I'm looking forward to Kentucky vs UCLA. That game will put Ball against a first rate defense. Here are my notes on the players for games 1-4 of sweet 16's 8 matches.
* (undrafted but interesting)
** (second round pick or late first round)
*** (good mid-range prospect - after lottery)
**** (excellent prospect - should be lottery)
***** (top prospect)
Around our range, I'm looking at these players:
Robert Williams (out of tourneys so he might slip, PF/C, 6-9/235) - A good player, though not my preference.
TJ Leaf (UCLA stock may rise, especially if they beat Kentucky, PF, 6-10, 225). I think Leaf is getting out of our range as he shows his game.
Harry Giles (Duke out, Giles disappointed all year, will still go pretty high, PF/C, 6-10, 240, 2 knee injuries = ug) We'd really be taking a chance here, but with a good possible payoff.
Bam Adebayo (Kentucky, clutch player in last game, 6-10, 255) Damn. I like this guy. Hustles his ass off.
Miles Bridges (Mich St, out of tournament, 6-7, 230, F both positions) Another player I like.
Isaiah Hartenstein (German, 6-11/245, PF, good range, injuries, but recovered) - If I were taking a chance on a player with injuries, he might be the better bet.
Ivan Rabb (6-10, 220, PF/C, California, out of tournament, late first round) Has improved. Probably will be drafted in the 20s.
Caleb Swanigan (6-8, 250, PF/C, Purdue, So, great competitor) One of my favorite players in the ncaa tournament. The soul of purdue at the moment.
Justin Jackson (6-8, 210, SF, North Carolina, engine of UNC) Another player who will benefit from the tournament if UNC win their game.
Rodions Kuruks is a foreign player listed in a lot of the draft boards. He is athletic, but not very strong. Also, he's had injuries.
Note some players may elect not to leave ncaa (exc seniors)
Game 1: Wisconsin vs
Florida (3/24 10:00)
Wisconsin:
** Nigel Hayes (F, Sr, 6-8, 240) strongest player, but shooting is erratic
* Bronson Koenig (G, Sr, 6-3, 190) can hit 3s, exc from stripe
* Zak Showalter (G, Sr, 6-3, 185) can hit 3s, exc from stripe
Ethan Happ (F, So, 6-10, 232) strong under the basket, misses free throws
D’mitrik Trice (670 minutes) freshman shows potential as a SG
Brevin Pritzl (185 minutes) freshman doesn’t play much
Florida:
* Kasey Hill (G, Sr, 6-1, 175, 1st in assists)
* KeVaughn Allen (G, So, 6-2, 183, high free throw %, leads team in ppg)
** Devin Robinson (F, Jr, 6-8, 200, first in rebounds & blocks, big guy who can also hit 3s) might be ***
Chris Chioza (G, Jr, 6-0, 176, 2nd in assists)
** Justin Leon (F, Sr, 6-8, 206, leads team in 3 point %, 45 for 113)
Canyon Berry (G, Sr, 6-6, 215, highest free throw %)
Eric Hester (G, 6-3, 167) played 112 minutes
Gorjok Gak (F, 6-11, 231) played 65 minutes
Dontay Bassett (F, 6-9, 222) didn’t play
Keith Stone (F, 6-8, 240) played 397 minutes. Strong forward court presence.
Game 2: Baylor vs
South Carolina (3/24, 7: 30)
Baylor:
** Johnathan Motley (F, Jr, 6-10, 230, leads team in ppg, rpg) Good player.
Ishmail Wainright (G, Sr, 6-5, 235, leads team in steals, poor 3 pt shooter,
* Manu Lecomte (G, Jr, 5-11, 175, good 3 point shooter 68 for 163, good ft shooter, leads team in assists)
Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. (F, Jr, 7-0, 220, second in rebounds, first in blocks, poor at the stripe, 8 for 24 for 3 points)
Jake Lindsey (G, So, 6-5, 200, good 3 point shooter but doesn’t have many attempts, second in assists)
* Al Freeman (G, Jr, 6-3, 200, good 3 point shooter 44 for 110, leads team in ft%)
Wendell Mitchell (G, 6-3, 180) 213 minutes
Tyson Jolly (G, 6-4, 190) didn’t play
Mark Vital (F, 6-5, 230) didn’t play
South Carolina:
Duane Notice (G, Sr, 6-2, 225, 3rd in ppg, mediocre shooter)
* PJ Dozier (G, So, 6-6, 205, leads team in assists, good rebounder, poor at the stripe and downtown, 2nd in ppg)
** Sindarius Thornwell (G, Sr, 6-5, 211, leads team in ppg, rpg, 2nd in assists, 2nd in steals, 2nd in blocks, hits 3s at 39.3%, 83.3% ft)
* Maik Kotsar (F, Fr, 6-10, 245, good rebounder, poor shooter)
* Chris Silva (F, So, 6-9, 223, leads team in blocks, good rebounder, mostly dunks, clutch plays)
Game 3:
Gonzaga vs West Virginia (3/23, 7:30)
— gonz
* Nigel William-Goss G, Jr, 6-3, 195, leads team in ppg, 35.6% 3p%, 90.3% ft%, good rebounder, leads team in steals and assists)
* Josh Perkins (G, So, 6-3, 190, 39.9% for 3s, only 8.3 ppg, 2nd in assists)
* Jordan Mathews (G, Sr, 6-4, 203, 3rd in scoring, decent rebounder, 39.2% 3p%, good at stripe)
* Silas Melson (G, Jr, 6-4, 195, 37.5% from 3, excellent from stripe)
Jonathan Williams (F, Jr, 6-4, 203, leads team in rebounds, 10 ppg)
* Przemek Karnoswski (C, Sr, 7-1, 300, 2nd in ppg, good rebounder, mostly dunks, poor ft%)
** Zach Collins (F, Fr, 7-0, 230, leads team in blocks, only 606 minutes, Fourth in points per game, good rebounder, decent free throw %, 9 for 20 from the 3)
— wv
* Jevon Carter (g, jr, 6-2, 200, leads team in ppg, 2nd in rpg, 1st in apg, 1st in spg, high 3p%, decent ft%)
* Nathan Adrian (f, sr, 6-9, 235, leads team in rpg, poor 3p%, over 100 attempts, good passer 2.9/1.6 a/to ratio)
* Tarik phillip (g, sr, 6-3, 195, good passer 3.1/1.6 apg/tpg ratio, 1.8 spg, 39.6 3p%, good from line)
* Esa Ahmad (f, so, 6-8, 225, 2nd leading scorer at 11.3 ppg, good rebounder, shoots 3s at 39.5%)
* Sagaba Konate (f, fr, 6-8, 250, leads team in bpg, in limited minutes 10.9 per game)
Game 4:
Xavier vs Arizona (3/23, 10:10)I'm flipping to Arizona. I just learned that Sumner is out for the rest of the season. That's a game changer.
— xavier
** J.P. Macura (G, jr, 6-5, 203) (14.3/4.3/2.9 with 1.4 spg, 34.2 3P%)
** Trevon Bluett (G, jr, 6-6, 198) (18.5/5.7/2.1, leading scorer, second in rebounds, leads in 3pm and 3pa (37.7%))
* Malcolm Bernard (G, Sr, 6-6, 202) (6.4/4/1.6, 38.7% from 3)
** Quentin Goodin (G, fr, 6-4, 194) 23.6 mpg, 5.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 3.4 apg
** Tyrique Jones (F, fr, 6-9, 237) 10.9 mpg, 4.2/3.2/0.3
* Edmond Sumner (G, so, 6-6, 186) (15/4.3/5) leads team in assists, good blocker, scores well but not from 3 pt range
RaShid Gaston (F, sr, 6-9, 239) (leads team in rebounds with 6.1 per game)
Kaiser Gates (F, so, 6-8, 228) (6/3/0.6 in 21 mpg, 35.4% from 3 pt range)
Leighton Schrand (G, fr, 6-0, 155) doesn’t play
Conor Peterson (G, fr, 6-6, 180) doesn’t play
— arizona
**** Lauri Markkanen (F, Fr, 7-0, 200) leads team in minutes with 1100, pts, rbds, 3pm, 3pa, fgm, fga, rbd)
* Rawle Alkins (G, fr, 6-5, 220) (11.1/5.0/2.1, 37.9% from the 3)
* Kadeem Allen (G, Sr, 6-3, 205) (9.8/4.0/3.0, 41.7% from the 3 (30 for 72), 2nd in blocks with 21)
* Kobi Simmons (G, Fr, 6-5, 175) (8.8/1.6/2.0)
Dusan Ristic (C, Jr, 7-0, 245) (10.7/5.5/0.4) 2nd in rebounds
Parker Jackson-Cartwright (G, jr, 5-11, 170) (43.3 3p%, 5.9/2.4/4.1. his 4.1/1.3 ast/to ratio is outstanding)
** Allonzo Trier (G, so, 6-5, 205) (in 17 games played, leads in ppg 17.1, 5.1 rpg, 2.6 apg, 40.3% 3p%)
So, I'm flipping to Arizona. I just learned that Sumner is out for the rest of the season. That's a game changer.Game 5:
Kansas vs Purdue (3/23, 9:40)
—Kansas
*** Frank Mason(G, sr, 5-11, 190) (20.8/4.1/5.2) The motor that runs Kansas. 47.2% from downtown. 79% from the line. 5.2:2.4 ast/to ratio.
***** Josh Jackson (GF, fr, 6-8, 207) (16.6/7.1/2.9) Poor at free throws, but respectable downtown. Inside he’ll slam it down on you. Great athlete. I like him better than Fultz and Ball at the moment.
** Devonté Graham (G, jr, 6-2, 185) (13.3/3.2/4.3, 39.2% from three, 4.3:1.8 ast:tov) On another team he might be a star.
** Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (GF, Jr, 6-8, 205) (9.7/3.1/1.4, 39.5% from three) Good prospect.
* Landen Lucas (F, sr, 6-10, 250) (8.1/8.6/1.0) leads team in rebounds.
* Lagerald Vick (G, so, 6-5, 175) (7.3/3.6/0.9) 37.6% from 3, leads team at stripe.
Another freshman prospect is Udoka Azubuike (C, 7-0, 280), a Nigerian, who is excellent beneath the glass.
— Purdue
***
Caleb Swanigan (F, So, 6-9, 250) (18.5/12.5/3, 43.2% from the 3) <<<<==== !!!
* Dakota Mathias (G, jr, 200, 6-4) (9.9/3.9/3.7) (3.7:1.5 ast:tov ratio, 45.8% from 3, 82% from stripe)
* Vince Edwards (F, Jr, 6-8, 225) (12.7/5.0/3.2, 42.5% from the 3, 83% from stripe)
* P.J. Thompson (G, Jr, 5-10, 185) (7.2/2.1/3.0, 40.2% from the 3)
* Carson Edwards (G, Fr, 6-0, 190) (10.4/2.6/1.8, 35.3% from the 3)
* Isaac Haas, a good interior defender (Junior, 7-2, 290) mostly dunks
Game 6:
Oregon vs Michigan (3/23, 7:10)
— ore
Dylan Ennis (G, sr, 6-2, 195) (10.7/4.4/3.1) 36.8% from 3
** Tyler Dorsey (G, so, 6-4, 195) (14.0/3.4/1.8) leads team in total assists and 3 points mades. 135/54 ast/tov ratio. 40.2% 3p%.
* Payton Pritchard (G, fr, 6-2, 200)(7.7/3.2/3.8) 36.6% 3p%. 3.8 apg leads team.
** Jordan Bell (F, jr, 6-9, 225) (10.8/8.3/1.8) leads team in rebounds with 300
*** Dillon Brooks (F, jr, 6-7, 225) (16.4/3.1/2.7) leads team in points with 525 and steals with 47, 2nd in blks with 74. 127/525 from 3 (40.9%)
* Casey Benson (G, jr, 6-3, 185) (5.0/1.6/2.0) (74/179 from 3 = 40.5%)
Chris Boucher (F, sr, 6-10, 200) first in blks with 79, 2nd in rebounds
— mich
* Zak Irvin (G, sr, 6-6, 215) (12.9/4.4/3.0) 34.2% 3p%. solid but not spectacular
** Derrick Walton. Jr (G, Sr, 6-1, 190) (15.4/4.8/4.9) 41.9% from 3 (227/569), leads in 3s made, steals (42), and assists (181). Second in rebounds. 87.3% from the line.
** D.J. Wilson (F, jr, 6-10, 240) (11/5.3/1.3) Leads in blocks with 55 and rebounds 197. 83.3% from the line.
* Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman (G, Jr, 6-4, 190) (9.2/2.8/1.9) 39.3% from 3.
** Moritz Wagner (German, F, So, 6-11, 240) (12.2/4.1/0.5. 40.9% from 3) <<<=== Looks like a player who will grow as prospect.
In those 6, I'm picking Florida, South Carolina, Gonzaga,
Xavier ARIZONA, Kansas, and Oregon. Florida has really surprised me. Thornwell is too hot to stop. Gonzaga backcourt is going to feast versus West Virginia. Also, Trier and Markkanen are very good, but Xavier seems to be more focused and harder to stop
(except now they don't have their best guard). Kansas and Kentucky are my favorites for the national championship, especially with Duke and Villanova out. Michigan survived a crash landing of their plane, but Oregon should trump them. Look for Wagner to make me wrong though.
I spent a lot of time on Duke and FSU, but they are both out. 
I'll add games 7-8 later.
