Five College Basketball Games to Watch on Saturday, January 19th with NBA Draft Prospects of Note
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| 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 prospects who are projected to go be taken with the the top-five picks while also containing numerous other players on the floor that have the potential to be selected with one of the 60 picks overall in the upcoming NBA Draft.
Down below you'll find five games worthy of your attention throughout the day, with notable players to take notice of that have are likely to have a large influence and look to have pro-potential.
- #2 Michigan at Wisconsin, 12:00 PM
One of the two remaining undefeated teams left in the country, Michigan (17-0) will wade into Wisconsin to play the Badgers (11-6) in a game to begin the action on the Saturday schedule of college basketball.
Willing the Wolverines to wins without wavering has been a trio of players worthy of keeping an eye on, including Ignas Brazdeikis, Jordan Poole, and Charles Matthews.
A freshman forward from Canada, Brazdeikis is a high-effort, active player that finds favorable spots on the floor to score by moving well without the ball in his hands. With a solid build at 6'7, 215 pounds, the lefty leads the team in scoring (15.6 points per game, 48.7 FG%) and does well in detecting where the defense is vulnerable whether on drives to the basket, diving to the rim, or draining a three as a spot-up shooter.
Now in his sophomore year, Jordan Poole has emerged as potentially the most promising prospect on the team, who quietly has showcased an improved skill-set that could find himself being worthy of hearing his name called in the first round. Averaging 6.1 points in 12.5 minutes per game last season, while appearing off the bench in all 38 games, the 6'5, 195 pound has come into his own in his second with the Wolverines, scoring 13.4 points per game as a starter while shooting more than sufficiently in all three categories (50.0/44.8/83.3, field goal, 3-point, free throw). Poole plays with a smooth, poise on the offensive end with crafty, ball-handling that can allow him to get his own shot at all three levels of the floor while not forcing the action.
Currently the second leading scorer (14.1 points per game) for the Wolverines, Matthews also has an immense impact on the game with his defense. The transfer from Kentucky, now in his second season with Michigan, is an all-around defender who has the awareness to ably play the passing lanes (1.4 steals per game) and also takes opposing offensive players to task with his on-ball ability to stay in front of them, with enough lateral agility and long arms to make ball-handlers wary of protecting the rock. At 6'6, 205 pounds Matthews is active in the painted area where he converts at a high clip near against contested attempts near the (50-63 shots at the rim, 79.3%) basket and reels in rebounds (5.1), both on the offensive (2.0) and defensive end (3.1).
Coming off of two tough losses, both by four points, the Badgers are led by one of the most experienced and productive big men in America that being redshirt senior Ethan Happ. Happ is the driving force for Wisconsin that primarily and almost exclusively plays within the arc and from the post.
With a wiry build at 6'10, 237 pounds that is able to withstand the physical play within the paint of the Big Ten (19.4 points, 10.4 rebounds 1.3 blocks), Happ is a fundamentally sound forward/five man that can pivot into the paint and finish with either hand. While he isn't a threat from the three-point line, Happ has still proven capable from the perimeter as a skilled-passer who Wisconsin relies on for his playmaking (team leading 4.6 assists per game) and can face up the defense, with the touch to comfortably sink his shot from 15 to 20 feet.
With a wiry build at 6'10, 237 pounds that is able to withstand the physical play within the paint of the Big Ten (19.4 points, 10.4 rebounds 1.3 blocks), Happ is a fundamentally sound forward/five man that can pivot into the paint and finish with either hand. While he isn't a threat from the three-point line, Happ has still proven capable from the perimeter as a skilled-passer who Wisconsin relies on for his playmaking (team leading 4.6 assists per game) and can face up the defense, with the touch to comfortably sink his shot from 15 to 20 feet.
- #25 Indiana at Purdue, 2:00 PM
Playing home once again after blowing out Rutgers 89-54 at the beginning of the week, Purdue (11-6) comes into the contest against 25th ranked Indiana (12-5) having won five of their last six games. Buoying the Boilermakers is one the prime players in the country in junior Carsen Edwards.
A strong charging guard at 6'1, 200 pounds Edwards has a quick compact handle that he uses consistently to create enough space on his shot to put up 19.1 field goal attempts per game while averaging 24.3 points. Though the amount of shots he has to put up for Purdue necessary to keep them in game can effect his overall efficiency at times, Edwards can pull up off the dribble at any time to drain a shot from distance (38.4 3P%, 10.1 attempts per game) and creates additional opportunities for himself as a scorer, getting to the free throw line regularly where he is more than reliable (85.9 percent, 5.4 attempts per game). Having a hint of a potential first round pick, Edwards will have the opportunity to go head-to-head with another guard who that has settled in as a surefire first round pick, with the possibility to be taken in the top five picks.
Opposing Edwards for Indiana will be one of the fresh faces of college basketball that figures to be in his only season — as a likely "one and done"— in Romeo Langford. Langford has immediately established himself as a steady scorer at the college level with a feel for the game and ability to flourish from the perimeter you find typically in NBA guards/wing.
At 6'6, 215 pounds the freshman fills up the scoring column (18.8 points per game, 50.2 FG%), frequently attacking the defense by driving past those guarding him and either pulling up to attempt a mid-range look (30 made two-point jumpers) or making his way to the basket where he finds different ways to finish effectively — 66 of 82 (80.2%), on shots at the rim).
- #12 Kentucky at #14 Auburn, 4:00 PM
After opening in-conference SEC schedule with 77-75 loss to Alabama, Kentucky has won each of their last three games entering the game against Auburn with an identical 13-3 record.
One player who has stepped up as of late for the Wildcats has been their point guard Ashton Hagans. A prized recruit as a high school All-American last year, Hagans has played consistently positive since being placed into the starting just over a month ago. Scoring in double figures in each of the last five games, the 6'3, 192 pound point guard plays with a determined attitude on defense having had at least three steals in each of those same games — while having a career-high seven steals against North Carolina. His range and reach as an on-ball defender against opposing point guards is a tremendous asset as he is able to extend the defense and force steals that can turn into transition opportunities.
Filling up his freshman season with consistent production as Kentucky's top prospect throughout the season, Keldon Johnson has been a more than formidable force in his debut for the Wildcats. A 6'6, 215 pound wing Johnson effort throughout the season on either side of the floor has effectively allowed him to emerge as the top scorer on the team without being a ball-dominant player and is an asset on defense with his active energy and athleticism. Johnson will look to rebound from a zero point performance in his last game where he shot 0-6 from the field, his output against Vanderbilt in the contest prior to that exhibited his efficiency on the offensive end — scoring 15 points on 6-8 field goals, 1-2 on three point attempts, and 2-2 from the free throw line.
Usually joining Johnson on the wing for the Wildcats, 6'5 shooting guard Tyler Herro has acquitted himself admirably adequately, also as a freshman. Coming to Kentucky with a reputation of being realized as a shooter, Herro's ability to find ways to score the ball when his shot hasn't been falling from distance has allowed him to arrive as a quality prospect in actuality. An acutely aware defensive player, as well, the amount of affirmative attributes he brings to the court can sometimes be overlooked but his affect on the game overall is appreciable as he always plays with a level of consistency appropriate of a future pro.
In the front court for Kentucky, two veteran players both bring an equitable level of production with similar physical profiles. At 6'8, 238 pounds, graduate transfer from Stanford Reid Travis, is a reliable rebounder and a powerful player in the paint. Accompanying Travis in asserting his physical presence is sophomore PJ Washington. Improving his conditioning from his freshman season while sustaining significant strength, the 6'8, 228 pound prospect is persistent with a physically imposing style of play while also proving he can push his play outside the paint. Washington has a whopping wingspan of 7'3 which wipes away the height advantage some opposing players may have and enables him to widen his range as a rebounder and rim protector.
With three players returning to their team after initially indulging the pre-draft process last year, Auburn has gotten off to a 13-3 start this season and top-15 ranking currently. Of those three players powering the Tigers to their strong start are Bryce Brown, Jared Harper, and Austin Wiley.
Brown and Harper bolster the Auburn backcourt averaging a combined 31.1 points, 9.0 assists, and 2.2 steals between them that is nearly evenly distributed among the two.
The all-time leader in three pointers in Auburn history, Brown is the leading scorer on the team and a high-volumed shooter from beyond the arc. Not just a spot-up shooter, the 6'3, 198 pound combo guard can step into his shot off a swing from a teammate as well as stare down a defender and use his shifty ball-handling to create space in getting his shot off behind the line.
Normally the donor of those downtown attempts by Brown, Harper is at the head of Auburn offense as the point guard and primary playmaker. Listed at 5'11, 175 pounds he has the speed and quickness to get by players on the perimeter, coupled with an abundance of bounce being able to rise above the rim on players a foot taller than him. Also, an option to pull from deep with regularity, Harper can, too, get hot from three, himself, making him and Brown a taxing tandem for teams to have to deal with on defense.
Having had an injury to his left leg which left him unable to play in the first game of the season and caused an enforced minutes restriction upon his return, big man Austin Wiley has recently been inserted into the starting lineup. A strong presence around the rim for Auburn at 6'10, 260 pounds Wiley is powerful when able to leap off two feet as he's shown on plenty of dunk attempts and outback opportunities. Unfortunately, however, the Tigers will be without Wiley when they take on the Wildcats, as it was announced shortly before the game that he suffered a injury to his left leg that will leave him sidelined for a "couple of weeks".
One player who has stepped up as of late for the Wildcats has been their point guard Ashton Hagans. A prized recruit as a high school All-American last year, Hagans has played consistently positive since being placed into the starting just over a month ago. Scoring in double figures in each of the last five games, the 6'3, 192 pound point guard plays with a determined attitude on defense having had at least three steals in each of those same games — while having a career-high seven steals against North Carolina. His range and reach as an on-ball defender against opposing point guards is a tremendous asset as he is able to extend the defense and force steals that can turn into transition opportunities.
Filling up his freshman season with consistent production as Kentucky's top prospect throughout the season, Keldon Johnson has been a more than formidable force in his debut for the Wildcats. A 6'6, 215 pound wing Johnson effort throughout the season on either side of the floor has effectively allowed him to emerge as the top scorer on the team without being a ball-dominant player and is an asset on defense with his active energy and athleticism. Johnson will look to rebound from a zero point performance in his last game where he shot 0-6 from the field, his output against Vanderbilt in the contest prior to that exhibited his efficiency on the offensive end — scoring 15 points on 6-8 field goals, 1-2 on three point attempts, and 2-2 from the free throw line.
Usually joining Johnson on the wing for the Wildcats, 6'5 shooting guard Tyler Herro has acquitted himself admirably adequately, also as a freshman. Coming to Kentucky with a reputation of being realized as a shooter, Herro's ability to find ways to score the ball when his shot hasn't been falling from distance has allowed him to arrive as a quality prospect in actuality. An acutely aware defensive player, as well, the amount of affirmative attributes he brings to the court can sometimes be overlooked but his affect on the game overall is appreciable as he always plays with a level of consistency appropriate of a future pro.
In the front court for Kentucky, two veteran players both bring an equitable level of production with similar physical profiles. At 6'8, 238 pounds, graduate transfer from Stanford Reid Travis, is a reliable rebounder and a powerful player in the paint. Accompanying Travis in asserting his physical presence is sophomore PJ Washington. Improving his conditioning from his freshman season while sustaining significant strength, the 6'8, 228 pound prospect is persistent with a physically imposing style of play while also proving he can push his play outside the paint. Washington has a whopping wingspan of 7'3 which wipes away the height advantage some opposing players may have and enables him to widen his range as a rebounder and rim protector.
With three players returning to their team after initially indulging the pre-draft process last year, Auburn has gotten off to a 13-3 start this season and top-15 ranking currently. Of those three players powering the Tigers to their strong start are Bryce Brown, Jared Harper, and Austin Wiley.
Brown and Harper bolster the Auburn backcourt averaging a combined 31.1 points, 9.0 assists, and 2.2 steals between them that is nearly evenly distributed among the two.
The all-time leader in three pointers in Auburn history, Brown is the leading scorer on the team and a high-volumed shooter from beyond the arc. Not just a spot-up shooter, the 6'3, 198 pound combo guard can step into his shot off a swing from a teammate as well as stare down a defender and use his shifty ball-handling to create space in getting his shot off behind the line.
Normally the donor of those downtown attempts by Brown, Harper is at the head of Auburn offense as the point guard and primary playmaker. Listed at 5'11, 175 pounds he has the speed and quickness to get by players on the perimeter, coupled with an abundance of bounce being able to rise above the rim on players a foot taller than him. Also, an option to pull from deep with regularity, Harper can, too, get hot from three, himself, making him and Brown a taxing tandem for teams to have to deal with on defense.
Having had an injury to his left leg which left him unable to play in the first game of the season and caused an enforced minutes restriction upon his return, big man Austin Wiley has recently been inserted into the starting lineup. A strong presence around the rim for Auburn at 6'10, 260 pounds Wiley is powerful when able to leap off two feet as he's shown on plenty of dunk attempts and outback opportunities. Unfortunately, however, the Tigers will be without Wiley when they take on the Wildcats, as it was announced shortly before the game that he suffered a injury to his left leg that will leave him sidelined for a "couple of weeks".
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