Texas Tech (Photo Credit: Lance King/Getty Images) A Big 12 Conference contest on the schedule for Wednesday night will feature a number of talented players on the floor, when Iowa State travels into Lubbock to face Texas Tech. Multiple prospects from both teams have the potential of an NBA future, including one of the top prospects currently in college basketball. Entering tonight's game at 14-1, the Red Raiders will look to look to continue to protect their home court, with its only lost on the season coming against Duke on December 20th at Madison Square Garden. As they've reeled off a five-game win streak since then — including their first four games against Big 12 Conference competition — Texas Tech has been arguably the toughest defensive team in the country, that is led on offense by their star sophomore Jarrett Culver. At 6'6, 195 pounds Culver is a smooth scoring wing that performs positively more in an under control, methodical manner r...

(Photo Credit: Shrine Game/Twitter) East QB: Taylor Cornelius, Oklahoma State  Having to wait in the shadows of star quarterback Mason Rudolph during the first few years of his college career, Cornelius served as the the backup for the Cowboys in previous three seasons. Taking over the reigns of the position in 2018, the 6'6, 232 pound passer threw for 3,297 yards and 32 touchdowns in 12 games assuming the role of starter as a redshirt senior. While he could be off-the-mark at times and open himself to turnovers (13 interceptions 59.3 completion percentage), Cornelius showed the ability to put touch on passes, throwing downfield with suitable arm strength and surprising mobility (406 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns) for a quarterback his size, that has a feel to avoid the rush and extend plays when needed to. He had a variance of mixed performances in his sole season as the starter, but came up big in an upset win over a very talented Texas team — that finished ran...

Cam Reddish, Duke (Photo Credit: Mark Walheiser/Associated Press) A Monday night matchup scheduled for 7 PM, to be televised on ESPN, offers a treat to tip off the week of college basketball. Both programs blue bloods of college basketball. 2 Hall of Fame coaches. And something special of a budding rivalry between two teams that have contrasting types of talent that collectively compete, respectfully, to their own tune. Duke and Coach K. Syracuse and Jim Boheim.   The talent on the floor for each roster differentiates in substance, style, and so far this season a small amount of success separating the two teams.  Duke definitely is a different type of college basketball team — with the chance to not only win a National Championship, but ultimately become an unforgettable squad in the history of the sport and the memory of fans who even casually care for the game.  The Blue Devils will look to defend home court in the name of their coach and nu...

Marquette Markus Howard, Seton Hall Myles Powell (Photo Credit: Jeff Hanisch/USA Today Sports) Historically known for prolific guard play throughout the years, the Big East Conference has honed some of the premier point guards in college basketball while also inhabiting some significant scoring guards over time. As the conference experienced a transition in the last decade, having had some of its initial flagship members take their teams to other high-major conferences, questions have persisted about the quality of talent amongst the now ten-team trust, while restructuring itself in a currently more condensed, though still competitive community. Villanova has quieted some of the qualms that have been mentioned about the Big East, having won two of the the last three National Championships, while other members have experienced varying levels of success. This season with the Wildcats having had four players from their most recent title team taken in this past NBA Draft, has seen ...