Archive - 2012

Player of the Week

Draymond GreenDraymond Green, Michigan State

The Spartans’ leader shook off a rough outing Jan. 17 at Michigan by spurring his team to consecutive home wins the past week: 83-58 against Purdue and 68-52 vs. Minnesota. The latter earned coach Tom Izzo his 400th win, 86 of which Green has been around for during his four seasons.

The 6-7, 235-pound, agile bruiser put up 22 points, 14 rebounds and six assists on 9-of-11 shooting against the Gophers. It got Green back on the double-double track after his first two-game stretch of single-digit points. It was his first 20-point outburst since Jan. 10 vs. Iowa and fourth of the season. He collected double-digit rebounds for the sixth consecutive game. Green, who averages 10.4 per game, is nearing Trevor Mbakwe’s 10.5 average last season – the highest in the Big Ten since Reggie Evans’ monstrous 11.1 per game in 2001-02 for Iowa.

As Green goes, so goes the Spartans. They’re an undefeated 9-0 when Green scores more than 14 points.

Who’s Hot

Brandon Richardson, Nebraska

The Huskers senior was flat-out deadly on Thursday night in Iowa City, hitting 6-of-7 from downtown and 9-of-10 shots overall, pretty much single-handily leading Nebraska to a 79-73 win against the Hawkeyes. Along with a career-high 25 points, Richardson, a 6-foot senior guard from Los Angeles, added six rebounds, five assists, two steals and just one turnover for a highly-efficient outing.

Iowa’s lethargic defense probably had a bit to do with his offensive explosion, but Richardson took advantage for one of the most impressive performances in the league thus far. It came just four games after he was held scoreless Jan. 15 at Wisconsin in an ugly 50-45 loss. Richardson hadn’t scored in double figures since Jan. 7 at Illinois, and was averaging just 4.8 points in his previous four outings. Even more surprising was his 3-point proficiency, as he came in shooting just 12-of-40 (30 percent) from beyond the arc this season and was only a 29.4 percent shooter from there for his career. He had only hit the 20-point plateau only once before, and his six rebounds also tied a season high.

Player of the Week

Mike Moser, UNLV, PF, Sophomore, 6-8 195 lbs.

Mike MoserMoser continued his excellent play this season by posting two double-doubles this past week. In those two games, UNLV beat Boise State (10-9) and New Mexico (16-4). Moser’s inside presence against Boise State was not hard to notice as he gathered 21 rebounds and scored 18 points. UNLV only won by five points, but Boise State did not have an answer for keeping Moser off the glass. UNLV’s big win over New Mexico placed UNLV firmly atop the Mountain West Conference with San Diego State. In that game, Moser finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Through 22 games Moser is averaging 14.2 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.8 BPG, while shooting 47.0 FG%.

Who’s Hot?

Travis Bader, Oakland, SG, Sophomore, 6-4 180 lbs.

It’s difficult to argue that any player has been scorching the nets more than Bader, who posted 37 points yesterday in Oakland’s (12-11) victory over South Dakota State (16-6). He shot 12-18 from the field, including an incredible 10-14 from three-point land. Keep in mind that Bader came off the bench in that game. In Oakland’s three games prior to South Dakota State, Bader finished with point totals of 17, 21, and 21. Expect Bader to see some more playing time and sneak his way into the starting lineup.

Player of the Week

LeBryan Nash, Oklahoma State

Risin'

Austin Rivers 6’4 SG, Duke

Austin RiversCall me crazy but Rivers might have the quickest first step in the country. His ability to consistently beat nearly any defender off the dribble makes him a valuable cog in a half court set.

Player of the Week

Harrison Barnes

Harrison BarnesI'll do Barnes and the rest of Tar Heel nation a favor by not mentioning what happened in Florida State a week and a half ago (they lost by 33 points... whoops), but will say they recovered nicely by defeating the Hokies at Virginia Tech by a score of 82-68. Harrison Barnes was the biggest reason for the quick turnaround, as he scored a season-high of 27 points -- nine of which during a decisive 19-0 second-half scoring run by his team. The super sophomore is in the midst of a season that has seen his numbers improve across the board. He was criticized for his poor efficiency last season, as 42.3% shooting from the floor and 34.4% shooting from behind the arc were mediocre for somebody who would have been considered at the very top of last year's draft. This year he's shooting 48.4% from the floor and 43.6% from outside. These stark contrasts stem from several different factors, including his higher confidence, improved shot-selection and tighter handle. It's clear he put a lot of work in during the offseason and it's really playing off. This is scary to think about, but he still has a lot of room to get even better. It's no wonder he's considered a lock for the top-five during this year's draft.

Hot

Kenny Kadji

While center Reggie Johnson was recovering from an ACL injury sustained over the summer, transfer student Kenny Kadji was breaking out for his team. The 6'11" junior left Florida for Miami, and is receiving enough minutes to show off the impressive ability that he has. He collects a lot of rebounds and blocks due to his size alone, and has a surprisingly refined offensive game. Kadji is averaging 12.4 points per game (54.9 FG%) and 5.6 rebounds on the season. He also has impressive range for a player his size, having made 12 of his 26 three-point attempts on the season (46.2%). Logic may have suggested that Kadji would become an after-thought with Johnson's recent return to the team, but Kadji is hotter than ever; averaging 20.5 points on 53.3% shooting from the field. His size, mobility and shooting ability seem to complement his teammates well, and if he continues to thrive, you could hear his name in draft conversations a year from now.