March Madness: 10 key freshmen in 2019 NCAA Tournament

2. Coby White, North Carolina Tar Heels

Coby White has been one name that hasn’t gotten lost in the freshmen discussion this season for the North Carolina Tar Heels. With their No. 1 seed, there will be added pressure to perform but White should have shaken off those nerves in the conference tournament.

White put up 16.2 points, 4.2 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game this season for the Tar Heels. He was also one of the team’s best 3-point shooters, shooting 36 percent from behind the arc on the year.

Down the stretch, White’s efficiency from 3-point range took a hit but he still emerged as a solid threat for the Tar Heels with the ball in his hands. On Feb. 26, he set the freshman record for most 30-point games with a career-high 34-point performance against the Syracuse Orange.

He was 9-of-14 from the floor and 6-of-11 from 3-point land in that game. In his previous 33-point performance on Feb. 9, he tied his career-high makes in 3-pointers with seven.

On a bigger stage and with a loss to the Blue Devils in his rearview, White should be ready to take over and he’s got the likes of Cam Johnson and Luke Maye to lean on when things get tight. The Tar Heels should be prime for a run to the Final Four and if they are, look for White to play a key role.