This article is part of our College Hoops Barometer series.
As the holiday season hits its peak, family gatherings become the focal point of the celebration. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings get together, as the common bond shared between all relatives unites families during this festive time.
College basketball is no different, as it is also family affair. Names from the past come back into focus in the present, and the celebration of life and basketball continues. For example, the leader in steals in the Pac-12 this season? That would be Gary Payton II of the Oregon State Beavers. You probably remember his father, one of the premiere defensive point guards to ever play the game. He also went to Oregon State. Or how about the leader of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish? That would be Jerian Grant, whose father Harvey had a solid NBA career. And his uncle, Horace, is perhaps more well-known, for his time spent with Michael Jordan and the NBA Champion Chicago Bulls.
Sometimes, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. That cliche clearly can hold true in the basketball realm as well. Happy Holidays from the College Hoops Barometer. Enjoy this time of year with the ones who matter most in your life.
UPGRADE
Shevon Thompson, C, George Mason - The Patriots are mostly known in hoops circles for their magical 2006 Final Four run under now Miami coach Jim Larranaga. While the Patriots don't figure to make much noise in the tourney this season, they could have a rising star in the 6-foot-11 freshman from Jamaica. Thompson has been a man among boys over his last three games. Over that span, Thompson is averaging 22 points and 13 rebounds. Thompson has five double-doubles in all this season, including a 21-point, 19-rebound effort against New Mexico on November 21. The Patriots are just 5-6 on the year, but the play of Thompson looks to be the silver lining.
Jordan Mickey, F, LSU - Mickey nearly jumped to the NBA after his freshman season and will have an even tougher decision following his sophomore campaign. Mickey is a terror in the paint on both ends of the court. He is averaging nearly a double-double with 15.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. In fact, he has six double-doubles this season. Mickey is also an elite shot blocker, averaging 3.2 swats per tilt. Mickey is 11th in the NCAA in blocks per contest. The sophomore has rejected at least four shots in four of his last five games. Breaking the numbers down even further, Mickey has a staggering 13 blocks in his last two games. He is in the top 10 in points, rebounds and blocks in the SEC, and that does not figure to change as SEC play begins in earnest.
Tyrone Wallace, G, California - Wallace has taken his game to new heights as a junior this season. As a sophomore, Wallace was a consistent contributor for the Bears, averaging 11.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. However, this year he has taken on a more central role on the Cal squad, particularly in the absence of the currently sidelined Jabari Bird. Wallace is averaging 19.3 points per game, shooting an impressive 50.6 percent from the floor. The 6-5 guard is also hitting an outstanding 46.9 percent of his treys. Wallace is much more than a scorer, though, flashing his versatility both on the glass as well as dishing the basketball. Wallace is averaging 8.8 boards and 4.2 dimes per contest, putting his all-around game on display. The Bears are 10-2 to begin the year, and Wallace is the main reason why, as he leads the squad in points, rebounds and assists through 12 games.
Jordan McLaughlin, G, USC - A highly touted recruit from Southern California, McLaughlin stayed close to home and has been stellar in his first year with the Trojans. McLaughlin still needs to work on his shot selection and shooting stroke overall, but he is exceptional at getting to the rack and finding open teammates. McLaughlin is averaging 13.7 points per game despite shooting under 40 percent from the floor and under 70 percent from the charity stripe. He is also managing 5.4 dimes per contest, showing his passing prowess. If the athletic, agile McLaughlin can work on his shot and put on a few extra pounds of muscle, he will be almost impossible to contain.
CHECK STATUS
Nigel Hayes, F, Wisconsin - Hayes has seen an uptick in production from his freshman to his sophomore season. In his first year at Wisconsin, Hays averaged 7.7 points and 2.8 boards per tilt. Through 12 games this year, Hayes is averaging 12.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per tilt. It is clear Hayes has been working on his shot, even adding a three-pointer to his arsenal. The ascension of Hayes has also been important due to the struggles of Sam Dekker, who has been battling a troublesome ankle injury for most of the season. Hayes is the second-leading scorer and leading rebounder for the Badgers, which may or may not change once conference play begins. It will be interesting to see if Hayes can continue to grow and improve against better opposition. He struggled against Duke on December 3, Wisconsin's only loss of the season thus far.
Kelly Oubre, G, Kansas - Another high-prized freshman recruit, Oubre has come on strong of late for the Jayhawks. Oubre posted the first double-double of his career Saturday against Lafayette, notching 23 points and 10 rebounds in a 96-69 rout. He followed that up with his second-best performance of the season, posting nine points and seven rebounds at Temple on Monday. As the season has worn on, the freshman has begun to see his minutes increased. Over the first seven games of the season, Oubre played more than 10 minutes in just one contest. However, he has played over 15 minutes per game in each of the last four games for the Jayhawks. It appears that coach Bill Self has more trust in Oubre lately, but it remains to be seen how Oubre's minutes will be distributed once Big 12 conference play begins and the competition stiffens. Oubre is certainly talented, but he is far from a finished product.
Shaq Goodwin, F, Memphis - This looks like a rebuilding year for Memphis, but Goodwin should still have been one of the bright spots. The junior averaged 11.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game last season, including four double-doubles for the Tigers. However, Goodwin's numbers are slightly down from a season ago, though he does have one double-double already. Perhaps the added attention, or even added pressure, has been getting to Goodwin. He was recently suspended for one game due to an undisclosed violation of team rules. Goodwin has the ability, but it remains to be seen how he will handle adversity.
Troy Williams, F, Indiana - Williams doesn't quite get as much pub as some of his other teammates, most notably point guard Yogi Ferrell and freshman James Blackmon, Jr. However, Williams is an important piece for coach Tom Crean, and does have the ability to explode now and again. That was certainly the case against Butler on Saturday, when he stuffed the stat sheet with 22 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Williams is the leading rebounder for the Hoosiers at 5.8 boards per contest, and is also hitting 58 percent of his shots from the field. Perhaps Williams shouldn't be flying under the radar.
DOWNGRADE
Branden Dawson, F, Michigan State - With Adreian Payne in the NBA, Dawson was expected to be the focal point of the Michigan State squad. However, he is off to a poor shooting start to the year, hitting 48.5 percent from the field. By contrast, Dawson connected on 61.3 percent of his shots last season. As a result, Dawson's statistics have not risen from last season, but merely stayed the same. In addition, Dawson has once again shown his penchant for getting hurt. The senior fractured his left wrist and has missed the last two games for the Spartans. If you'll recall, Dawson missed nine games last season when he slammed his right hand on a table in frustration while watching film and broke it. The current injury should not sideline Dawson for long, but it once again begs the question as to whether Dawson will truly be able to carry the Spartans, or if he will once again fail to live up to his potential.
Dwayne Polee II, F, San Diego State - Polee was at the center of a frightening scene Monday, when he collapsed on the court against UC-Riverside. Polee was taken off the court on the stretcher, conscious, alert and speaking. However, it is unclear at this point what caused him to collapse. Basketball certainly takes a back seat to Polee's health, though he was a key cog for coach Steve Fisher's Aztecs. The 6-7 senior was averaging 8.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per contest. JJ O'Brien and Winston Shepard will be forced to pick up the slack if Polee continues to be shelved.
Stephen Hurt, C, Kansas State - The last name is appropriate here, as Hurt has missed the last three games for the Wildcats with a groin injury. A JUCO transfer, Hurt averaged 11.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game for the Lipscomb Bisons in his only season with the school in 2012-2013. In eight games this season prior to the injury, the 6-11 big man was averaging 6.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. At a thin fantasy position like center, Hurt's comeback from injury as well as his adjustment to stiffer competition may be worth monitoring.
Darrun Hilliard, G, Villanova - Hilliard had been on fire until a fluke incident against Syracuse on Saturday Hilliard was actually kicked in the head during a minor scrum towards the end of the OT win over the Orange, and is dealing with a concussion. He was unable to suit up for Tuesday's rout of NJIT, and his status remains cloudy in the near future. Hilliard had a season-high 23 points against the Orange before the injury, and had scored at least 20 points in each of the last two games prior to the injury. Those were his first 20-point outbursts of the season. Overall, the senior guard is averaging 12.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists. With the added, necessary attention given to head injuries these days, Hilliard may miss the first couple of games of Big East play, which begins for the Wildcats on December 31 against Butler.
