Top 7 Big Men Who Will Be X-Factors During 2023 March Madness
With few exceptions, guards tend to attract the most praise around college basketball. Many of the best teams in March Madness will be heavily dependent on the success of their backcourt standouts.
But we're not going to forget about the big men.
Sure, several of these forwards and centers are decent long-range shooters and overall scorers. However, they might also be major contributors as rebounders, passers or defenders.
The list is subjective but looks beyond the perceived leaders of a roster in order to identify a key complementary big. You're not going to see familiar names such as Gonzaga's Drew Timme, Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis or Purdue's Zach Edey other than right here.
Mitchell Saxen, Saint Mary's
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Star freshman Aidan Mahaney has turned heads at Saint Mary's, but Mitchell Saxen is having a breakout season of his own.
A first-year starter, Saxen has averaged 31.9 minutes while helping the Gaels get to the brink of knocking Gonzaga off its West Coast Conference pedestal. He's produced 12.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 2.2 combined blocks and steals per game.
Because the team grinds down the pace, though—the nation's fourth-slowest tempo, per KenPom—second-chance opportunities are especially valuable. Saxen has snatched 3.4 offensive boards per game.
Factor in his defensive contributions, and Saxen has emerged as a critical part of Saint Mary's success.
Noah Clowney, Alabama
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Alabama has enjoyed the immediate ascent of Brandon Miller, but Noah Clowney is one of several first-year players holding a key role for the surging Crimson Tide.
The freshman-fueled rotation leans on Clowney, who's otherwise been the most productive forward on the team.
Clowney has notched 9.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.0 block per outing, yet there's plenty of room for improvement. Alabama's up-tempo, perimeter-heavy offense is willing to let Clowney shoot threes, which he's only converted at a 26.9 rate. But in two recent games, he finished 2-of-4 in each contest...immediately after a 0-of-20 slump.
If Clowney's long-range attempts start dropping, Alabama will be even more a nightmare matchup in March.
CJ Fredrick, Kentucky
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CJ Fredrick is the first of two asterisks, since Kentucky is squarely on the bubble here in mid-February.
With a nod to Antonio Reeves in the backcourt, Fredrick has become an invaluable player for the Wildcats. The trouble is that the Iowa transfer has not been a consistent performer.
In two seasons with the Big Ten school, he recorded a sizzling 46.6 three-point percentage. However, Fredrick has only converted 33.3 percent of his looks for UK this season. Additionally, the Cats are 9-1 when he buries two-plus triples compared to just 5-6 when he makes zero or one.
Kentucky doesn't attempt many threes, but Reeves and Cason Wallace are actually efficient from deep. If the Cats unlock the Iowa version of Fredrick, they'll be far more dangerous offensively.
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Oso Ighodaro, Marquette
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Oso Ighodaro's value is abundantly clear.
The third-year forward has tallied 11.6 points, 5.8 rebounds. 3.3 assists and 2.7 combined blocks and steals per game. He's shooting a tremendous 65.7 percent from the floor and averages just 1.6 turnovers, too.
Advanced stats tell an even greater story.
According to Hoop-Explorer, the Golden Eagles boast a plus-27.7 net rating with him on the court compared to plus-10.6 without him.
Ighodaro is an impactful player on both ends of the floor, and his steadiness is a major reason for Marquette's ascent from Big East afterthought to current conference leader.
Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua, Baylor
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Perhaps one of the more familiar players in the group is Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua, a veteran who played an integral part of Baylor's championship-winning team in 2021.
But you probably haven't heard much of him lately.
Last February, a torn left ACL ended his season. Although he still earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors, JTT could only watch as North Carolina eliminated the top-seeded Bears on the opening weekend of March Madness.
Tchamwa Tchatchoua, who made his season debut on Feb. 4, recently put up 11 points and three rebounds with one assist, block and steal in a victory over West Virginia.
While that kind of impact isn't eye-popping, it's the kind of prototypical JTT-type showing that strengthens Baylor immensely.
Tyler Wahl, Wisconsin
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Another asterisk: Wisconsin first has to make the Big Dance, too.
If the Badgers do, that probably means Tyler Wahl managed to shake his late-season slide.
Wahl assembled a breakout year in 2021-22, providing an all-around impact with 11.4 points per game while shooting 51.6 percent from the field. Although his scoring average has inched up to 11.7 per night, Wahl's efficiency has tumbled to an ugly 41.2 percent this season.
More problematically, he's mustered 9.4 points on a 39.4 shooting clip in eight appearances since returning from an ankle injury. Wisconsin has dropped five of those games.
Wisconsin can be a feisty team defensively, but the offense desperately needs an effective Wahl to survive.
Jarace Walker, Houston
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Few forwards look as comfortable as Jarace Walker, a respected NBA prospect who's starting to thrive at Houston.
The freshman posted 8.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game and a 36.4 three-point percentage during the 2022 calendar year. Since the beginning of January, however, his output has rocketed to 16.1 points and 7.3 rebounds with a 43.8 long-distance clip.
Walker has an amazingly wide range of offensive skills for his position. He'll be physical in the post, loft a floater off the dribble, hit a fadeaway jumper and bury catch-and-shoot threes.
Marcus Sasser and the backcourt lead a well-rounded team, but Walker can make Houston nearly unstoppable if he keeps excelling.
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