The 2014-2015 college basketball season tips off in a little over a month, which means it’s time to start looking at some players and teams who are going to help drive the national narrative as the season progresses.
I’ve highlighted five players who are flying a little under the radar heading into the season. Though they may not be household names, these guys are likely going to have a huge say in how things pan out in some of the nation’s top college basketball conferences.
Jarrod Uthoff, Iowa — Devyn Marble was the only key contributor Iowa lost from a season ago to graduation of the draft, but he was a huge piece of the puzzle for the Hawkeyes during their run to the NCAA Tournament. Those point and minutes will likely need to be made up by Uthoff, the former Wisconsin transfer. I expect to see Uthoff averaging somewhere in the low to mid-20’s in terms of minutes per game while averaging around 15 points and seven rebounds per outing. If he can pull that off, Iowa will be in the mix for the Big Ten title and almost certainly an at-large qualifier in March.
Buddy Hield, Oklahoma — The Sooners’ leading scorer from a year ago could emerge as one of the top players in the nation. It’s rare to see upperclassmen be difference makers in Power-5 conferences anymore, but when we do, it’s a real treat. Look for Hield to improve on his his 16.5 ppg average from a season ago — possibly flirting with 20 a game — on his way to being a leading candidate for Big 12 player of the year. He’s the type of player who can put a team on his shoulders and carry them on a deep run in March.
Joseph Young, Oregon — The 6-foot-2 guard didn’t miss a beat when he transferred from Houston to Oregon and into Pac 12 play last season. He led the Ducks in scoring on his way to 2nd team All Conference honors and made the Oregon faithful happy by sticking around for his senior year instead of joining the NBA Draft. Dana Altman’s ducks should be able to make another postseason run and Young will be the focal point. Don’t be surprised if he ends up averaging over 20 points a game and improves on his 41 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
Jordan Mickey, LSU — Mickey exploded onto the scene as a freshmen, averaging nearly 13 points and eight rebounds per outing. He also proved to be one of the premier shot blockers in the SEC, sending back 106 shot on the season. He’ll likely take on an expanded role this season, as LSU looks to take advantage of the size they have in the paint, pounding the ball inside Mickey and counting on him to continue to guard the rim on defense. His stats should approve across the board. Unfortunately for Tiger fans, it’ll likely mean this will be the final season of his college career before he jumps ship for the NBA.
Austin Chatman, Creighton — Chatman is the lone returning starter from one of the most prolific offenses in the nation a season ago. For the Creighton Bluejays to maintain their position in the top half of the Big East, Chatman is going to have to revert back to being the scoring point guard he was when he was recruited out of high school. He had to switch up his style of play with the likes of Doug McDermott in the lineup, but I’d look for him to be the No. 1 scoring option — at least early on — for Creighton while they figure out their rotation. Look for him to average close to 15 points per game in Creighton’s 3-point-heavy offense.
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