March Madness: 10 best Point Guards in the 2019 NCAA Tournament

By Logan Butts | Mar 18, 2019

SAN DIEGO, CA - MARCH 16: Ja Morant #12 of the Murray State Racers handles the ball against Lamont West #15 of the West Virginia Mountaineers in the first half during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena on March 16, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 11: Josh Perkins #13 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs brings the ball up the court against the Pepperdine Waves during a semifinal game of the West Coast Conference basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on March 11, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Bulldogs defeated the Waves 100-74. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Ja Morant – Murray State

The most exciting player in the country not named Zion. The best mid-major player in the country. A future NBA top-three pick. What else is there to say about the Murray State sensation?

I’ve personally already written about him a number of times this season. Morant can do it all, and he may have to for the Racers to avenge last season’s first-round drubbing. Murray State will be a popular upset pick against…

Markus Howard – Marquette

…Markus Howard and Marquette in the point guard matchup of possibly the entire tournament and certainly the first round. Grab your popcorn for that one.

Howard is sixth in the nation and first in the Big East (and among Power conference players) in scoring at 25.0 points per contest. He has scored 20 or more 23 times and 30 or more 10 times. His 53 points in an overtime win vs Creighton was the highest single-game output of any Power conference player this season.

Josh Perkins – Gonzaga

Perkins has been the steadying force for one of the nation’s best teams this season. The senior is a pass-first (6.5 assists) floor leader who also spearheads a stout Gonzaga defense with forward Brandon Clarke.

Perkins rarely takes over a game, but if the Zags are going to win their fist-ever national title, then he will need to be running the show to a high degree.

Shamorie Ponds – St. John’s

St. John’s may have been the most controversial inclusion in this year’s tournament field, but Ponds deserves to play on the biggest stage possible.

The junior scorer has trailed off from his early season tear (three 30-point games by December 1), but he has carried the Red Storm to just their third NCAA birth this decade. It will be his first time playing in the Big Dance.

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