March Madness: Edey, McCain, Clingan on all-tournament team for 2024 NCAA Tournament
By Bryan Mauro
Jermaine Couisnard - Oregon Ducks
Couisnard is the one player on the list who didn’t make the second weekend, but his performance was infamous. No Oregon player has ever scored more points in a single game in the NCAA tournament. In the win over South Carolina, which also happens to be the former team for Couisnard, he scored 40 points on 14-22 shooting and made 6 threes. It was one of the best performances I have seen in an NCAA tournament game for a long time.
Couisnard was not done yet. In the second-round game against Creighton, the guard scored 32 points and made some huge baskets down the stretch to force overtime. Even though the Ducks would lose in double overtime the 32 points with 8 rebounds and total domination on the offensive end was enough to earn him a spot on the all-tournament team. His 72 points in two games are mighty impressive. Cousinard did say he had some extra motivation as this is the first time in his college career that his grandmother was able to watch him play. She has a fear of flying and can only go to games within driving distance. Pittsburgh was within driving distance of her home, and she was able to watch him dominate for a weekend.
DJ Burns Jr. - NC State Wolfpack
At the beginning of March, the Wolfpack were nowhere near the postseason conversation and then they went on a run and won the ACC tournament. NC State continued that run all the way to the Final Four. Burns Jr. was a huge part of that run. If not for his contributions the Wolfpack would not have made it nearly as far as they did. Every game was not a success scoring for the big man, but he impacted the game in a lot of different ways.
Burns averaged 16.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. There are very few big men who can pass the ball like the Wolfpack big man can. Sure, he didn’t score the most points for NC State but his ability to defend the paint and get tough baskets while being able to set up the offense sets him apart from the rest of the forwards and the big men not named Clingan or Edey. There is zero chance the Wolfpack make the final four without Burns Jr.