Ranking the top 10 men’s college basketball Freshman of the Year contenders

The supply of Kansas’ Darryn Peterson has been the most important storyline in faculty basketball this season, particularly after the projected prime decide within the 2026 NBA draft missed his crew’s win over No. 1 Arizona in Lawrence final week.

However one other program is now going to uncharted waters with out its star freshman: North Carolina. The Tar Heels will probably be with out Caleb Wilson, who fractured his left hand in a loss at Miami final week. On Monday, Hubert Davis mentioned Wilson may return “quickly,” though this system’s official announcement concerning the damage listed him as out “indefinitely.”

Wilson retains his No. 4 spot on this week’s freshman rankings, however his eventual comeback may nonetheless impression the order, and UNC’s complete season, forward of Choice Sunday.

Whereas Cameron Boozer is perhaps in a league of his personal within the race for each nationwide award, the motion on this week’s freshman rankings proves that the person standing of a few of the most gifted freshmen in years just isn’t even near being solidified.

Earlier rank: 1

Greatest efficiency up to now: 30 factors, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals in opposition to Stanford on Jan. 17

The hole between Boozer and everybody else for No. 1 in these rankings — and No. 1 in any Participant of the Yr rankings — has not shrunk, at the same time as Boozer’s stat traces have regarded barely extra human in latest weeks. For Boozer, although, the whole lot is relative. He nonetheless had 24 factors and 11 rebounds in opposition to North Carolina; 17 factors, 10 rebounds and 4 assists in opposition to Pitt; 18 factors, eight rebounds and 4 assists in opposition to Clemson; and, this week, 22 factors and 12 boards in opposition to Syracuse. Like we mentioned, it is all relative. He entered the week second amongst all freshmen in scoring, fourth in rebounds and inside the highest 20 in assists and steals — doing it for a crew ranked No. 3 nationally. It is extremely troublesome to see him transferring from the highest spot the remainder of the way in which. — Jeff Borzello

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Cameron Boozer’s 22-point double-double fuels Duke’s rout

Cameron Boozer scores 22 factors and grabs 12 rebounds to guide No. 3 Duke to a rout of Syracuse.

Earlier rank: 3

Greatest efficiency up to now: 43 factors, 6 rebounds, 3 assists vs. Utah on Jan. 24

The lack of Richie Saunders to a season-ending knee injury will solely put extra weight on Dybantsa’s shoulders down the ultimate stretch of the season. However an entire collapse — matchups in opposition to Arizona, Iowa State and Texas Tech stay on the schedule — may additionally make the highway to Choice Sunday extra daunting. Dybantsa appears constructed for the stress, although. He has averaged 29.1 factors and 4.5 assists in his previous seven video games, taking pictures 44% from the 3-point line. Dybantsa is evolving into one of the crucial full gamers within the nation. — Myron Medcalf

Earlier rank: 7

Greatest efficiency up to now: 31 factors, 7 assists, 1 turnover, 7-for-10 from 3-point vary in opposition to Auburn on Feb. 14

Acuff has been sensational currently, taking part in himself into the highest 10 of NBA mock drafts. He is additionally making a real push for SEC Participant of the Yr honors, main the league in each scoring and assists in convention video games. Final weekend, he had arguably his finest efficiency of the season, ending with 31 factors, seven assists and only one turnover, whereas making a season-high seven 3-pointers. In his earlier six video games coming into the week, Acuff was averaging eye-popping numbers: 26.2 factors, 6.5 assists, 1.7 turnovers — whereas taking pictures 50% from past the arc. — Borzello

Earlier rank: 4

Greatest efficiency up to now: 24 factors, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals vs. Kansas on Nov. 7

Following an epic 23-point effort in a win over Duke, Wilson fractured his hand within the subsequent recreation, a loss at Miami. Now, Tar Heels followers will wait to see when the projected top-five draft decide will return. He has been responding to frightened supporters on social media, making it clear in a number of posts that his season just isn’t over. UNC could must navigate the ultimate weeks of the common season — together with matchups in opposition to Louisville, Clemson and Duke — because the nation awaits a attainable return of one among America’s finest skills. If he could make it again, Wilson may very well be one of many largest comeback tales in faculty basketball. — Medcalf

Earlier rank: 5

Greatest efficiency up to now: 46 factors, 4 assists, 9-for-11 from 3 vs. Purdue on Jan. 24

Wagler continues to construct off his breakout 46-point efficiency from late January. He has posted three extra video games of 22-plus factors — together with in final week’s loss to Wisconsin, when he completed with 34 factors and 7 assists and went 5-for-10 from 3. He is averaging 21.5 factors in Huge Ten video games, taking pictures 45.2% from 3-point vary, to go along with 4.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists. Wagler needed to shoulder extra offensive duty with Kylan Boswell out. With Boswell now again from damage, the star freshman ought to excel with much less defensive consideration. — Borzello

Earlier rank: 6

Greatest efficiency up to now: 42 factors, 6 assists vs. Texas Tech on Jan. 24

The Cougars gained six video games in a row earlier than shedding to Iowa State on Monday evening. In that span, Flemings dished out 30 assists as Kelvin Sampson’s key playmaker. However within the two earlier video games coming into Monday — when he scored 22 factors — Flemings additionally went 4-for-22 from the sector and dedicated 5 turnovers. For the primary time in months, he regarded like a freshman, as a substitute of a seasoned guard, these temporary stumbles validating what Sampson has preached all 12 months: Flemings continues to be an adolescent, with loads to study. — Medcalf

Earlier Rank: Unranked

Greatest efficiency up to now: 45 factors, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, 10-for-16 from 3-point vary vs. NC State on Feb. 9

Brown had arguably the perfect three-game run of anybody in faculty basketball during the last eight days, simply deserving a spot again within the rankings after almost two months out. The spotlight efficiency: 45 factors, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals on 14-for-23 taking pictures in opposition to NC State. He went 10-for-16 from 3 and 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. Then he adopted that efficiency up with 29 factors, 6 assists and 5 steals on 8-for-14 taking pictures in opposition to Baylor, going 4-for-5 from 3 and making all 9 of his foul photographs — and then he went for 29 factors, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and shot 4-for-8 from 3 in a loss to SMU. It has been a outstanding stretch: In these three video games, he averaged 34.3 factors, 5.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 3.3 steals and taking pictures percentages of 60.0% from the sector, 62.1% from 3 and 100% from the free-throw line. — Borzello

Earlier rank: 9

Greatest efficiency up to now: 29 factors, 7 rebounds, 3 assists at Alabama on Jan. 24

It took a couple of months, however Ament lastly appears just like the five-star highschool recruit the highest applications have been chasing final 12 months. Rick Barnes has demanded extra of his crew’s prime NBA prospect in latest weeks, and Ament has actually delivered. He has averaged 23.5 factors over the previous seven contests, coming into Wednesday’s recreation in opposition to Oklahoma. The Vols are additionally 6-1 over that stretch, a testomony to what they’re able to when the 6-foot-10 ahead performs to his potential. The Vols are taking part in top-25 protection proper now, they’re the No. 1 offensive rebounding crew in America — and their younger star is blossoming on the proper time. — Medcalf

Earlier rank: 2

Greatest efficiency up to now: 26 factors, 3 assists, 11-of-13 FG in 23 minutes vs. Baylor on Jan. 16

Peterson hasn’t been at his finest in latest weeks, basically since his 26-point efficiency on Jan. 16. Positive, there have been a few absences: lacking a win over Kansas State with a sprained ankle, lacking the victory over then-No. 1 Arizona with flu-like signs. The truth is, since that Jan. 16 recreation in opposition to Baylor, Peterson is averaging simply 15.4 factors and a couple of.8 rebounds on 42.4% taking pictures. He is too good to not bounce again down the stretch of the season, however one could make the case that his earlier two video games have been his least efficient. — Borzello

Earlier rank: 8

Greatest efficiency up to now: 29 factors, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals vs. BYU on Jan. 26

Though Arizona suffered its first lack of the season at Kansas final week, one factor was clear: Tommy Lloyd trusts Burries to have the ball in his palms down the stretch of a good recreation. Burries’ 25 factors within the 82-78 loss could not assist the Wildcats escape Lawrence with a win, however he did hit a flurry of powerful photographs to maintain them alive. The 6-4 guard stays one of the crucial tenacious gamers in America. He has additionally turn into one among its finest shooters (39% from past the arc in Huge 12 play). — Medcalf