Jeff Borzello
Multiple Authors
Much like final season, the true nationwide title contenders have separated themselves right into a tier of their very own coming into the 2026 men’s NCAA tournament.
Arizona and Michigan established themselves in the opening weeks of the season, and Duke definitively joined them after beating the Wolverines in Washington, D.C. in February. And, just like final season, Florida surged in SEC play and has emerged as a transparent risk to repeat its title.
In 2025, the tier break between the favorites and everybody else resulted in all 4 1-seeds reaching the Final Four for the first time since 2008. Will that occur once more?
A repeat of that’s statistically unlikely, however these 4 groups — the prime 4 at KenPom, Bart Torvik and in the NET with the most Quadrant 1 wins in the nation — had been the solely ones to obtain a number of votes to win the nationwide championship in our annual ballot of 25 coaches and scouts.
The official vote tally:
Arizona: 12
Duke: 5
Michigan: 3
Florida: 2
Houston: 1
Purdue: 1
UConn: 1
We additionally requested coaches about the strengths and potential flaws of the prime 4 contenders; whether or not St. John’s or UConn has a deep run in them; the championship viability of preseason No. 1 Purdue; whether or not 4 fashionable Cinderella picks can actually make a run; and the way far star freshmen may carry their groups.
TOP FOUR CONTENDERS
Strengths: Arizona obtained the most votes to win the title after its run by way of the Big 12 tournament. The Wildcats are dominant in the paint and on the offensive glass, they usually rank in the prime 5 nationally in each offensive and defensive effectivity. Tommy Lloyd has a deep, balanced unit with clutch late-game shotmakers in Jaden Bradley and Brayden Burries.
“When you play Arizona, you have to be ready for a heavyweight fight,” one coach stated. “They’re so big, so physical, so strong at every position. … There’s no softness to them. There’s no quit in them. They just keep their heads down and keep playing. It’s like an old-school bully. When it’s over, they’ve just physically ripped you.”
“I just think they have all the components,” one other coach added. “They have experience and leadership. Bradley has been to a Final Four. Brayden Burries is a top-20 pick. And they’ve got pros out there. They have a way to win that’s a little bit different, a little unconventional, but they’ve really bought into that. On a one-day prep, with the physicality they play with, I think that’s going to help them a lot.”
1:02
Arizona’s NCAA tournament preview
Joe Lunardi breaks down Arizona’s NCAA tournament prospects.
Potential deadly flaw: It’s maybe the most blatant of any of the 1-seeds, however it hasn’t actually hampered the Wildcats this season. They rank final in the Big 12 in 3-point try price and share of factors from 3-pointers, slotting in at No. 332 total with simply 5.9 3-pointers made per recreation.
“That’s the biggest thing,” one Big 12 coach stated. “Let them take and make as many 3s as possible. You eliminate the paint stuff, but now you’ve got to rebound the missed shots. Long shots means longer rebounds and they’re coming off higher. [Motiejus] Krivas, [Tobe] Awaka, [Koa] Peat, [Ivan] Kharchenkov, Burries, Bradley — they’re all going after the basketball. And they’re doing it with physicality.”
Another Big 12 coach agreed with that evaluation, including that groups must drive the Wildcats to play in the half courtroom, then make them beat you from the perimeter.
“You have to be able to take care of the basketball,” he stated. “They’re sneaky defensively. They turn you over and they’re so good in transition. You end up giving 16 transition points and you’re looking at it like, they dominated us eight feet and in and they also scored 16 to 24 transition points.”
Strengths: Coaches and scouts who picked Duke pointed to at least one cause: National Player of the Year favourite Cameron Boozer. Boozer was the winningest, most adorned highschool basketball participant in fashionable historical past — and his successful methods have not modified in faculty.
“He’s the best player I’ve ever coached against in college basketball,” one ACC coach stated. “Nobody has a matchup for him. He does everything. He scores in the post, unbelievable rebounder, can make 3s. Terrific IQ and passer and creator. Handles the ball in ball screens, and literally nobody maybe outside of Caleb Wilson is an efficient matchup for him in the nation.”
“This is a classic Duke team,” one other coach stated. “They didn’t go after the most talent, [Scheyer] went after talent that fits. It’s not just a bunch of guys out there, it’s guys that are about the right things, playing for each other. As a coach, you love it. It matters. It matters when it’s a tight game.”
0:30
Duke’s NCAA tournament preview
Joe Lunardi breaks down the Duke Blue Devils’ NCAA tournament prospects.
Potential deadly flaws: Injuries to Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba II pose the largest questions coming into the tournament. Foster suffered a fracture in his foot earlier this month and is unlikely to be obtainable for a minimum of the first two weekends, and Ngongba has been carrying a boot on his foot and hasn’t performed since March 2. There’s more optimism surrounding Ngongba, however each being out would set again the Blue Devils.
“There’s a lack of depth now,” one ACC coach stated. “Without Ngbongba, it puts them down at six plus Darren Harris. That could hurt, because it’s a mix of not making enough shots to give Cam Boozer and space and then just purely from a numbers perspective. … It’s a bigger problem if Boozer ever gets into foul trouble. He’s going to have to play 35 minutes a game after Siena.
“They had been higher than final yr with Pat and Foster. I do not know if they’re now.”
Duke has an elite defense, ranked No. 2 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, but the Blue Devils did show some vulnerabilities in the ACC tournament without Foster and Ngongba. Florida State had huge success against them for the second time this season, and Virginia scored 1.10 points per possession.
“You can put Boozer in isolation conditions, particularly in opposition to guards that may assault off the dribble. Give your guards as a lot house as potential and make it actually arduous to take a seat in gaps,” one ACC coach said on how to beat Duke. “You hope to create advantageous conditions. But it additionally makes him guard each possession. And if he has to protect each possession, you are hoping he is worn out.”
Strengths: Michigan appeared to be the prohibitive favorite this time last month, steamrolling every team in its path while looking like one of the most dominant teams in recent memory. Then the Wolverines lost to Duke, lost L.J. Cason to injury, then lost to Purdue in the Big Ten tournament.
But with their size and depth, several coaches were not dissuaded from picking them.
“They in all probability have the most balanced roster,” one Big Ten coach said. “In order to win a nationwide championship, you bought to win video games in a number of methods. … They can play huge, they’ll play small. They can get in a shootout or they’ll win a recreation the place they lock down and defend.”
“I hate utilizing this phrase, however Yaxel [Lendeborg] is one thing of a unicorn in faculty basketball,” another coach said. “He’s 6-9, he can guard wings, he can dribble, cross and shoot, he can choose up guards full courtroom. It makes them extraordinarily completely different. Aday Mara is 7-3 and may clear up. The first line of protection is a long-limbed guard, then the second line of protection is 7-foot-3. They change every thing. Morez [Johnson Jr.] can guard guards. It’s overwhelming.”
0:44
Michigan’s NCAA tournament preview
Joe Lunardi breaks down the Michigan Wolverines’ NCAA tournament prospects.
Potential fatal flaws: Like Duke, Michigan’s biggest issue entering the tournament is an injury. Cason suffered a season-ending torn ACL in late February, and while he technically came off the bench, he was a game-changer for Dusty May’s team. Cason averaged 8.4 points but was becoming an increasingly important factor as the season progressed, scoring 18 against Northwestern, 13 against UCLA and Purdue, and 14 against Minnesota, impacting momentum when he was on the court.
It also allowed May to mitigate some of Elliot Cadeau’s inconsistencies. There were some games that Cadeau played only 18 to 22 minutes, with Cason jump-starting the Wolverines.
“He was the cheat code for them,” one Big Ten coach said. “They’re dropping his shot creation. If you watch in Big Ten play as an example, LJ may rating 18 and carry your staff. Against Northwestern, he is available in and begins kicking ass and goes on a scoring run. You should have a guard to go off the bounce and get you a great shot. He was that guard that might go get it for you.”
Wisconsin also might have demonstrated the blueprint on how to beat Michigan, with the Badgers winning in Ann Arbor and then taking the Wolverines to the wire in the Big Ten tournament. In those two games, Wisconsin made a combined 31 3-pointers while Michigan made only a combined 16. The Wolverines can make 3s, but they can be prone to getting outshot and outproduced from the perimeter.
“It’s constant perimeter taking pictures after which on the defensive finish, that is the one factor they’re inclined to,” a Big Ten coach said. “You acquired to have the ability to make 3s in opposition to them. If they provide up 12 3s in a recreation they usually solely make seven, which might occur, that is a 15-point swing in opposition to a great staff in an NCAA tournament recreation.”
Strengths: Can Florida go back-to-back for the second time in the past 20 years? Some coaches believe a repeat title is possible. After starting the season 5-4 then losing their first game in conference play, the Gators lost only once over their final 17 games, winning 13 of those by double-digits.
“It at all times begins and ends with their frontcourt,” one coach stated about the trio of Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu. “That’s what is going on to hold them, that is the place they’re elite. As good as Michigan is and Arizona is, and they’re large, Florida is simply nearly as good if not higher with the depth that they’ve. They scored 72 factors in the paint in opposition to an SEC opponent. That’s their core, that is who they’re.”
“Chinyelu developed into, for me, an actual case to be Player of the Year in the SEC,” an SEC coach said. “His dominance, from rebounding, defending, scoring on the inside, bodily presence, he took a complete completely different leap this yr. And Haugh, they turned him right into a legit wing. His shotmaking potential actually helped their perimeter recreation. … Those two guys have actually grown.”
0:37
Florida’s NCAA tournament preview
Joe Lunardi breaks down Florida’s NCAA tournament prospects.
Potential fatal flaws: Florida was playing as well as any team in the country over the final two months of the season, riding a 12-game winning streak that was ended by Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament semifinals. The Gators are still very much a threat to go back-to-back, but their 324th nationally ranked 3-point shooting percentage reared its head against both Vanderbilt and Kentucky in the SEC tournament: They went a combined 8-for-37 from 3.
“It’s perimeter taking pictures, as a complete,” one SEC coach said. “To me, they’ve solely had two guys which have constantly made pictures. Haugh has been first rate, [Urban] Klavzar off the bench has been good. The different guys have been, at greatest, inconsistent. It turns into a special kind of recreation [when they’re not hitting shots]. They should play sooner, they should drive more turnovers. They should beat up on groups on the offensive glass. Their protection needs to be elite. They can nonetheless win video games, it is simply tougher.”
Though their frontcourt might be better than it was last season, their backcourt doesn’t have a Walter Clayton Jr. to bail them out.
“I do not assume this staff is nearly as good because it was final yr,” an opposing coach said. “That staff had three guards that acquired drafted, and their greatest participant was Walter Clayton. … That staff was actually, actually good. This staff is simply too, however that one was a special stage.”
CAN BIG EAST POWERS MAKE A DEEP RUN?
Yet another chapter of Rick Pitino’s legendary career was written this season, as St. John’s swept the Big East regular season and conference tournament championships for the second year in a row after not doing the double since 1986.
Last season, the Red Storm were a disappointment in the NCAA tournament, losing in the second round to 10-seed Arkansas. This season, the disappointment came earlier — on Selection Sunday, as they landed a 5-seed despite 28 wins and the Big East title sweep.
Do they have the recipe to outperform their seed and make a deeper run than last year?
“They’re only a distinctive staff, “one Big East coach said. “And they know who they’re. They’re going to play the complete recreation, they are going to preserve coming at you. They have a perception they’ll put on you down. It’s a transparent identification.”
Zuby Ejiofor is the star. The Big East Player of the Year is one of the best two-way frontcourt players in the country, averaging 16.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.1 blocks.
“He’s a throwback nowadays,” one opposing coach said. “That does not occur typically. It appears that it means so much to him to play for coach Pitino, taking part in for that employees, taking part in for teammates. … He and Pitino are an ideal match. From a taking part in standpoint, he is so robust to arrange for, as a result of he is at all times doing one thing completely different. He’s at all times including one thing to his recreation.
“College basketball is better off with guys like that. One of the guys you’re sad to see go.”
0:36
St. John’s NCAA tournament preview
Joe Lunardi breaks down the St. John’s Red Storm NCAA tournament prospects.
It’s more than simply the former Kansas switch. Ejiofor’s supporting solid has improved its consistency as the season has progressed, notably level guard Dylan Darling and ahead Dillon Mitchell. Darling changed Ian Jackson in the beginning lineup and has introduced a spark at each ends of the courtroom. Meanwhile, Mitchell moved from a sixth man function into the beginning 5 on Jan. 6; St. John’s is 19-1 since that change.
“People don’t talk enough about Dillon Mitchell,” one Big East coach stated. “He’s a 6-9 lefty, plays one-through-five. Ask him to do anything he’s going to do it. He rebounds the ball, pushes the ball in transition, the way he gets his points is so back-breaking. Oziyah Sellers and [Joson] Sanon, if they’re making shots, they’re a completely different team than last year. Those guys do not struggle to shoot the ball. Every time it leaves [Sanon’s] hands, it makes me nervous.”
Last season, St. John’s fell sufferer to its 3-point struggles in the NCAA tournament. The Red Storm ranked No. 340 in the nation in 3-point share in 2024-25, and shot 2-for-22 of their loss to Arkansas final March. They’re higher from the perimeter this season, however they nonetheless rank simply No. 216 in 3-point share and No. 320 in share of factors from 3s. It’s nonetheless a potential hassle spot.
“If they’re not making shots, and they’re playing a team that can really shoot the basketball,” one coach stated, “the great equalizer is the 3-point line. So if they go 2-for-12 and the other team goes 9-for-18, that’s a big difference to try and make up on the offensive glass or at the foul line. Sanon, Jackson, Darling, the biggest hurdle for them is going against really hot shooting.”
For the first 23 video games of the season, UConn regarded as if it had been in that prime tier of nationwide title contenders we mentioned above. The Huskies began 22-1 with wins over Florida, Illinois, Kansas and BYU, and the solitary loss to Arizona occurred once they had been with out two starters. They went simply 7-4 down the stretch, although, with shocking losses to Creighton and Marquette — and a 20-point drubbing at the fingers of St. John’s in the Big East title recreation.
During the latest 11-game stretch, UConn has struggled in a few key areas. The Huskies had the No. 2-ranked adjusted defensive effectivity at superior analytics website BartTorvik by way of the first 23 video games; they’re down at No. 29 over the previous six weeks.
They’re additionally dropping the 3-point battle. They had been taking pictures higher than 36% from 3 over the first 23 video games, however they’re at 33% now. Moreover, they’re permitting opponents to shoot 33.5% from 3 after permitting them to make simply 28.5% of their 3s to begin the season.
The bench has additionally not been as efficient, though a few of that may be attributed to Jaylin Stewart’s harm.
0:42
UConn’s NCAA tournament preview
Joe Lunardi breaks down UConn’s NCAA tournament prospects.
The largest factor shifting ahead, in accordance with opposing Big East coaches, shall be UConn’s shotmakers discovering their rhythm. Chief amongst them is Alex Karaban, who was a starter on two title-winning groups however is averaging 11.2 factors and taking pictures 34.5% from 3 in his previous 11 video games.
“Alex Karaban is one of the all-time winning guys,” one coach stated. “Is he going to be able to step forward, as he’s done at times. Can you be that guy with a target on your back? He’s got to get going.”
“Their key is getting the ball inside with [Tarris] Reed [Jr.],” one other coach stated. “But when they’re not making shots, it’s easy to sink inside against him. And when they’re hitting shots, they can set up their defense in the half court.”
Dan Hurley has additionally publicly talked about how UConn has traditionally had more success exterior the Big East, when the Huskies are going through groups which can be more unfamiliar with them. One coach agreed with Hurley, mentioning how tough it’s to arrange for his or her offensive system.
“It’s a huge factor,” the coach stated. “Their offense is so hard to go against. It’s sets on top of sets. You can’t walk through their stuff because of how fast they run it. You need four days of good prep, so not only can you see what they’re going to run, you see how they’re going to run it, with speed and precision.”
“Their style, their movement, their physicality, can they get back to being who they are and really double down on their identity?” one other coach stated of the Huskies’ ceiling. “Their best is certainly good enough to be playing deep in the tournament.”
Is Purdue a legit contender?
About every week in the past, Purdue regarded like one in all the most disappointing groups of the season. The Boilermakers had opened as the preseason No. 1 — a nationwide title contender led by preseason participant of the yr Braden Smith. Yet they completed with the 7-seed in the Big Ten tournament, dropping 4 of their ultimate six video games and going 6-7 down the stretch.
Then every thing modified in the Big Ten tournament — Purdue gained 4 video games in 4 days, together with a championship recreation victory over Michigan, 80-72. So which model of Matt Painter’s staff will we see in the NCAA tournament? And what may need flipped for Purdue final week?
“Fletcher [Loyer], Braden [Smith] and [Trey] Kaufman-Renn are playing like it’s March,” one Big Ten coach stated. “They’re seniors, they’re playing with a different sense of urgency. They knew they weren’t playing well.”
The supporting solid round Smith actually produced final week, as the star level guard chases Bobby Hurley’s all-time NCAA assists document of 1,076. (Smith enters the tournament solely two away from breaking it.)
“Oscar Cluff has stepped up big time,” a Big Ten assistant stated. “[C.J.] Cox has stepped up late in his sophomore year, gives them another perimeter shooter next to Loyer. He can help space the floor. The blueprint on Braden Smith is to send two at him, try to get the ball out of his hands, or try to make him a scorer. But if Loyer is banging shots, you’ve got Cluff and Kaufman-Renn around the rim, Cox can bang shots.
“All of a sudden, if you wish to put two on Smith, you have acquired shotmakers they usually’re taking part in 4 on three, and once they’re making pictures, they’re actually arduous to protect.”
0:34
Purdue’s NCAA tournament preview
Joe Lunardi breaks down Purdues’ NCAA tournament prospects.
Potential Cinderellas
OK, so we’ve gone through key Final Four contenders, but what about the double-digit seeds that could pull off potential first-round upsets? Cinderellas are what ultimately put the Madness in March. We spoke to coaches who faced the four most likely first-round upset picks — per the majority of predictive metrics — to get their take on whether the slipper might fit.
The case for Cinderella: “Their No. 1 factor is confidence stage,” one MAC head coach said. “They’re the most assured group I’ve seen. They have actually good items. They’re selfless, they share the basketball, they’ve a number of guys that may step up and rating 20 factors on any given evening. They do not depend upon one or two guys. “[Eian] Elmer and [Peter] Suder can both do it late in games. When it comes down to crunch time, Suder is going to have the ball in his hands and they’ll run their flow chin series.
“The tempo stats shock me. I simply assume they’re very environment friendly. When they beat Akron, it was 76-73, they had been environment friendly.”
The case against: “Their largest deficiency is protection,” a MAC head coach said. “They’ve had six or seven one-possession video games, they usually in all probability ought to’ve misplaced 4 or 5 of them. … Their inside may be very skinny. If you will get [Antwone] Woolfolk in foul hassle, they battle once they go to the bench in the frontcourt.
The case for Cinderella: “They rebound at such a high level, especially for us,” one American Conference assistant coach stated. “They depend on those extra possessions.
“They unfold you out after which [Izaiyah] Nelson down low, he is such a difference-maker. … You assume you have acquired a bonus down low with measurement, however he is so quick-twitched, he can accomplish that many issues defensively. … It’s an enormous key they’ve. I’ve little doubt he’ll have success in opposition to Louisville, to be trustworthy with you. He can have success in opposition to measurement and athleticism.
“Especially if you can’t put pressure on the offensive boards or you don’t rebound it well, they’re extremely efficient at getting out and getting to the rim. … They spread you so quick and they can make shots with several different guys.”
The case in opposition to: “As good as they are on the glass, if you can dominate that aspect of the game, you’ll definitely have an advantage. That’s been the key to which team wins their games: the glass,” an American Conference assistant stated.
“Louisville’s shooting can cause problems, especially if South Florida is aggressive in their ball-screen coverage. A lot of teams have issues getting out of their aggressive traps, they can turn you over left and right with their coverage. But if you’ve got a good point guard, you can get it out and get them stretched and find open shots on the back side.
“People are going to underestimate how arduous they play. … But you will get them collapsed, you will get paint touches and spray-out 3s.”
The case for Cinderella: “They had been the greatest staff in our league, due to their depth and the manner they dominated,” one MAC head coach said. “They’re unselfish, they usually added a high-major piece in Evan Mahaffey. He’s a Swiss Army knife, does plenty of issues very well. He’s an extended defender, he can guard one by way of 4 or one by way of 5. They have three guys on the bench that may begin for anybody in our league.
“Tavari Johnson is a high-major guard. Shammah Scott could possibly be a high-major guard. Sharron Young comes off the bench and plays like, 18 minutes a game and doesn’t flinch. He could play 30-plus on any other team. Winning helps, but everyone on their team has accepted a role.”
The case in opposition to: “Their interior defense isn’t great. They’re not very deep at the 5. I think a team who gets out in transition, one that can score in transition, will hurt them,” a MAC head coach stated.
“Akron is going to switch a lot on the perimeter. Texas Tech’s ability to make 3s could be a problem, but it depends where they get them from. If they’re playing inside-outside, or they’re getting out in transition, that’s where it will hurt them.”
The case for Cinderella: “They’re a totally different team when they’re fully healthy. It was known they were getting hot at the right time,” a Missouri Valley assistant stated. “They’re a very disciplined team. Defensively, they’re really, really good. They’re still in the top 25 at KenPom.
“[Ben] Jacobson has at all times been an unbelievable defensive rebounding coach. They’re at all times prime 25 in the nation. Because they do not flip it over on offense they rebound the s— out of the ball, he actually values possessions. They defend the paint, however they contest 3s at a extremely excessive stage. They make you shoot 3s however due to their size and closeout self-discipline, they actually contest these 3s.
“Trey Campbell has great size at the mid-major level. He can really shoot it, really pass it. Leon Bond is a glue guy, he’s athletic, he can score at the rim, defend anyone on the court. Max Weisbrod can actually shoot it. Tristan Smith was an unbelievable portal pickup for them. One of the hardest-playing guys in the Valley. He’s an awesome defender, he gets fouled a ton. When he went out, they won two of eight games.
“They have a quiet confidence about them. Eleven guys returned from final season.”
The case against: “You should discover a solution to get into the paint,” a Missouri Valley coach said. “They fast hedge, however you want your level guard to return off the ball display screen and switch the nook, be aggressive. Your bigs acquired to roll actually arduous, put strain on the protection, in any other case you will not contact the paint. You can get somewhat bit off off-ball motion. It’s undoubtedly potential.
“St. John’s has better athletes than them. Can they offensive rebound? It’s really hard, but they can be efficient if they find a way.”
How far can freshman stars carry their groups?
We simply witnessed the biggest freshman class in fashionable faculty basketball historical past dominate the panorama for 5 months, with the possible National Player of the Year a freshman, and a minimum of three first-year gamers anticipated to be named to the All-American staff.
With only a few exceptions, the prime freshmen are all headed to the NCAA tournament. How far can the better of the greatest — AJ Dybantsa, Darius Acuff Jr. and Darryn Peterson — carry their respective groups?
Dybantsa is the nation’s main scorer, averaging 25.3 factors. And his utilization has solely gone up since the season-ending harm to Richie Saunders.
“He’s just an unreal talent,” one Big 12 coach stated. “The poise that he plays with is off the charts, especially for a freshman. You can trap the ball, but he constantly just makes the right play. It’s a generational talent. I’ve never seen anyone play like that, with the size that he plays with. The thing that makes him special, he can do everything, he can make every pass. He can see over the top of people.
“He’s any person you do not need to see in the NCAA tournament. Because he can rating 40 and for the most half, he is taking pictures you’ll be able to reside with.”
Acuff is arguably the most Kemba Walker-like player in this year’s NCAA tournament, an electric guard who has consistently put up huge numbers for Arkansas. He became the first player since Pete Maravich in 1969-70 to lead the SEC in scoring (22.9 PPG) and assists (6.5). He just had 30 points and 11 assists in the SEC title game against Vanderbilt.
“It’s the mixture of athleticism, shotmaking and decision-making,” an SEC coach said. “If you double him, he’ll get the ball out on time and on the right track. And they produce other guys. If you make him play and create off ball screens and rating for himself, he is acquired quite a lot of methods to do this. He can explode at the rim, pull up simply, re-rescreen and get 3s off.
“He’s got the clutch gene as we’ve seen, he’s just so special. And he’s always calm, it’s hard to rock him.”
Peterson hasn’t operated at the identical stage as Dybantsa or Peterson — or Boozer — however continues to be in the combine to be the No. 1 NBA draft choose, and continues to be able to otherworldly efforts due to his expertise stage. He appears to have discovered a solution to handle the hamstring points that brought about him to take a seat out 11 video games this season, taking part in more than half-hour in 5 of Kansas’ ultimate seven video games. He’s averaging 19.8 factors in 22 video games.
“He played better in the Big 12 tournament,” one coach in the league stated. “He obviously can carry them; I don’t want to say he can’t. But there’s a different level of urgency with Acuff, Dybantsa and Boozer. Now he can go create his own shot and get his shot whenever he wants, I don’t want to take away his talent level. But when they play with pace, with [Melvin] Council, with Tre White, with Flory [Bidunga] at the rim, that’s more dangerous to me. They slow down and run a lot of sets when he’s in the game.”
