Final Four would be just desserts for these sweet 16 NCAA Tournament stars
- Updated
Here are 16 star players to watch during the Sweet 16.
- Jon Gold Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Another year, another Sweet 16, another sugar high to sustain you through the summer.
This year, the NCAA Tournament has cleared the muck – of the 16 teams who remain, just four enter as surprises. The only one vying for Cinderella’s glass slipper is Xavier, which takes on its former coach in Sean Miller and the Arizona Wildcats on Thursday.
For the most part, this field is enough to give you a cavity, and we’re here to prove it.
Here is the real Sweet 16 for you to chew on (also, desserts, ranked):
- Jon Gold Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Admit it, you’d love a donut right now. Like, right now. But Lonzo Ball is no old-fashioned. This dude’s an apple fritter, or at least a bear claw, with his giant mitts. There is no better passer in the game. He had one dish in UCLA’s mid-January loss to Arizona that made this writer salivate: After grabbing a defensive rebound, he power dribbled once, then caught the ball midair with his right hand and zipped it down the court to T.J. Leaf for a breakaway dunk. Of all the special talents remaining in the NCAA Tournament, this is tops.
- Jon Gold Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Smooth, silky, and ever so rich, Brooks has been a reliable and steady presence for three years for the Ducks. He was Pac-12 player of the year this season, but may have been even better last year. Still, he averages 16.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals while playing tenacious defense. Perhaps his best attribute, though, is his fluidity going to the hoop, which will be needed against the Wolverines.
- Jon Gold Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Swanigan, who called himself “a dessert person” in a feature story by ESPN.com’s Myron Medcalf on the Purdue big man’s body transformation, is still thick and strong. You’d need a knife and a fork just to get through him. Improving from a good freshman to a sensational sophomore, Swanigan’s got some ups for a big man, as his rebounding numbers have ballooned from 8.3 last year to 12.6 this season.
- Jon Gold Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
It may be strange to compare someone from Berlin to something as universally American as apple pie, but the Michigan sophomore is just that good. Wagner scored 26 points in a huge second-round upset of No. 2 Louisville, hitting 11 of 14 from the field. Along with stud running mate Derrick Walton Jr., Wagner gives the Wolverines a potent 1-2 punch.
- Jon Gold Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
An old standby, just consistent and classic. You can count on cookies and milk like you can count on Adebayo’s low-post game. The Kentucky big falls just short of qualifying, but Adebayo’s 60.9 shooting percentage would fall in the top 20 in the nation, and top two among remaining players, battling UCLA’s T.J. Leaf for most consistent scoring presence.
- Jon Gold Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Is it the cool whipped cream? Is it the sweet-and-tart strawberries? Is it the spongy cake? It’s all three, silly, and it’s just as hard to pick the main ingredient from the Kansas stud freshman’s game. The projected top-three pick ranks among the country’s best in player efficiency rating, while averaging 16.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists.
- Jon Gold Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Delicious, but more importantly, refreshing, Hayes has used college basketball as a platform, using intelligence, wit and loquaciousness to constantly shoe away the naysayers. And, while the Wisconsin senior forward talks a good game, he plays one, too, averaging nearly 14 and 7.
- Jon Gold Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Speaking of ice cold, how about Markkanen’s early February? Arizona’s freshman phenom shot 5 for 25 to start the month, digging himself into a rut. Speaking of heating up, Markkanen is 30 for his last 53 since March 9, with three 20-point games, including a 29-point burst in the Wildcats’ Pac-12 semifinals win over UCLA. With a deft touch off the glass and verifiable NBA range, Markkanen is that perfect blend of scorer.
- Jon Gold Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In other words, dude is on fire. That’s not bubbling hot fudge you’re seeing, that is Thornwell’s jumper. The leading scorer among the Sweet 16 teams, South Carolina’s senior star has lit it up recently, scoring 29 points in an opening-round win over Marquette and 24 in a second-round upset of Duke. He also had games of 44 — in a four-overtime slugfest against Alabama — 34 (against Kentucky), and 27 against Arkansas.
- Jon Gold Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The northernmost of the remaining teams in the field — and the only one in the vicinity of our giant cold state to the north — Gonzaga has thrived this season while benefiting from myriad castaways. And unlike the United States’ purchase of Russia for $7.2 million, these guys came on a great bargain. The Bulldogs’ best player, Nigel Williams-Goss, defected from Washington; third-leading scorer Jordan Mathews jumped over from Cal; and versatile forward and fifth-leading scorer Johnathan Williams played two years at Missouri.
- Jon Gold Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
You may call it a jubilee, but around my parts, we call it a block party, and it’s clear the Baylor first-year forward feels the same. Lual-Acuil is still refining his offensive game, but his 2.5 blocks per game put him among the nation’s leaders.
- Jon Gold Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Like the Thanksgiving treat, the Xavier junior had a great November, scoring 20 points in four of seven games. Unlike pumpkin pie, the Musketeers are still counting on him long into March, as he’s ha four more 20-point games this month, including 21 against Maryland in the first round and 29 in an upset over Florida State on Saturday.
- Jon Gold Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Any guard starting for Bob Huggins and West Virginia has got to be a tenacious defender, and Carter fits the bill. He may be the Mountaineers’ leading scorer at 13.3 points per game, but his best talent lies in his quick hands. He ranks seventh in the country — and tops among remaining players — with 2.53 steals per game.
- Jon Gold Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Meeks has been a consistent double-double force for North Carolina, piling up 13 games this year with 10 or more points and rebounds, and another half-dozen in which he felt short a point or rebound or two. Justin Jackson gets most of the pub on this Tar Heels squad, and rightfully so, but Meeks deserves his bite, too.
- Jon Gold Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
There’s nothing flashy about Holtmann, Butler’s third-year coach. He’s not going to make waves for his words or cause a ruckus. But he does have the Bulldogs on the ascent once more, and he took home Big East coach of the year honors this year to prove it. Consider this: Butler’s four-seed is the highest in program history.
- Jon Gold Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Look, maybe not the best dessert, and maybe a little bland, but don’t sleep on Fig Newtons. You can count on Fig Newtons. You can also count on Barry at the free-throw line, where the Florida senior guard shoots 88 percent. And it’s not like he’s taken only a handful — he’s an impressive 110 for 125 at the stripe while using his father, Rick’s, famous “granny” style.
Another year, another Sweet 16, another sugar high to sustain you through the summer.
This year, the NCAA Tournament has cleared the muck – of the 16 teams who remain, just four enter as surprises. The only one vying for Cinderella’s glass slipper is Xavier, which takes on its former coach in Sean Miller and the Arizona Wildcats on Thursday.
For the most part, this field is enough to give you a cavity, and we’re here to prove it.
Here is the real Sweet 16 for you to chew on (also, desserts, ranked):
Admit it, you’d love a donut right now. Like, right now. But Lonzo Ball is no old-fashioned. This dude’s an apple fritter, or at least a bear claw, with his giant mitts. There is no better passer in the game. He had one dish in UCLA’s mid-January loss to Arizona that made this writer salivate: After grabbing a defensive rebound, he power dribbled once, then caught the ball midair with his right hand and zipped it down the court to T.J. Leaf for a breakaway dunk. Of all the special talents remaining in the NCAA Tournament, this is tops.
Smooth, silky, and ever so rich, Brooks has been a reliable and steady presence for three years for the Ducks. He was Pac-12 player of the year this season, but may have been even better last year. Still, he averages 16.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals while playing tenacious defense. Perhaps his best attribute, though, is his fluidity going to the hoop, which will be needed against the Wolverines.
Swanigan, who called himself “a dessert person” in a feature story by ESPN.com’s Myron Medcalf on the Purdue big man’s body transformation, is still thick and strong. You’d need a knife and a fork just to get through him. Improving from a good freshman to a sensational sophomore, Swanigan’s got some ups for a big man, as his rebounding numbers have ballooned from 8.3 last year to 12.6 this season.
It may be strange to compare someone from Berlin to something as universally American as apple pie, but the Michigan sophomore is just that good. Wagner scored 26 points in a huge second-round upset of No. 2 Louisville, hitting 11 of 14 from the field. Along with stud running mate Derrick Walton Jr., Wagner gives the Wolverines a potent 1-2 punch.
An old standby, just consistent and classic. You can count on cookies and milk like you can count on Adebayo’s low-post game. The Kentucky big falls just short of qualifying, but Adebayo’s 60.9 shooting percentage would fall in the top 20 in the nation, and top two among remaining players, battling UCLA’s T.J. Leaf for most consistent scoring presence.
Is it the cool whipped cream? Is it the sweet-and-tart strawberries? Is it the spongy cake? It’s all three, silly, and it’s just as hard to pick the main ingredient from the Kansas stud freshman’s game. The projected top-three pick ranks among the country’s best in player efficiency rating, while averaging 16.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists.
Delicious, but more importantly, refreshing, Hayes has used college basketball as a platform, using intelligence, wit and loquaciousness to constantly shoe away the naysayers. And, while the Wisconsin senior forward talks a good game, he plays one, too, averaging nearly 14 and 7.
Speaking of ice cold, how about Markkanen’s early February? Arizona’s freshman phenom shot 5 for 25 to start the month, digging himself into a rut. Speaking of heating up, Markkanen is 30 for his last 53 since March 9, with three 20-point games, including a 29-point burst in the Wildcats’ Pac-12 semifinals win over UCLA. With a deft touch off the glass and verifiable NBA range, Markkanen is that perfect blend of scorer.
In other words, dude is on fire. That’s not bubbling hot fudge you’re seeing, that is Thornwell’s jumper. The leading scorer among the Sweet 16 teams, South Carolina’s senior star has lit it up recently, scoring 29 points in an opening-round win over Marquette and 24 in a second-round upset of Duke. He also had games of 44 — in a four-overtime slugfest against Alabama — 34 (against Kentucky), and 27 against Arkansas.
The northernmost of the remaining teams in the field — and the only one in the vicinity of our giant cold state to the north — Gonzaga has thrived this season while benefiting from myriad castaways. And unlike the United States’ purchase of Russia for $7.2 million, these guys came on a great bargain. The Bulldogs’ best player, Nigel Williams-Goss, defected from Washington; third-leading scorer Jordan Mathews jumped over from Cal; and versatile forward and fifth-leading scorer Johnathan Williams played two years at Missouri.
You may call it a jubilee, but around my parts, we call it a block party, and it’s clear the Baylor first-year forward feels the same. Lual-Acuil is still refining his offensive game, but his 2.5 blocks per game put him among the nation’s leaders.
Like the Thanksgiving treat, the Xavier junior had a great November, scoring 20 points in four of seven games. Unlike pumpkin pie, the Musketeers are still counting on him long into March, as he’s ha four more 20-point games this month, including 21 against Maryland in the first round and 29 in an upset over Florida State on Saturday.
Any guard starting for Bob Huggins and West Virginia has got to be a tenacious defender, and Carter fits the bill. He may be the Mountaineers’ leading scorer at 13.3 points per game, but his best talent lies in his quick hands. He ranks seventh in the country — and tops among remaining players — with 2.53 steals per game.
Meeks has been a consistent double-double force for North Carolina, piling up 13 games this year with 10 or more points and rebounds, and another half-dozen in which he felt short a point or rebound or two. Justin Jackson gets most of the pub on this Tar Heels squad, and rightfully so, but Meeks deserves his bite, too.
There’s nothing flashy about Holtmann, Butler’s third-year coach. He’s not going to make waves for his words or cause a ruckus. But he does have the Bulldogs on the ascent once more, and he took home Big East coach of the year honors this year to prove it. Consider this: Butler’s four-seed is the highest in program history.
Look, maybe not the best dessert, and maybe a little bland, but don’t sleep on Fig Newtons. You can count on Fig Newtons. You can also count on Barry at the free-throw line, where the Florida senior guard shoots 88 percent. And it’s not like he’s taken only a handful — he’s an impressive 110 for 125 at the stripe while using his father, Rick’s, famous “granny” style.
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