This article is part of our College Basketball Waiver Wire series.
This week's top pickups highlights a number of players who were just recently inserted into the starting lineup. Some of those are coming by the way of injuries and others have simply been playing too well to keep coming off the bench.
Guards
Cam Hayes (LSU):
After a slow start to the season, Hayes has emerged as an impact player for the Tigers. Over the last three games, the N.C. State transfer is putting up 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.7 three-pointers, and 1.7 steals on 61.3 percent shooting. Hayes has started the last two games and appears he will be a starter in a three-guard lineup for LSU for the forseeable future.
Kobe Bufkin (Michigan):
Bufkin has been a contributor in each of the top-six stat categories over the last couple weeks for coach Juwan Howard. Bufkin is averaging 13.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.8 three-pointers, 1.6 steals, and 1.4 blocks over the last five and shooting 56.3 percent from behind the arc during that stretch. He has taken a big leap as a sophomore and will look to carry that into conference play.
Steven Ashworth (Utah State):
Ashworth had a case as the top sixth-man in the country this season before he was finally inserted into the starting lineup three games ago. The junior is averaging 18.4 points, 4.8 assists, 4.0 three-pointers, and 2.6 rebounds per game this season. Ashworth's shooting percentages are insane as well at 55.2 percent from the field, 54.5 percent from three,
This week's top pickups highlights a number of players who were just recently inserted into the starting lineup. Some of those are coming by the way of injuries and others have simply been playing too well to keep coming off the bench.
Guards
Cam Hayes (LSU):
After a slow start to the season, Hayes has emerged as an impact player for the Tigers. Over the last three games, the N.C. State transfer is putting up 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.7 three-pointers, and 1.7 steals on 61.3 percent shooting. Hayes has started the last two games and appears he will be a starter in a three-guard lineup for LSU for the forseeable future.
Kobe Bufkin (Michigan):
Bufkin has been a contributor in each of the top-six stat categories over the last couple weeks for coach Juwan Howard. Bufkin is averaging 13.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.8 three-pointers, 1.6 steals, and 1.4 blocks over the last five and shooting 56.3 percent from behind the arc during that stretch. He has taken a big leap as a sophomore and will look to carry that into conference play.
Steven Ashworth (Utah State):
Ashworth had a case as the top sixth-man in the country this season before he was finally inserted into the starting lineup three games ago. The junior is averaging 18.4 points, 4.8 assists, 4.0 three-pointers, and 2.6 rebounds per game this season. Ashworth's shooting percentages are insane as well at 55.2 percent from the field, 54.5 percent from three, and 87.2 percent from the free-throw line. He's got a chance to be All-Mountain West First Team if he keeps up this pace.
Quincy Olivari (Rice):
Talk about a torrid stretch, Olivari is putting up ridiculous numbers over the last five games. The fourth-year player is averaging 27.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 3.2 three-pointers, and 1.8 steals over that span. One of those games came against one of the top defenses in the country in Texas where Olivari went for 28 points.
Brayon Freeman (Rhode Island):
Rhode Island has dealt with a lot of lineup changes this season, but Freeman has emerged as a second go-to option alongside Ishmael Leggett. Over the last eight games, Freeman is putting up 17.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.8 three-pointers, and 1.4 steals. He has started the last six contests and will be a huge piece for this team going into A-10 play.
Forwards
Brice Sensabaugh (Ohio State):
Sensabaugh has been so efficient this season. In just 20.7 minutes per game he is putting up 14.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.0 three-pointers on 47.6 percent shooting from deep. Coach Chris Holtmann has finally come to his senses by putting the freshman in the starting five in the last two games where he has seen north of 30 minutes. Even when Isaac Likekele returns, there's no excuse to not get Sensabaugh much closer to 30 MPG.
Matt Cleveland (Florida State):
Cleveland is coming off his best game of the season against St. John's where he notched career highs in both points (23) and rebounds (13). Cleveland now has three double-doubles in his last four games. At 3-10, Florida State is just going to continue to play the sophomore for as many minutes as he can handle going forward. Expect his season averages of 13.3 points and 6.3 rebounds only to go up.
Patrick McCaffery (Iowa):
With Kris Murray set to miss multiple weeks with a foot injury, McCaffery becomes an obvious choice to pick up some of that production. Over the last three games in which Murray has been out, McCaffery is putting up 19.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.0 three-pointers per contest on 50 percent shooting from deep.
Jalon Moore (Georgia Tech):
Moore didn't see more than 18 minutes in the first five games of the season. He was added to the starting five six games ago and over that stretch hasn't seen less than 25 minutes and is putting up 13.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks. Georgia Tech has decent size on the wing positions, but at 6-7 Moore is the tallest player in Yellow Jacket's starting five.
Centers
D.J. Burns (N.C. State):
Burns has a big opportunity in front of him with Dusan Mahorcic set to be out for awhile with a kneecap injury. Burns has started the last three games and is putting up 13.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks over that stretch. The Wolfpack love to play at a high pace which will make for more possessions for Burns to put up fantasy relevant numbers.
Max Fiedler (Rice):
Assists are not a stat you really don't expect much help in from a center-eligible player, but Fiedler is definitely an exception. The redshirt junior is averaging 5.4 assists on the season, which leads the Conference USA. Fiedler also leads the conference in field goal percentage (72.5) and ranks fourth in rebounding (7.2). Fiedler hasn't yet posted a triple-double this season, but he has come very close.
Fede Federiko (Pittsburgh):
It's unclear exactly what's going on with John Hugley. He played just 10 minutes on Dec. 10 off the bench and then was ruled out for the Dec. 17 game for "personal reasons." That has opened the door for Federiko to take advantage, and he has done just that, going for 17 points and 14 rebounds against Sacred Heart and then 22 points and eight rebounds against North Florida. If Hugley continues to miss time, Federiko becomes a great center option.
