10 NCAA Basketball Players Who Are Unstoppable in 1-on-1 Situations
In a sport featuring a bewildering variety of defenses, some NCAA basketball players specialize in reducing the game to its simplest form: one man with the ball and one man trying to stop him. When these top-tier scoring threats can face down a single defender without help, the results end up on highlight reels.
One surprise addition to the upper echelons in 2013-14 was Kansas Stateโs Marcus Foster. Under the radar as a recruit, the 6โ2โ Wildcat quickly found himself over the rim as one of the top freshman scorers in the nation, thanks in large measure to a toughness that belies his size.
Read on for a closer look at Fosterโs imposing skill set, along with nine more players who demand multiple defenders whenever they get the ball in their hands. Note that in the interest of focusing on scorers who have proven themselves at the college level, incoming freshmen were omitted from consideration for this list.
DeAndre Mathieu, Minnesota
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The NBA defection of Arizona Stateโs Jahii Carson means that DeAndre Mathieu stands alone as the quickest guard in college hoops. Shabazz Napier's graduation leaves the former JUCO star at the top of the nationโs ball-handling list, too.
Standing just 5โ9โ and reluctant to use his three-point shot, Mathieu is more vulnerable to the double-team (and more likely to pass out of it) than many others on this list.
With his ability to freeze a single defender off the dribble, though, heโs still a constant threat to get to the rim whenever he touches the ball.
Marcus Paige, North Carolina
2 of 10
As a freshman, Marcus Paige rarely got the opportunity to score at all, busy as he was with handing out assists to the Tar Heelsโ star-studded lineup.
Last season, thrust into the primary scorerโs role himself, Paige showed that he was just as dangerous as the hot-shooting wings heโd been setting up.
Paige has the requisite speed to spearhead Roy Williamsโ fast breakโmeaning heโs among the fastest guards in the countryโbut he also brings a sensational shooting touch to the table.
His ability to pull up for three-pointers or mid-range jumpers is vital when the 6'1", 175-pounder faces bigger defenders.
Marcus Foster, Kansas State
3 of 10
A major benefit of the motion offense, favored by Kansas State coach Bruce Weber, is that it creates shots for scorers who arenโt especially adept at one-on-one play.
Fortunately for Weber, whose team is still getting the hang of his system, he had Marcus Foster to bail out his Wildcats when those shots werenโt forthcoming.
The 6โ2โ Foster has the muscle to score over bigger defenders in the paint, but heโs not limited to the dribble drive for winning one-on-one matchups. With his .395 three-point shooting, heโs happy to bury a trey over foes who give him too much space.
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Dez Wells, Maryland
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Heโs flown under the radar on some disappointing Maryland squads, but Dez Wells is as devastating a finisher as any wing player in the country.
Wellsโ ability to dunk over multiple foes makes it a given that any opponent stuck facing him in a one-on-one situation is in for a bad time.
The 6โ5โ swingman is an elusive ball-handler with an outstanding first step, both of which help to make up for his suspect jump shot.
Once he gets into the vicinity of the paint, he also excels at using his muscular 215-pound frame to draw contact and pile up three-point plays.
Isaiah Taylor, Texas
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One hallmark of a great offensive player is the ability to score even when the defense knows exactly whatโs coming. Isaiah Taylor established his bona fides in that department simply by scoring 12.7 points per game as a freshman.
No opponent expects the .222 long-range shooter to do anything but attack off the dribble, and yet Taylor routinely slithered through multiple defenders to get his points at the hoop.
His scoring average is likely to take a hit with the arrival of Myles Turner, but the numbers wonโt be able to hide his ability to drive the lane against even the toughest foes.
Kevin Pangos, Gonzaga
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With a career three-point accuracy of .410, Kevin Pangos has no problem forcing defenders to play up on him. With his blazing speed, he has even less difficulty blowing past them once they do.
Playing on Gonzaga Bulldogs rosters loaded with high-scoring big men, Pangos has typically done most of his damage in transition, where he can catch hapless opponents on an island.
On this yearโs Gonzaga team, though, heโll get more chances in the half courtโenough to top 2013-14โs career-best 14.4 points per game with ease.
Chasson Randle, Stanford
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Itโs no coincidence that Johnny Dawkinsโ first trip to the Big Dance as Stanfordโs coach came in Chasson Randleโs breakout offensive season.
The junior guard finally got the freedom to attack as a scorer, and the result was an 18.8 point-per-game average and (ultimately) a trip to the Sweet 16.
Although the sharp-shooting Randle certainly benefited from Dwight Powellโs point forward skills, he created a healthy proportion of the Cardinal offense himself.
His speed with the ball in his hands is enough to open eyes even in the up-tempo environment of the Pac-12.
Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin
8 of 10
The NBAโs penchant for drafting big men far above their proven performance tends to strip the college ranks of any remotely effective low-post scorers on an annual basis.
Frank Kaminsky is a rare exception to that rule, and the 7โ0โ senior-to-be is poised to put on an offensive clinic.ย Although Kaminsky is a major three-point threat, too, itโs his work with his back to the basket that earns him a spot here.
As he showed by shredding the towering Arizona front line for 28 points in the Elite Eight, his long arms and silky shot make him a daunting assignment for multiple defenders and an impossible one for a single opponent (even a fellow 7-footer).
Yogi Ferrell, Indiana
9 of 10
On the all-too-frequent nights when freshman Noah Vonleh wasnโt in sync as a scorer, Yogi Ferrell spent plenty of time going one-on-five.
Ferrellโs 17.3 points per game are a testament to how effective he was even when the opposition could afford to throw multiple players at him.
The emergence of the 6โ0โ floor leaderโs three-point shot (which went from .303 accuracy as a freshman to .400 last year) gave him a way to punish defenders who hung back.
Once he draws his man in with the threat of a long-range bomb, Ferrell can easily juke past him with his exceptional quickness and ball-handling prowess.
Joseph Young, Oregon
10 of 10
When Joseph Young arrived at Oregon after two seasons with Houston, there was no guarantee that his top-notch scoring numbers would hold up in the face of tougher competition and a more productive group of teammates.
Young, however, proved that his capabilities extended far beyond lighting up inferior Conference USA defenses.ย As a junior, the 6โ2โ scoring ace poured in a career-best 18.9 points per game for the Ducks.
He created most of those looks himself with his deft ball-handling, though it didnโt exactly hurt that his lethal three-point shot (.415 from beyond the arc) kept defenders close.
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