NCAA basketball: Ranking the 30 Naismith award finalists

No. 20: Collin Sexton – Freshman guard, Alabama

2017-18 stats: 18.3 ppg 3.7 rpg 3.5 apg

Best season performance: 40 points, six rebounds and five assists in the 3 vs. 5 loss to Minnesota

One of the most memorable performances of the season came early on, when the Crimson Tide where left with just three players left in the second half after their bench were ejected for leaving the bench during an on-court scuffle, followed by two others fouling out and getting hurt.

But Sexton, along with two of his teammates somehow kept Alabama right in it, closing the score to just a one possession game with a minute to go. The freshman star has done it all year-long, keeping this team afloat while the team has battled injuries. Another key moment was where he outplayed another star freshman, en route to allowing Avery Johnson to likely take this team into the NCAA tournament.

No. 19: Marcus Foster – Senior guard, Creighton

2017-18 stats: 20.3 ppg 3.7 rpg 2.7 apg

Best season performance: 29 points, five rebounds and eight assists in a loss to Xavier

One of the best personal transformations off the court, has paid dividends on the court, with the senior having his best year yet. He did put up some similar numbers last season, but he also was able to play off the nation’s leading passer as well.

That’s not the case this time around, with both him gone as well as the season-ending injury halfway through to Martin Krampelj, who was averaging 12 and 8 ppg before he went down. Foster is putting up great numbers at an efficient rate, shooting over 50% from the field and 45% from deep. From his troubled time at Kansas State to this point, it’s been a complete 180.