2017 NCAA Tournament: Ranking each Sweet 16 team’s top performer
By Connor Hope
14. Jevon Carter (West Virginia)
Vs Bucknell: 11 pts, 7 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl
Vs Notre Dame: 24 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl
Forget “Press Virginia,” we may want to consider West Virginia a threat on the offensive end after their performances in the first weekend. The Mountaineers scored the ball well in the first two games, while also giving up more than 70 points per game. Their offensive leader has been guard Jevon Carter, a 6’2” junior guard.
In his first game, Carter had 11 points and 7 rebounds in an 86-80 win over Bucknell. He followed that performance up with a very impressive 24-point showing against Notre Dame, shooting 4-5 from deep. There are a few areas of concern that keep Robinson from being higher on the list. First, he has shot inefficiently, going 10-24 from the field and 9-13 from the line, both below his season average. Second, he has only stolen the ball twice, despite leading the nation in steals with 2.5 per game.
West Virginia is about to face a very tough Gonzaga team that defends well in the half court and boasts two very good guards. In order for West Virginia to win, Robinson will need to force more turnovers and take better shots.
13. Lauri Markkanen (Arizona)
Vs North Dakota: 20 points, 6 reb
Vs Saint Mary’s: 16 points, 11 reb, 2 blk, 1 stl
The Arizona Wildcats are considered by many as the best team left in the NCAA tournament. This comes from their very talented roster and top-notch coach, Sean Miller. The player with the most promise is freshman forward Lauri Markkanen, who has shown his maturity during the first two games.
In the first game against North Dakota, Markkanen score scored 20 points on a very efficient 8-12 shooting performance. He then recorded a double-double against Saint Mary’s, with 16 points and 11 rebounds, and shot 9-10 from the line. It has been surprising, however, to see Markkanen shot only two three-pointers so far, as he may be the best shooting big man in basketball.
Markkanen has a skill set that is hard to defend, due to his ability to stretch the floor as a 7-footer. If he is able to find more open three-point opportunities, the Arizona Wildcats have a strong chance to cut down the nets in Glendale.