Busting Brackets
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NCAA Basketball: Previewing the 3X3U National Championship

By Lukas Harkins

PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 15: A general view of the court with March Madness signage is seen prior to the start of the game between the OklahomaSooners and the Rhode Island Rams in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 15, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 15: A general view of the court with March Madness signage is seen prior to the start of the game between the OklahomaSooners and the Rhode Island Rams in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 15, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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MILWAUKEE, WI – MARCH 16: Bell-Haynes
MILWAUKEE, WI – MARCH 16: Bell-Haynes /

Pool 8

America East

Payton Henson, Vermont: After playing at Tulane for two years, Henson spends the last two seasons with the Catamounts. The 6’8″ forward is hard to cover due to his size and ability to shoot from beyond the arc (40.4 3P%). He averaged 12.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game this season.

Jahad Thomas, UMass Lowell: Hard to argue against putting a guy who averaged 21.1 points per game on this team. Thomas was excellent all season long for UMass Lowell and did more than just lead the team in scoring. The 6’2″ guard also was an excellent rebounder (8.4 boards per game) and dished out 4.0 assists per game.

Tanner Leissner, New Hampshire: Another versatile wing on this roster, Leissner brings his 6’6″ frame to the team. In addition, he is a high-volume shooter that is accustomed to taking tough shots. He averaged 18.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.

Trae Bell-Haynes, Vermont: This is the best player on the roster. Trae Bell-Haynes was the America East Player of the Year in this season and last. To put it simply, he just flat-out knows how to win games. He averaged 14.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game this season.

Big South

Ahmad Thomas, UNC-Asheville: At 6’5″ with guard skills, Thomas can be a matchup nightmare. He is not the greatest shooter in the field but provides solid scoring (16.5 points) and rebounding (5.8 boards). He was the top scoring option for the Bulldogs this season, who won the Big South regular-season title.

Reggie Dillard, Presbyterian: In four years with the Blue Hose, Dillard has been a steady hand. He has never jumped out as an elite talent but he consistently provides what is asked of him. Dillard suited up for 123 games in his collegiate career, starting 122 of them. He averaged a career-high in scoring this year at 15.6 points per game.

Kevin Vannatta, UNC-Asheville: Another steady face in the Big South, Vannatta started 116 of his 130 games with UNC-Asheville. He is a solid shooter but nothing special. During this season, he put up 9.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game.

Liam O’Reilly, Gardner-Webb: O’Reilly finished this season fourth in the Big South in 3-pointers made (85) and third in the league in percentage from deep (38.5%). He will be a valuable member of this roster as the knockdown shooter next to several solid playmakers.

Missouri Valley

Donte Thomas, Bradley: As we near the end of this article, I just realized how many players in this field have the last name “Thomas.” For this one, in particular, Donte Thomas brings a 6’7″ frame that excels in doing the little things. Although he averaged 11.7 points this season, it is the 7.2 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game that jump off the stat sheet.

Brenton Scott, Indiana State: Even though Scott shot just 40.0% from the field this season, he is a dangerous scorer. The 6’1″ guard posted 14.1 points per game this season and also secured 5.7 rebounds. He is a difficult cover and his 1.7 steals per game show he is not afraid to be aggressive defensively.

Bennett Koch, Northern Iowa: Koch knows what he is good at. In four years with Northern Iowa, he attempted just one total 3-pointer. During his final season this year, he shot 55.6% from the field and averaged 12.7 points per game. In addition, he snagged 6.1 rebounds per contest as a 6’9″ forward.

Tevonn Walker, Valparaiso: Walker strikes me as the player most likely to lead the MVC in scoring during this event. He averaged 14.8 points per game during the regular season and struggled to get his shot going from deep. However, he is very difficult to stop when he gets it going from three. Walker had five games of 25+ points this season

Mountain West

Che Bob, Colorado State: A versatile 6’6″ forward, Che Bob does a little bit of everything on the floor. He is not a high-level scorer (9.9 points per game), but he rebounds well and supplies excellent effort on the defensive end of the floor.

Trevor Lyons, Air Force: Another relatively underwhelming scorer (9.4 points per game), Lyons provides quality rebounding and passing for a 6’3″ guard. He splashed home 37.1% of his 3-point shots this year and dished out 3.3 assists.

Jahmel Taylor, Fresno State: Originally a member of the Washington Huskies, Taylor played 84 career games with Fresno State. In this event, he can be an incredibly valuable player due to his ability to shoot the three. He shot 42.6% from three this season and holds a career mark of 43.2% from distance. He averaged 9.3 points per game this season.

Jacob Van, Air Force: Van had a bit of a rough season this year. He played in just 15.5 minutes per game and shot a mere 35.8% from the field. Thankfully, the 6’2″ guard supplies solid 3-point shooting. He will need to get hot from deep in order to be a major success for the Mountain West team.

Next: 10 best transfers from 2017-18

This is sure to be an exciting event to go along with the Final Four. The 3X3U Tournament will be a great way to remember the excellent careers of seniors around the country while also helping athletes earn some money before pursuing ventures after college.

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