College Hoops Barometer: Yes Sir!

Does Gonzaga deserve a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament? That is the question. The Zags are No. 3 in the rankings with an impressive record of 28-1. However, the seeding of dominant mid-majors has become a bone of contention in recent years. A Gonzaga team led by Kelly Olynyk in 2013 received a No. 1 seed, only to be knocked out in the Sweet 16 by Wisconsin. Another mid-major, Wichita State, went undefeated in the regular season in 2014, but fell to Kentucky in the Round of 32. The Selection Committee will say that the result in the tournament does not matter, only the school's resume prior to seeding. But should the eventual results play a role? There's no doubting that teams like Gonzaga, Wichita State and Northern Iowa must be included in the tourney this year. However, they do not play the type of grueling schedule as some of the power conference schools. The argument is always that these schools are not battle-tested.

Unfortunately, there is no tried-and-true formula for determining seeding. In reality, each team in each season must stand on its own for evaluation. Still, the lack of a perceived challenging schedule for teams like Gonzaga will always hurt the cause when evaluating their tournament resume.

With March Madness lurking, let's dive into this edition of the College Hoops Barometer.

UPGRADE

Perry Ellis, F, Kansas - Ellis has been the best player for the Jayhawks this season, but he has taken his game to another level recently. Ellis averaged 23.5 points and 8.5 rebounds over his last two games for Kansas. In fact, despite averaging 14 points per game overall this year, Ellis has scored at least 18 points in four straight tilts. He has five double-doubles this season, and is one of the elder statesmen of this squad as a junior. Ellis is the leading scorer and rebounder for the 22-6 Jayhawks, who are looking for yet another Big 12 title.

Nigel Williams-Goss, G, Washington - Williams-Goss sometimes is forgotten due to his residence in the Great Northwest. The Huskies are also struggling this season in the Pac-12 at just 4-12. However, Williams-Goss has been one of the silver linings for the Huskies. The sophomore point guard leads the squad in scoring at 15.3 points per tilt. He has scored 20 points in consecutive outings. He is also the catalyst for the UW offense, managing six dimes per games. The sophomore has tallied at least six assists in five of the last seven games for the Huskies. Washington may not be tourney bound, but Williams-Goss gives UW some hope for the next season, and perhaps beyond.

Dez Wells, G, Maryland - Freshman sensation Melo Trimble has elevated the Terps to new heights this season, but Wells has been a mainstay for Maryland throughout his time at College Park. The senior has averaged at least 13 points, four rebounds and two assists in each of the last three seasons for the Terrapins. Wells has added a three-point shot to his arsenal in recent years, canning an outstanding 52.4 percent of his shots from downtown. Wells was the main reason Maryland stunned Wisconsin on Tuesday night. Dez had 26 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the 59-53 win over the Badgers. Wells has scored in double figures in eight straight games for the Terps, continuing to leave his mark on the Maryland program.

Austin Nichols, F, Memphis - Teammate Shaq Goodwin was profiled last week, but Nichols has been on a tear during February. In four games played this month, the sophomore forward is averaging 13.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 5.8 blocks per game. Nichols has been a terror on the defensive end, blocking at least six shots in three of the last four games. He excels in the paint on both ends of the floor, including shooting better than 50 percent from the field. Nichols needs to work on his jump shot, and he is a rather abysmal foul shooter. However, his impact is certainly felt among the big bodies down low, and the Tigers will have a potent tandem with Nichols and Goodwin should both return to school next season.

CHECK STATUS

Sir'Dominic Pointer, G-F, St. John's - Not only does Pointer have one of the best names in college hoops, but he is also attempting to singlehandedly take the Johnnies to the Big Dance. The phrase may be overused, but Pointer is the definition of a stat-sheet stuffer, averaging 13.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.6 blocks and 2.0 assists per game. Pointer swatted six shots against Xavier on Monday, while also stealing four passes, grabbing nine rebounds and scoring 19 points. He has scored in double-figures in 13 straight games and has scored at least 15 points in five consecutive. Pointer has had a seven-steal game, an eight-block game and a seven-assist game. His versatility is nearly unmatched in college hoops this season. The only question is, can he keep it up long enough to spur the Johnnies into the NCAA Tournament? The Red Storm is 19-9 on the year, including 8-7 in Big East play. The March 7 game at Villanova could be crucial in determining the fate of St. John's.

Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke - The Blue Devils are not taking any chances with their freshman phenom. Okafor has been nursing a sore ankle, and with March approaching fast, Coach K wants to make sure his prized big man is healthy for the stretch run, including both the ACC and NCAA Tournaments. The frontrunner for the Wooden Award, Okafor missed Saturday's tilt with Clemson due to the injury. He played Wednesday against Virginia Tech, but with limited effectiveness. While the Blue Devils are still jockeying for position in the ACC, upcoming games against mediocre Syracuse and struggling Wake Forest may prove excellent opportunities for Coach K to rest his star player prior to the stretch run. On March 7, the Blue Devils travel down the road to face archrival North Carolina, and the ACC Tourney will follow thereafter. As a result, Okafor may take it easy and not be one of the best fantasy options over the next week or two.

Carson Desrosiers, C, Providence - LaDontae Henton gets the pub for the Friars, and rightfully so. Henton is averaging 20.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in what has been another scintillating season for the 6-foot-6 senior. However, Desrosiers brings the size that Henton does not have, at 7-foot, 250. The big man and former Wake Forest Demon Deacon is still scratching the surface of his potential, even as a senior. Desrosiers is managing 7.2 points, 4.6 bounds and 2.6 swats per game for the Friars. However, he is dealing with a knee injury and missed Providence's game Tuesday at Villanova. While the ailment is not considered serious, the injury could linger and drag the Providence center down for the remainder of the season.

Devin Williams, F, West Virginia - The Mountaineers have held their own in the extremely competitive Big 12 this season, and Williams may not be getting the credit he deserves. Juwan Staten is the catalyst for the West Virginia offense, averaging 14.5 points, 2.8 boards and 4.6 dimes per game. However, Staten's stats are down from a season ago, yet the team's record is much better at 22-6. The improved play of Williams could be one of the main reasons. The sophomore forward is averaging 11 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. He paced the Mountaineers with 14 points and seven boards in Tuesday's win over Texas. He also snatched 12 rebounds in a 10-point win at Oklahoma State last week. He's not the star of the squad, and can find himself in foul trouble a bit too often, which ultimately limits his numbers. However, overall Williams has provided a huge boost for West Virginia this year.

DOWNGRADE

London Perrantes, G, Virginia - Perrantes suffered a concussion as well as a broken nose in Sunday's win over FSU. The Cavaliers were counting on Perrantes for increased production, as they are already without leading scorer Justin Anderson. The sweet-shooting Anderson fractured a bone in his hand and underwent surgery in early February. Anderson should be back for the Cavaliers within a week or two. The deep Cavaliers didn't miss Perrantes or Anderson on Wednesday against Wake Forest, pounding the Demon Deacons into submission, 70-34. Still, the No. 2-ranked Cavaliers will need both players healthy if they are to make a run at the Final Four this season. Particularly after they lost as a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance in 2014. Perrantes is day-to-day.

Chris Jones, G, Louisville - Coach Rick Pitino finally had enough of Jones, who was dismissed from the team for an off-court incident involving a female student at Louisville. The sophomore was a vital part of the success for Louisville this season. Jones averaged 13.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game for the Cardinals. Freshman guard Quentin Snider played 36 minutes in the absence of Jones on Monday at Georgia Tech and looks to be the likely beneficiary in terms of playing time. Still, the Cardinals are not deep this season, so the loss of Jones puts even more pressure on Terry Rozier as the season reaches its crescendo.

L.J. Rose, G, Houston - The Cougars will be without Rose for the remainder of the season after he suffered a right foot injury against Cincinnati on Saturday. The junior point guard did a little bit of everything for Houston, averaging 9.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. While Rose was mostly known for his dishing, he poured in 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting at South Florida last week. That included five makes from beyond the three-point arc. Although he did not post the greatest shooting percentages, the Cougars are 252nd in the country in terms of scoring, so Rose's 10 points per game will be sorely missed. Look for fellow junior Jherrod Stiggers to see even more shot opportunities the rest of the way for the Cougars.

Trevor Cooney, G, Syracuse - The Orange have self-imposed a postseason ban this season for prior transgressions, meaning Cooney's season junior year ends on March 7 at N.C. State. However, Cooney may wish the season ended sooner than that with the way he's been playing of late. The sharpshooting guard has not looked like himself of late, really struggling from long distance. Over his last three contests, Cooney has hit just 2-of-19 treys. He was held scoreless Saturday against Pittsburgh, missing all four of his three-point attempts. A sore back could be the root of Cooney's issues, and coach Jim Boeheim has even admitted that the junior has been limited by the ailment. As a result, Cooney seems a bit off, and may be affected over Cuse's final three games of the year.