College Hoops Barometer: Risers & Fallers

We've already discussed some notable underdogs and mid-majors to keep an eye on in previous columns, including Oral Roberts, Florida Atlantic and Charleston.  Two other lesser-known schools remain undefeated in conference play as the calendar turns to February.  Colgate is 11-0 in the Patriot League at the time of this writing.  The Raiders beat Syracuse earlier this season and have five players currently averaging double-figures in points, led by point guard Tucker Richardson.  The senior was picked as the Preseason Patriot League Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, and thus far he has not disappointed.  The Raiders have been to the NCAA Tournament three of the last four years, so this year's squad can hardly be characterized as a surprise.

The same can perhaps be said for the Eastern Washington Eagles, who won the Big Sky regular season championship in 2020, then took the conference tournament by storm in 2021 to secure just the third NCAA Tournament berth in school history.  This year's squad is also undefeated in conference play with a sparkling record of 10-0.  The Eagles have won 12 games in a row overall and are led by a member of the All-Name Team, 6-7 sophomore Steele Venters.  March Madness will be here before you know it; there's no time like the present to brush up on some teams who could become bracket busters or Cinderella darlings.

Let's review some players who are surging and others who are slumping in this week's College Hoops Barometer.

UPGRADE

Jahmir Young, G, Maryland – Young has not missed a beat since transferring from Charlotte.  His numbers as a senior are extremely similar to those statistics he put up during his time with the 49ers.  Currently, Young is averaging 16.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest.  He is eighth in the Big Ten in scoring.  Young tallied 20 points and six boards in Tuesday's win over a ranked Indiana squad.  The Terps have enjoyed their home cooking this season, as Maryland is 12-1 at home this year.  For Young and company to make the NCAA Tournament, they will need to prove they can win away from the Xfinity Center.

Wade Taylor, G, Texas A&M – Taylor's improvement is one of the main reasons the Aggies are having success this season.  His stats are up across the board, including shooting percentages.  For example, Taylor shot just 27.8 percent from three-point land as a freshman.  By contrast, he is hitting nearly 35.0 percent of his shots from downtown thus far this season.  Overall, Taylor is managing 14.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.9 dimes per tilt.  Though the Aggies did lose to Arkansas on Tuesday, the Aggies remain near the top of the SEC standings, and the play of Taylor has been a key part of this ascension, who leads the squad in points, assists and steals.

Grant Sherfield, G, Oklahoma – The Sooners have faced a gauntlet of ranked opponents of late, though Sherfield saved his best for Oklahoma's most recent battle with Alabama.  Though the Tide has had its way inside its own conference, the winner of this Big 12/SEC clash was unexpectedly Sherfield and the Sooners.  Sherfield poured in a season-high 30 points as Oklahoma lambasted Alabama by a score of 93-69.  The Nevada transfer is averaging at least 17.0 points per game for the third-consecutive season.  Sherfield is hitting an outstanding 43.6 percent from three-point land, which is the best mark of his collegiate career.  Sherfield also leads the Sooners in assists with 3.4 dimes per tilt.  Oklahoma is going to have a difficult time making the big dance this season, but Sherfield will ensure that the Sooners are competitive in most games.

Julian Strawther, G, Gonzaga – This year's Gonzaga squad may not be the juggernaut of seasons' past, but the Bulldogs still have Drew Timme, and they still pose a formidable threat to make the Final Four.  If Timme gets help from players like Strawther, that could turn wishful thinking into reality.  Strawther went wild with 40 points Saturday at Portland, canning eight treys in the 82-67 victory over the Pilots.  Strawther is the second-leading scorer and rebounder on the 'Zags behind the aforementioned Timme.  The Bulldogs have two huge matchups with Saint Mary's looming; the Gaels are currently undefeated in West Coast Conference play.  The results of those matchups could go a long way towards determining just how good Strawther, Timme and company can be.

CHECK STATUS

Fousseyni Traore, F, BYU – The 6-6 sophomore plays much bigger than his height.  Traore is averaging 7.8 rebounds per contest, which is fourth in the West Coast Conference.  However, Traore suffered an undisclosed injury in practice earlier this week, leaving his status up in the air in the short term.  Traore is also tied for the team lead in scoring with 12.3 points per game.  He has four double-doubles thus far this season, though none since the middle of December.  The Cougars are just 4-5 in conference action with but lost by a single point to both Saint Mary's and Gonzaga in January.  Traore will need to return to health for the Cougars to make any noise down the stretch.

Matthew Murrell, G, Ole Miss – Murrell has missed the last three games for the Rebels due to a knee injury.  The junior leads Ole Miss in scoring by a wide margin, averaging 14.9 points per contest.  The second-leading scorer, Daeshun Ruffin, recently stepped away from the team for personal reasons.  The Rebels have lost four-straight games and 10 of their last 11 overall.  The Rebels were struggling before the absences of Murrell and Ruffin, so unfortunately the remainder of the season may get even uglier for Ole Miss on the court.  Murrell's injury is not considered season-ending at this time, though, and upon his return, he would likely get all the shots he could handle.

Dariq Whitehead, F, Duke – The ups and downs for the Duke freshmen not named Kyle Filipowski have been well documented, as both Whitehead and Dereck Lively have had their share of struggles this season.  Whitehead has missed the last two games due to a lower leg injury.  He has missed six games overall during his first season with the Blue Devils.  When on the court, Whitehead has not exactly dominated either.  He has started just six of 16 games played, managing 8.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest.  He had four turnovers in a blowout loss at NC State in early-January, then shot a combined 3-for-17 in matchups with Clemson and Pittsburgh.  Whitehead's injury is not considered serious, but even if healthy, there is reason to doubt he can be productive enough from a fantasy perspective.

DOWNGRADE

Mike Miles, G, TCU – Miles will be sidelined indefinitely due to a knee injury.  Though the injury is not considered season-ending, his absence will certainly be a damaging blow for the Horned Frogs, who are currently ranked but in a battle with no less than five other teams for supremacy in the Big 12.  Miles is third in the Big 12 in scoring, averaging 18.1 points per contest.  Though scoring is his bread and butter, Miles is far from a one-trick pony.  He is also averaging 2.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per contest on the season.  In his place, former Memphis guard Damion Baugh nearly had a triple-double last game versus West Virginia, while fellow upperclassmen Shahada Wells and Micah Peavy should also see increased action.

Naje Smith, F, Boise State – An ankle injury for floor general Marcus Shaver is of chief concern for the Broncos, but Smith is battling a lower-leg injury of his own, leaving the latter's status also up in the air.  Smith hurt his right leg in Tuesday's win at Air Force, playing just 11 minutes in the 59-52 triumph.  The fifth-year season was having his best collegiate campaign prior to the ailment, starting 20 of 23 games for the Broncos en route to averages of 9.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per clash.  Even more pressure will be placed on leading scorer and fellow forward Tyson Degenhart if either Smith, Shaver, or both, miss extended time.

Zach Freemantle, F/C, Xavier – Freemantle will miss at least the next month due to a left foot ailment.  The versatile big man was in the midst of his best collegiate season, with averages of 15.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per tilt.  The Musketeers are undoubtedly an NCAA Tournament squad, so the hope is that Freemantle will be able to return sometime in March.  However, the Musketeers certainly could struggle to replace his production in the short term.  Seven-footer Jack Nunge will be tasked with assuming nearly all of the frontcourt load for Xavier, though Cesare Edwards and Jerome Hunter will also attempt to lend a helping hand.