College Hoops Barometer: Sinking Sooner

Just when you thought this might be a down year for the Duke Blue Devils, Coach K returns and the most hated team in America reels off five-straight wins. Over that stretch the Blue Devils have taken down chief rival North Carolina and a ranked squad in Notre Dame. Surprisingly, it has not really been the play of Duke's vaunted freshman class, but instead holdovers like Grayson Allen and the oft-forgotten Luke Kennard. Allen was spectacular in Duke's victory over UNC, while Kennard scored 25 of Duke's 64 points in the subsequent win over Clemson. The Blue Devils are now 8-4 in conference play, poised for yet another NCAA tourney berth, clicking on all cylinders and getting healthy at the right time. With the continued growth of Jayson Tatum, this Duke squad could be dangerous, even if the season did not exactly start off on the right foot.

Let's look at the rest of the movers and shakers in this week's edition of the College Hoops Barometer.

UPGRADE

Frank Mason III, G, Kansas - Everyone knew Mason was good, but I don't think anyone quite expected him to be THIS good. The senior point guard for the Jayhawks is averaging over 20 points per game, up over seven points from a season ago. Mason's accuracy and shot selection have both improved, as he sports career bests in field goal percentage from the floor and beyond the arc. In fact, Mason is shooting almost 51-percent from three-point land. This is the same player who shot a putrid 32.7-percent from long range as a freshman and barely took more than one trey per game. Now Mason has turned into a deadly assassin from downtown. However, his ability to get to the rack and either draw a foul or set up his teammates has never been in doubt. Mason went 16-of-18 from the charity stripe in Monday's comeback OT win over West Virginia. He finished with a game-high 24 points. Freshman Josh Jackson may have five double-doubles in his last six games and be a top-5 pick in this June's draft. Make no mistake about it, though; this is Mason's squad as the Jayhawks churn towards a 13th-straight Big 12 regular season crown.

Bonzie Colson, F, Notre Dame - Colson's been a monster of late. The junior forward was already having a terrific season, but his recent play has taken his game to new heights. Colson has notched three double-doubles in a row, each perhaps more impressive than the last. Following a 17-point, 10-rebound output in a loss to North Carolina, Colson exploded for 27 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks in an 88-81 triumph over Wake Forest. Colson followed that strong performance up by pouring in a career-high 33 points in a victory over Florida State. Colson also ripped down 13 boards for his 16th double-double of the season. Not surprisingly, Colson is averaging a double-double on the year, and the Irish are 13-3 when Colson posts such a line. When Colson is surging, Notre Dame can beat any squad on a given night.

Derrick White, G, Colorado - White has made the jump from Division II to the best player on a major conference squad. A growth spurt of four inches helped, as the late bloomer now stands at 6-foot-5 as a senior in what will be his only year with the Buffaloes. Still, it is difficult to imagine where the Buffs would be without him, as White has 10 games with at least 20 points, including five in his last eight contests. Colorado has won five of its last six games, including an impressive win over Oregon on January 28th. White subsequently nearly recorded a triple-double against Stanford, collecting 19 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and four blocks in the 81-74 victory. They've got some work to do to make the big dance after starting off the Pac-12 slate at 0-7, but if White continues to play at such a high level, certainly the Buffs have a fighting chance.

J.J. Frazier, G, Georgia - It seems as though Frazier has been stuffing the stat sheet forever for the Bulldogs, as the senior completes his standout collegiate career at Georgia. Frazier is averaging 16.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this year, and has really hit his stride in recent contests. That includes a season-best 29 points in Saturday's narrow 76-75 win at Tennessee. It was also the fourth game of the year in which Frazier tallied at least five assists. While an NCAA Tournament berth seems unlikely, Frazier will continue to be a force to be reckoned with for the remainder of the season.

CHECK STATUS

Isaiah Hicks, F, North Carolina - Hicks injured his hamstring the day before last week's classic matchup with Duke at Cameron Indoor Arena, a most inopportune time for the Heels. He did not play in that game, as the Heels fell to the Blue Devils by a score of 86-78. While the injury is not considered serious, it remains to be seen when Hicks will be able to see the court again. The Heels currently sit atop an extremely competitive Atlantic Coast Conference at 9-3, and the 6-foot-9 senior is third on the team in scoring, second in rebounding and first in field goal percentage. Though UNC does have plenty of spry bodies in place of Hicks, none of his replacements can perhaps have the same impact as a the senior. Certainly coach Roy Williams hopes to have Hicks back for the rematch with Duke in Chapel Hill in the final regular season game of the year.

Keenan Evans, G, Texas Tech - Evans has been lighting up the scoring column in recent games, averaging 22.6 points over his last three outings for the Red Raiders. That includes 23 points in Monday's stunning 84-78 victory over Baylor. Interestingly, though, Evans had just three 20-point games over the first 23 games of the season. Still, he leads Tech in scoring at 15.2 points per tilt. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen if Evans will retain his shot shooting stroke for the remainder of the campaign, or if he will come back down to earth. However, it is worth noting that Evans is also the leading disher on the squad, averaging 3.1 dimes per tilt. As such, even if his scoring regresses back to the mean, Evans should still be able to make his presence felt as the Red Raiders attempt to salvage their season. After an 11-1 start to the year, Tech is just 6-8 since that time.

Jalen Brunson, G, Villanova - Brunson was a key cog off the bench for last year's champs as a freshman, but he's starting as a sophomore and his emergence has allowed the Wildcats to barely miss a beat. Ryan Arcidiacono is gone, Josh Hart is the leading scorer and Kris Jenkins gets all the fanfare due to last season's iconic championship trey. However, Brunson has been an integral component in keeping the Wildcats among the top squads in the nation. He is averaging 14.3 points and 4.3 assists per game, serving as the catalyst for the Wildcat offense. It seems as though Brunson knows just what the team needs in any given situation; he scores when one is needed, dishes when a teammate is open, even grabs a few boards when the opportunity is ripe. Brunson may not always stand out in the box score, but his impact is felt on a nightly basis.

Jordon Varnado, F, Troy - For hoop buffs, the last name may sound familiar. Jarvis Varnado played four years at Mississippi State and had several short stints in the NBA, including receiving a championship ring with the Miami Heat in 2013. Jordon is a smaller in height than his older brother, and is currently a sophomore at Troy. Though still a tad raw, Varnado has improved his game and has retained the rebounding prowess that seems to run in the family. Jordon exploded for a career-high 31 points at Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday, then followed that performance up with a double-double, tallying 23 points and 13 rebounds. It was the fourth double-double of the season for Varnado. He's the leading scorer and rebounder for the Trojans, who have won three of their last four games. Unfortunately, they are likely not in the NCAA tourney hunt, as a slew of teams sit ahead of the Trojans in the Sun Belt, led by UT-Arlington.

DOWNGRADE

Jordan Woodard, G, Oklahoma - The Sooners have struggled to repeat last season's success, as Woodard has failed to fill the huge shoes left by the departed Buddy Hield. Injuries have played a huge role in Woodard's lack of development into Oklahoma's superstar, culminating in a torn ACL suffered Saturday against Iowa State. Woodard will miss the remainder of the season for the Sooners. Projected to make the jump to superstardom this season, Woodard's statistics ended up being not all that much different than a year ago when he was the sidekick for the aforementioned Hield. The increased opportunities did not result in the hoped uptick, as Woodard shot poorly from the field. His three-point shooting percentage fell by nearly 10 points. Unfortunately for Woodard, his collegiate career is likely finished on a sour note. The Sooners have lost seven games in a row, but look for freshman Kameron McGusty to give Oklahoma a glimpse of the promise of the future.

LaMarr Kimble, G, St. Joseph's - The Hawks were devastated by injuries this season to their most crucial players. Swingman James Demery, the third-leading scorer on the squad, missed a chunk of the beginning of the season due to a stress fracture in his foot. Kimble was second in scoring on the squad behind Shavar Newkirk, who was averaging over 20 points per game before suffering a torn ACL around New Year's. Now Kimble has a foot injury and will be unable to return this season. The leading assist man for St. Joe's, Kimble was dishing out 4.5 dimes per tilt, while also scoring 15.5 points per game and pulling down four boards per contest as well. Expect the Hawks to go with the youth movement as the season winds down, in particular with freshmen Nick Robinson and Charlie Brown. Good grief!

Lourawls Nairn Jr., G, Michigan State - Nairn has been among the more disappointing players in college basketball, as he has failed to take that next step in the evolution of his game. Despite continuing to start at point guard and averaging over 23 minutes played per game, Nairn is averaging just four points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per contest. The Spartans are currently 15-10, including 7-5 in the Big Ten, and still have work to do in order to make the big dance. Coach Tom Izzo plays a bevy of guards due to the maddening inconsistency of Nairn and others. In fact, 11 Spartans saw the floor in Saturday's win over Iowa. Nairn has reached double figures in scoring just three times this season. This MSU squad is really Miles Bridges and not much else.

Chris Clarke, F, Virginia Tech - Unfortunately, the frequency of ballers tearing their ACLs appears to be increasing. Clarke is yet another player to have succumbed to the crushing injury, which will obviously sideline him for the remainder of 2017. The sophomore was one of five players to average double-figures in points on the season, but he will truly missed on the glass. Clarke was the leading rebounder the Hokies, snatching 7.3 rebounds per contest. The Hokies are now extremely thin in the frontcourt. As a result, even more pressure will now be placed on the shoulders of senior forward Zach LeDay, though the Virginia Tech guards will also be expected to get their noses dirty and clash in the paint with the big bodies. Still, the loss of Clarke is a huge blow to Tech's NCAA Tournament hopes; the Hokies have not been to the big dance in a decade.