College Hoops Barometer: The Rodney Dangerfield of Hoops

March Madness gets all the attention, all the fanfare, all the publicity. However, tournament bids can be won or lost in February in the power conferences. For example, what will the resume of a team like Texas look like if the Longhorns end up with a sub-.500 record in Big 12 play? The NCAA Selection Committee rarely lets teams into the Big Dance with conference records under .500. The Big Ten is also messy, with eight teams separated by less than two games in the standings. Head-to-head matchups should play a big role in these types of circumstances. Crunch all the numbers you want; unless a team plays an extremely light non-conference slate, the head-to-head matchups with other bubble or tournament-worthy teams should hold the most weight.

Debating the teams on the brink will have to wait another month, though. For now, let's see who is helping or hurting their team's chances in this edition of the College Hoops Barometer.

UPGRADE

LeBryan Nash, F, Oklahoma State - At long last, Nash finally appears to be living up to his potential. A senior and the unquestioned leader of the Cowboys, Nash has led his squad to wins in four of the last five contests, all against ranked conference opponents. His 18 points and five rebounds proved pivotal in Saturday's 67-62 win at Kansas. Nash followed that performance up with a season-high 22 points in a victory over Baylor on Monday. Inconsistent in the past, Nash is averaging 17.1 points per game and has scored in double figures in every game this season. Nash leads the Cowboys in scoring and is second on the team in rebounds and assists. With Marcus Smart and Markel Brown in the NBA, Nash is finally the centerpiece of this Oklahoma State team, and has responded with stellar outputs on a nightly basis.

Justise Winslow, F, Duke - The play of the freshman Winslow has really jump-started the Blue Devils. Mired in a funk in the middle of January, Winslow responded with three-straight double-doubles against Virginia, Georgia Tech and Notre Dame, respectively, spurring the Dukies to victory. On the current four-game winning streak, Winslow is averaging nearly 15 points and 10 rebounds per contest. He has also shared the ball effectively, averaging 2.5 dimes per tilt over that span as well. Most importantly, Winslow has given fellow freshman Jahlil Okafor some much needed help, and allowed the big man to operate more efficiently in the post. Okafor draws so much attention down low, but the ascension of Winslow forces opposing defenses to account for him on the offensive end. The growth and maturity of the slashing Winslow on the court, along with the three-point shooting of Quinn Cook, has righted the ship for the Blue Devils.

Kellen Dunham, G, Butler - The comparisons to Butler alum Gordon Hayward are likely unfair, as Dunham does not have the size nor versatility of Hayward. Still, he certainly has the shooting touch, and has been one of the catalysts for the Bulldogs' current five-game winning streak. Dunham is shooting 42 percent from three-point land, scoring a combined 45 points in the last two games. He hit four three-pointers against DePaul on Saturday, and three against Seton Hall on Jan. 25. The 6-foot-6 shooting guard also snatched a season-high seven rebounds against St. John's last week. Teamed with the multi-talented Roosevelt Jones, physical senior Kameron Woods and surging Andrew Chrabascz, Dunham and the Bulldogs could make some noise come tourney time.

James Siakam, F, Vanderbilt - The senior flies under the radar for the Commodores, as center Damian Jones usually gets the notoriety. However, Siakam has notched two double-doubles in a row. In both of these contests, Vanderbilt has emerged victorious. The senior is incredibly efficient on the offensive end, shooting 65.6 percent from the field. He has also combined for seven blocked shots over the last two tilts. While he does most of his damage in the post, Siakam also gets to the foul line over four times per game and hits 77.4 percent of his free throws. He connected on 10-of-11 from the charity stripe in last week's 67-61 win over the Florida Gators. Siakam has emerged as an excellent complement to the aforementioned Jones, as well as freshman scorer Riley LaChance.

CHECK STATUS

Larry Nance, F, Wyoming - Nance is like the Rodney Dangerfield of college basketball; for whatever reason, he gets no respect. Maybe it's the locale of the school, but Nance has been extremely consistent the last three years at Wyoming. Doing most of his work inside the three-point arc, Nance is averaging 16.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game for the Cowboys. After missing the final seven games of his junior campaign due to a knee injury, he has been relatively healthy during his senior year. However, a recent diagnosis of mononucleosis could wreak havoc on the remainder of his season. Although the ailment is considered mild, anyone who has had this disease knows that its chief components are sluggishness and fatigue. It will be interesting to see how Nance's body copes with the stresses of the college game while also fighting and recovering from the virus. He has already missed one game due to the ailment.

Michael Frazier, G, Florida - Frazier suffered an ankle injury against Kentucky on Saturday, and will not suit up this week against Ole Miss. Known mostly as a sharpshooting three-point assassin at the beginning of his Florida tenure, Frazier has developed into a more well-rounded player for the Gators, who attempt to rebuild after losing much of their Final Four team from a season ago. Frazier is still hitting over 40-percent of his treys, but he is taking more shots from inside the arc this season, and getting to the foul line with more frequency as a result. He is also averaging career-highs in rebounds (4.6) and assists (1.6). Unfortunately, Florida is very thin at guard, but Eli Carter will try to fill the scoring void left by Frazier, who should be back in uniform sooner rather than later.

Jonathan Holmes, F, Texas - The short-term status of Holmes is also in question, as the Longhorn big man suffered a concussion last week in an overtime loss to Oklahoma State. As a result, he sat out Saturday's win at Kansas State. Holmes is the leading rebounder for Texas at 6.4 boards per contest, and is second on the squad in points with 11.5 per tilt. The development of a three-point shot has made Holmes a more complete offensive player, though perhaps at the cost of his rebounding numbers. Holmes is averaging one fewer board per game from a season ago. The presence of freshman Myles Turner may also have something to do with that, though, and Turner as well as junior Connor Lammert should see increased action if Holmes misses more time.

Dwayne Benjamin, F, Oregon - Sunday's rout of Washington State was a coming out party for Benjamin, who poured in 25 points on 10-of-11 shooting against the Cougars. Benjamin only received the starting nod in the game due to the suspension of teammate Jordan Bell. The JUCO transfer has played more of a complementary role for the Ducks this season, but was front and center over the weekend, setting a career high in points. Benjamin is no slouch as a rebounder either, though, and has three games this season with double-digit boards as well. While the aforementioned Bell is expected back for Oregon's next tilt, it would likely prove worthwhile to monitor Benjamin's production. He could get more opportunities after proving himself to be a dominant force with additional, steady floor time.

DOWNGRADE

Justin Anderson, G, Virginia - A candidate for ACC Player of the Year, Anderson fractured a finger on his left hand Saturday against Louisville. He underwent surgery and will miss at least the next month. Anderson is a southpaw, so the injury does indeed involve his shooting hand. Anderson had also been one of the most improved players in the nation prior to the injury. He has developed into an elite three-point shooter, canning 48.4 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. By contrast, Anderson connected on just 29.4 percent of his treys last season. The Cavaliers pride themselves on being a defensive presence, and Tony Bennett's team will need to rely even more on its defense without their second-leading scorer. Virginia only averages 67.6 points per game, which is 177th in the country. On the offensive end, Malcolm Brogdon will be asked to shoulder most of the burden in Anderson's absence, while London Perrantes will also be asked not to fall down during this crucial stretch.

Marcus Foster, G, Kansas State - A violation of team rules has been cited for Foster's suspension, which looks to be a three-game absence, but could be longer. Foster leads the Wildcats in scoring at 14.0 points per game, and the team will pay for his transgressions. The Wildcats are riding a four-game losing streak, and play five ranked teams in their next six tilts. The season could be slipping away for the Wildcats, and while Foster's suspension isn't the only reason, it certainly couldn't have helped matters much. K-State is 5-6 in Big 12 play, 12-12 overall.

Wes Clark, G, Missouri - The Tigers were facing a rebuilding season from the start, but have been racked by injuries and off-court issues this year as well. Clark is the latest victim, befallen by a dislocated elbow. The sophomore guard was averaging 10.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.1 dimes per game prior to the injury. The Tigers have almost no depth in the backcourt due to Clark's injury as well as multiple suspensions to Montaque Gill-Caesar, Namon Wright and Tramaine Isabell. Gill-Caesar also missed time earlier this season due to a back injury. These are trying times for the Tigers, who are 1-10 in the SEC. Mizzou will rely on a heavy dose of Keith Shamburger and Deuce Bello in the backcourt for the foreseeable future. They are the only two active guards on the roster who have played this season.

Marc Loving, F, Ohio State - Loving has missed the last three games for the Buckeyes, as he has essentially been suspended indefinitely. The reason for the suspension has not been disclosed. Loving's absence obviously hurts OSU, as the sophomore is the second-leading scorer at 11.7 points per game. He is an exceptional three-point shooter, hitting a staggering 53.2 percent from downtown. In his last game prior to the suspension, Loving connected on a perfect 5-for-5 treys in an 80-56 rout of a stellar Maryland unit. Unfortunately, there is no telling when Loving will return; however, the possibility has been left open that he will take the floor against Michigan State on Saturday. For now, though, Loving's off-court issues will leave him off the court.