NCAA basketball: Ranking the 30 Naismith award finalists

No. 12: Vince Edwards – Senior forward, Purdue

2017-18 stats: 14.9 ppg 7.8 rpg 3.0 apg

Best season performance: 30 points, five rebounds and five assists in the win over Michigan

It’s great that this senior is finally getting recognized after four very solid years as a starter. Purdue tends to have great bigs, like Caleb Swanigan from a year ago, but Edwards fits perfectly alongside Issac Haas. He’s a 40% shooter from three-point range, while still not giving anything up from a rebounding perspective.

This is the kind of player that can make a huge impact in March, with no real weaknesses to speak up, and just a nightmare matchup for other teams.

No. 11: Mikal Bridges – Junior guard, Villanova

2017-18 stats: 16.5 ppg 5.5 rpg 2.2 apg

Best season performance: 28 points and six rebounds in the win over Gonzaga

A national champion is his own right, Bridges has plans to be a much bigger factor in this year’s tournament run. He had a breakout game in the Jimmy V Classic against Gonzaga, and has since become a steady 15 ppg scorer, while not turning the ball over much at all.

There’s another Wildcat guard that’ll receive even more headlines, but look towards next season for this junior to get his own shine.