Individual Matchups We Can't Wait to See in 2015-16 College Basketball Season
Iowa State's Georges Niang and Kansas' Perry Ellis have already squared off nine times in their Big 12 careers, and that individual matchup should prove to be one of the most intriguing battles to watch in the 2015-16 college basketball season.
Of course, the anticipation to watch those seniors again barely compares to the amount of hype in store for the two games between LSU's Ben Simmons and Kentucky's Skal Labissiere—provided the Wildcats will even be able to play the big man this season.
NBA draft experts will try to tell you there isn't much talent in this year's draft class, but tell that to this list of remarkable head-to-head showdowns we're guaranteed to see this season. Each player was only allowed to be on the list once, and there was still no difficulty whatsoever in finding 20 individual matchups we can't wait to see.
Actually, that's a lie. It was very difficult to trim the list to 20, so there are a ton of honorable mentions.
In deciding what the matchups should be, we started at the top of the 2016 mock draft on DraftExpress and worked our way down the list, searching for a player at a similar position who is already on the first player's team's schedule. For instance, we didn't need to go far to pair No. 1 Labissiere with No. 2 Simmons, but the closest peer on the docket for No. 3 Brandon Ingram is No. 20 Troy Williams.
Once paired, ranking boiled down to a fluid combination of NBA draft, Wooden Award and 2016 national championship implications. In other words, the more it matters in April and June, the more we need to watch it live.
Honorable Mentions
1 of 21
Justin Jackson (North Carolina) vs. Dwayne Bacon (Florida State) on Jan. 4
Kennedy Meeks (North Carolina) vs. Chinanu Onuaku (Louisville) on Feb. 1
Brice Johnson (North Carolina) vs. Mike Tobey (Virginia) on Feb. 27
We didn't implement any sort of rule restricting teams from having more than one player on the list. It just so happened a bunch of Tar Heels barely missed the cut. Of the trio, Meeks vs. Onuaku is probably the most intriguing, as they are arguably the top NBA prospects on their respective teams.
Cheick Diallo (Kansas) vs. Marcus Lee (Kentucky) on Jan. 30
Plain and simple, Diallo was left off the list because of the ongoing concern about his eligibility to play this season. If and when he gets out there, though, take your pick, really. Diallo vs. Rico Gathers, Jameel McKay or Cameron Ridley would all be intriguing battles in the trench in addition to this potential one against Kentucky's Marcus Lee.
Tim Quarterman (LSU) vs. Perry Dozier (South Carolina) on Feb. 10
This is a combo guard pairing that will fly miles below the radar but could provide a lot of entertainment.
Monte Morris (Iowa State) vs. Isaiah Taylor (Texas) on Jan. 12 or Feb. 13
This duo had a trio of outstanding battles last season—each won one comfortably and arguably played the third to a draw—but for some reason, people have been hesitant to accept that Morris is an elite point guard. As a result, this matchup barely even holds a candle to a few other Big 12 showdowns.
Zach Auguste (Notre Dame) vs. Mike Thorne Jr. (Illinois) on Dec. 2
We've got some incredible center vs. center action in the top 20, but don't sleep on this one from the ACC-B1G Challenge. Auguste and Thorne both put up better than 15 points and 10 rebounds per 40 minutes last season.
Dorian Finney-Smith (Florida) vs. DeAndre Bembry (Saint Joseph's) on Nov. 21
Finney-Smith and Bembry were both horrifically underappreciated last season as the primary offensive catalysts of a team that was substantially worse than the previous year, so it only seems fitting they square off one week into the season.
Alex Poythress (Kentucky) vs. Damion Lee (Louisville) on Dec. 26
Is Poythress healthy? Will Lee score anywhere near as well as he did at Drexel? If the answer to both questions is "yes," this individual battle could be the highlight of one of the most heavily anticipated games of every season.
Domantas Sabonis (Gonzaga) vs. Kaleb Tarczewski (Arizona) on Dec. 5
Kyle Wiltjer (Gonzaga) vs. Kyle Collinsworth (BYU) on Jan. 14 or Feb. 27
Gonzaga has two of the most intriguing players in the entire country, but Kyle Wiltjer and Domantas Sabonis don't exactly have any equals on the calendar to go toe-to-toe with. There are a couple of potentially intriguing matchups in the latter rounds of the Battle 4 Atlantis—Wiltjer against Texas A&M's Jalen Jones or Sabonis against Texas' Cameron Ridley, for example. But those pairings aren't guaranteed, and they still aren't that great.
Same goes for Kyle Collinsworth at BYU. We could get a juicy pairing between Collinsworth and Oklahoma's Buddy Hield in the Diamond Head Classic finals, but aside from that, it's tough to find anyone on the schedule at both his position and level.
Thus, we're throwing all three West Coast Conference guys a bone here by noting that pretty much every game on their respective schedules is a potential opportunity to watch them do something great.
20. Caris LeVert vs. Jake Layman
2 of 21
When they meet: Jan. 12 and Feb. 21
Why we're watching
Almost all of these pairings pit eventual NBA draft picks against one another, but if there's such a thing as an under-the-radar projected first-round pick, you're looking at two of them.
Caris LeVert dropped a bit off the map by missing the final two months of last season with a foot injury. If you'll recall the top-100 player lists from the 2014-15 preseason, though, LeVert was hardly a sleeper pick for the Wooden Award.
Our C.J. Moore had him at No. 4 on his list. CBS Sports' trio of Gary Parrish, Matt Norlander and Sam Vecenie had him at No. 8. There's a legitimate argument to be made that he's the best returning player in the nation, but you wouldn't know it from the lack of discussion about him.
Jake Layman, on the other hand, was fairly anonymous outside of College Park because he consistently posted good-not-great numbers for a team that had Melo Trimble and Dez Wells to dominate the media's attention.
When the Terps announced Layman would return for his senior year, it seemed like most non-Maryland fans were surprised that declaring for the draft was a valid option for him, but he's one of the more reliable scorers in the country.
Expect both seniors to be much more popular on a national scale this year.
Winner will be: LeVert
Both are great three-point shooters, but LeVert has really improved as a defender since his arrival in Ann Arbor. Even though Layman has him covered by a couple of inches, LeVert should win the war of the not-so-small forwards.
That's only one position on the court where Michigan should have the upper hand, though. Even if Layman gets left in the dust by LeVert, Maryland's frontcourt is much stronger than Michigan's frontcourt, and let's not forget the Terrapins have Trimble running the point.
19. Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk vs. Denzel Valentine
3 of 21
When they meet: Nov. 17
Why we're watching
Regardless of this individual matchup, everyone will be watching because it's the second game of the Champions Classic and the nightcap for the Tip-Off Marathon. It just so happens we'll get to see a very intriguing battle between one of the most established triple-double threats in the country and an 18-year-old looking to prove he's much better than he showed last year.
For Michigan State, Denzel Valentine will be the key to everything. The Spartans are loaded with solid players, but Valentine is arguably the only one with real star potential in 2015-16. He has greatly expanded his arsenal of tricks over the past several years, improving substantially as both a three-point shooter and passer while becoming a more assertive focal point of the offense. Blocking shots is pretty much the only thing he doesn't do.
Where Valentine has proven experience, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk is dripping with potential that has draft prognosticators head over heels in love with a guy who showed us next to nothing last year.
He got a one-month audition while Kansas head coach Bill Self waited for Kelly Oubre to prove he deserved to be a full-time player, but Mykhailiuk had very much played his way out of a job by the time Oubre was ready for one. In practices and workouts, though, he has been one of the most lethal shooters in the world. It should only be a matter of time before he showcases that talent in games.
Winner will be: Valentine
Put this game later on the calendar, and perhaps it becomes a tougher decision. Less than a week into the season, though, bank on the veteran destined to be a contender in the Big Ten Player of the Year race.
As was the case with LeVert and Michigan, though, it's probably going to take more than a win at small forward for the Spartans to pull off a win on the scoreboard. Even if Cheick Diallo isn't eligible to play, Kansas is better up front and arguably has the better point guard in Frank Mason.
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18. Ron Baker vs. Isaiah Whitehead
4 of 21
When they meet: Dec. 19
Why we're watching
For starters, there's a better-than-remote chance this will be the last significant hurdle standing between Wichita State and another undefeated regular season. The Missouri Valley isn't exactly a barren wasteland this year, but it probably wouldn't be a great career move to bet on it being a multi-bid conference either.
Thus, if the Shockers can successfully navigate the first month of the season without a loss, it might be Seton Hall-or-bust for everyone fed up with the 40-0 talk lingering very late into the past few seasons.
Even if Wichita State enters the game with multiple losses, though, Ron Baker and Isaiah Whitehead should make for an excellent head-to-head battle of perimeter studs.
At this point, if you need me to sell you on a reason to watch Baker, it's probably a lost cause. Over the past two years, he has been one of the best all-around players in the game. He isn't best in the nation at any individual thing. But combine everything he does into one package, and there aren't many better options out there.
Whitehead still has a lot to prove, but we witnessed some serious flashes of brilliance from the 2014 5-star shooting guard. He frequently pushed the issue by trying to do too much on his own, resulting in fairly dreadful shooting percentages and a lot of turnovers.
If and when he becomes more selective, he could blossom into a star. With any luck, guys like Khadeen Carrington and Desi Rodriguez will help Whitehead feel like he doesn't need to be a one-man show this year.
Winner will be: Whitehead
When these two teams met last season, it was one of Whitehead's best outings of the season. He had 23 points on 15 field-goal attempts and committed just three turnovers. However, the Pirates had no answer on defense for Baker, who had one of the most efficient games of his very efficient career.
Baker does have a tendency to struggle away from home, though. Last year, he shot 49.4 percent from three-point range in Charles Koch Arena and 30.9 percent everywhere else. He just might be mortal in this home game for Seton Hall.
17. Danuel House vs. Taurean Prince
5 of 21
When they meet: Dec. 19
Why we're watching
These aren't the most well-known names in the country, but that doesn't make the showdown between these guard-forward hybrids any less intriguing.
Taurean Prince was quietly one of the nation's most efficient players last season. Per 40 minutes, the 6'7" small forward averaged 21.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 1.9 assists and 1.3 blocks while shooting 39.5 percent from three-point range and 53.0 percent inside the arc.
Save for a very forgettable two-point game against Kansas in the Big 12 tournament, he scored at least 11 points in each of Baylor's final 18 games and served as an extremely valuable asset on defense.
In fact, Prince was one of just six players in the country to score at least 400 points while recording an offensive box plus-minus of at least 6.5 and a defensive box plus-minus of at least 4.5. The others were Karl-Anthony Towns, Frank Kaminsky, Delon Wright, Seth Tuttle and Kris Dunn. Even if you don't understand that box plus-minus mumbo jumbo, hopefully you can appreciate how elite that list is.
Meanwhile, Danuel House was no slouch in his first year at Texas A&M, even though he wasn't ruled eligible to play until a week into the season. Once he got warmed up, it was only a foot injury at the end of the year that could slow him down.
Over the course of 14 SEC games from mid-January through late-February, House averaged 18.2 points and shot 48.9 percent from three-point range while attempting more than six per game. If he can turn that six-week stretch into a full 2015-16 season, meet your 2016 SEC Player of the Year.
Winner will be: Prince
Neither House (eight points, four rebounds, three assists) nor Prince (11 points, four rebounds, two steals) played particularly well in last December's meeting, but Baylor absolutely needs to be more reliant on its multitool star this year.
Defensive prowess is what should push Prince over the top, though. He'll make House work for every single look he gets, but that isn't likely to be a two-way street.
16. Amida Brimah vs. Diamond Stone
6 of 21
When they meet: Dec. 8
Why we're watching
Big men who excel on both ends of the court are getting harder and harder to come by, so it's hard not to love this showdown between easily two of the 10 best centers in the country.
With Connecticut suffering 15 losses last season, not many people paid any mind to the unbelievably efficient season that Amida Brimah had. He ranked second in the nation in block percentage and fourth in both true shooting percentage and effective field-goal percentage. In other words, opposing teams could neither stop him nor get past him.
To be fair, though, he frequently dealt with foul trouble, didn't rebound well and often made no impact against the Huskies' top competition. Case in point, four days after going for 40 points and 12 rebounds against Coppin State, he was held scoreless by Duke, recording just one rebound before fouling out in 13 minutes. He has the tools to be great, but we'd love to see him use them against a real opponent.
Diamond Stone is the first of many freshmen we will encounter on this list, and it wouldn't be much of a surprise if he ended up being the greatest.
"He's probably the best high school post scorer we've seen since DeMarcus Cousins," said Evan Daniels of Scout.com in July 2014, per Sports Illustrated's Luke Winn. What everyone loved about Jahlil Okafor heading into last season was how polished his game already was, and Stone is right there in that same camp, ready to dominate from day one.
Winner will be: Stone
Even if it takes Stone more than a month to really get going, are you sure you want to bank on Brimah against possibly the best team in the country after watching him put up a grand total of four points and three rebounds in his final three games of last season? The blocked shots will inevitably be there, but he'll almost certainly need more than that to win the duel with Stone.
15. Gary Payton II vs. Tyrone Wallace
7 of 21
When they meet: Jan. 9 and Feb. 13
Why we're watching
On the squad vs. squad front, these are two of the teams most likely to drastically turn things around after failing to win at least 20 games last season. Throw in Arizona, Oregon, UCLA and Utah, and the Pac-12 has six teams that could/should spend some time in the AP Top 25 this year.
Neither one has a particularly taxing nonconference schedule, so the Golden Bears and Beavers might both be ranked for the first showdown.
If such awards were given, Gary Payton II would have been very much in the running for breakout player of the year. The JUCO transfer led the nation in steal percentage and even blocked a surprising number of shots for a 6'3" guard. He also recorded 7.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, so even though he wasn't a great shooter, he might have been the second most impactful Pac-12 player behind Utah's Delon Wright.
Tyrone Wallace was a more conventional contributor, finishing the season with averages of 17.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. Despite playing 10 games without Jabari Bird and not having much of a post presence to work with, Wallace spent the first two-thirds of the season very much in the Wooden Award conversation. With the additions of Ivan Rabb and Jaylen Brown, he could be headed for a monster senior year.
Winner will be: Payton
These two only met once last season, and even though California won by 17, Payton gave Wallace all sorts of fits. California's star finished the game with 12 points on 12 field-goal attempts and four turnovers. Despite matching a season high with seven assists, it was one of his least efficient games of the season.
Cal should probably win both games, but look for Payton to do enough on both ends of the court to keep it interesting.
14. Brandon Ingram vs. Troy Williams
8 of 21
When they meet: Dec. 2
Why we're watching
With the possible exception of Alex Poythress in the Champions Classic, there aren't many elite wing forwards 6'9" Brandon Ingram will directly face this season. If Duke draws Wisconsin in the 2K Classic championship game, obviously the battle between Ingram and Nigel Hayes would be compelling, but we can't operate under the assumption that will transpire.
But a showdown of Ingram vs. Troy Williams is hardly a consolation prize, even though Williams isn't much of a household name.
Everyone knows Yogi Ferrell and James Blackmon Jr. as the primary catalysts of one of the best three-point attacks in the country, but Williams had a pretty fine season of his own. He averaged 13.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game as a 6'7" rail-thin forward (currently listed at 215 lbs) who was often the closest thing to a center that the Hoosiers had on the floor.
Now, with Thomas Bryant, Juwan Morgan and Max Bielfeldt in the picture, Williams should get a chance to shine in a position his body might actually be able to handle for years to come.
Winner will be: Ingram
Like Jabari Parker a few years ago, Ingram will likely be forced to play out of position because of the construction of Duke's roster. Parker was a 3.5 who spent an alarming number of minutes as Duke's center, and Ingram is a 2.5 who figures to fill the same 3.5 role Justise Winslow played last season.
As a result, the freshman will be overmatched at times by bigger frontcourts—he'll look like a twig if Louisville puts Mangok Mathiang (6'10", 220 lbs) and Chinanu Onuaku (6'10", 230 lbs) on the court together—but this might be the game where he starts to live up to the 2016 lottery potential.
Look for ESPN to put Jay Bilas on the mic for this one to gush about Ingram's wingspan, motor and potential as he scores over Williams and defends him relentlessly on the other end.
13. Buddy Hield vs. Wayne Selden
9 of 21
When they meet: Jan. 4 and Feb. 13
Why we're watching
In the crimson corner, we have the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year and the early favorite to claim that title again this season, Buddy Hield. He averaged 17.4 points per game in serving as the face of the Sooners for a second straight season.
It's more than just the scoring that makes Hield such a valuable asset, though. He's also one of the team's best rebounders, passers and on-ball defenders. If you love volume scorers who can fill up the stat sheet in other categories too, Hield's your man.
And in the blue corner, Wayne Selden is a shooting guard who has made quite the habit of opening the season in the Big 12 POY conversation before quickly dropping out of it. He hasn't exactly played poorly, but he definitely hasn't lived up to the high expectations coming out of high school.
Selden had stretches of significant promise last season—at least 14 points in five consecutive conference games, 45 combined points in Kansas' final two Big 12 tournament games—but we're hoping to see him turn those sprints into long-distance success.
Also, we're watching these two games to get a good indication of whether Kansas' Big 12 reign is in any danger. The Sooners finished one game behind the Jayhawks last season and might be the biggest threat to the crown this year as well. If Oklahoma goes into Allen Fieldhouse on Jan. 4 and emerges with a win, that would give the Sooners a huge leg up for the rest of the season.
Winner will be: Hield
Hield absolutely decimated Selden last year in their two meetings, outscoring him by a total of 44 to five. Hield wasn't exactly a model of efficiency in those games, needing 39 field-goal attempts and 14 free-throw attempts to get to 44 points, but Selden simply did not show up for either contest.
Of course, in 2013-14, Selden bested Hield 39-34 in the points column, so perhaps it's just coincidental the Jayhawk struggled in both games against Oklahoma last season. Still, Hield turned down a chance to be a fringe first-round pick in hopes of proving he definitely deserves to be taken in the top 30, and these two high-profile affairs provide great opportunities for him to do just that.
12. Isaiah Briscoe vs. Antonio Blakeney
10 of 21
When they meet: Jan. 5 and March 5
Why we're watching
There are always a lot of scouts in attendance when Kentucky is playing, but it's a safe bet there will be a ridiculous number of evaluators on hand for these two games between the Wildcats and the Tigers.
In addition to Kentucky's sextet of Skal Labissiere, Jamal Murray, Isaiah Briscoe, Alex Poythress, Marcus Lee and Tyler Ulis, LSU has three potential-to-definite future pros in Ben Simmons, Antonio Blakeney and Tim Quarterman. Maryland vs. North Carolina is arguably the only other game this season in the same stratosphere of NBA draft implications as these SEC showdowns.
Labissiere vs. Simmons is much higher up the list, but when you need a break from watching possibly the first two picks in the 2016 NBA draft going toe-to-toe, turn your gaze to the backcourt for a battle between two outstanding freshman guards.
Blakeney is a scorer to his core. He'll take a lot of ill-advised shots and try to do too much on his own, but he will almost certainly lead the nation in "No, no, no...YES!" plays because of his ability to convert from all sorts of angles and positions. He'll likely be more of a slasher than a spot-up shooter, which could prove problematic against a Kentucky team that has ranked top 15 in the nation in block percentage in seven straight seasons.
Briscoe will also be a volume scorer at times, but he's much more of a versatile, unselfish offensive weapon. When Murray, Ulis and Briscoe are in the backcourt together, it's going to look like the Harlem Globetrotters running weave drills against the Washington Generals. All three can pass, drive and shoot better than most guards in the country. Any member of the trio could go for 25 points or 10 assists on any given night.
Winner will be: Blakeney
It's fairly unlikely that LSU will win either game, but it's almost a certainty that the Tigers will need to rely very heavily on Simmons and Blakeney to even keep them close.
With Charles Mathews and Mychal Mulder also in the picture in Kentucky's backcourt, Blakeney will likely play at least 8-10 more minutes than Briscoe, potentially leading all players in scoring in each of these games. However, Briscoe will very likely get drafted before Blakeney if they both declare after this season.
11. Demetrius Jackson vs. Yogi Ferrell
11 of 21
When they meet: Dec. 19
Why we're watching
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there are going to be some excruciatingly painful to watch games for the first few weeks of the season as players, coaches and officials adjust to the new rules. Even if you couldn't care less about the clash of titans at point guard, you're going to want to watch this game just to remember what it's like when two extremely efficient offenses get together.
We pretty much already know what to expect from Yogi Ferrell and Indiana's backcourt, and we expect greatness. Over the past two seasons, Ferrell has averaged 16.8 points and 4.4 assists per game while shooting 40.8 percent from three-point range. Never mind doing it for two full seasons, there were only three players in the entire country who matched or exceeded those numbers last year: Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell, Northwestern State's Jalan West and Sacramento State's Mikh McKinney. Don't expect much on defense, but Ferrell is one of the best offensive weapons out there.
With Demetrius Jackson, there's a little more speculation required, as he transitions to full-time point guard on a roster that lost its two most important players in Jerian Grant and Pat Connaughton. However, based on what we've already seen from him—12.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game, 42.9 percent three-point shooting and a 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio last season—the prevailing sentiment is that more Jackson cannot possibly be a bad thing for Notre Dame.
Jackson will be a no-brainer inclusion on the Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 Watch List, and it would frankly be a surprise if he isn't still in that conversation in late March.
Winner will be: Jackson
There might not be two better primary ball-handling combo guards in the country, but Jackson should come out on top because of his superior defense and a significant experience advantage in the post between Notre Dame's Zach Auguste and Indiana's Thomas Bryant.
The pick-and-roll offense executed by Grant and Auguste last season was one of the prettiest things in the country, and we expect similar results with Jackson manning the point—especially considering he is an even more lethal threat to pull up for three if the defense so much as stutter steps in navigating the screen.
10. Malik Pope vs. James Webb III
12 of 21
When they meet: Jan. 16 and Feb. 27
Why we're watching
This list has been almost entirely dedicated to major-conference programs, but it would be quite incomplete without this battle of mid-major forwards who might be first-round draft picks in June.
James Webb III has already proven himself quite worthy of watching. Despite very frequently deferring to Derrick Marks last season, Webb averaged 11.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game while shooting a very efficient 67.7 percent inside the arc and 40.9 percent beyond it. Take out the first three games of the season where he was held to a grand total of zero points and three rebounds, and his averages increase to 12.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. Not too shabby for a redshirt JUCO transfer who wasn't expected to start.
Malik Pope, however, is still looking to deliver on three-year-old hype. A very highly touted recruit by the age of 16, Pope missed the majority of his final two high school seasons due to a leg broken multiple times. He proceeded to play limited minutes as a freshman at San Diego State, but averaged 13.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per 40 minutes while converting on 40.8 percent of his three-point attempts. We didn't get to see much of him until Mountain West conference play began, but what we saw was quite promising.
Winner will be: Webb
Pope probably has a little more NBA potential, but Webb has shown an ability to consistently deliver, recording eight double-doubles last season and tallying a total of 33 points and 19 rebounds between his two games against San Diego State.
Pope was pretty much a no-show in both of those losses, playing 39 minutes, but putting up just seven points and eight rebounds. Expect a closer battle this year, but Webb should emerge victorious, even if Boise State does not.
9. Nigel Hayes vs. Henry Ellenson
13 of 21
When they meet: Dec. 12
Why we're watching
It doesn't get anywhere near the fanfare of Kentucky vs. Louisville, but Marquette and Wisconsin have had easily one of the best in-state, non-conference rivalries over the past decade-plus.
Dating back to the 2002-03 season, the Badgers and Golden Eagles have practically played to a draw. Wisconsin has a 7-6 edge in wins and a slight 816-806 advantage in points scored, as only one of the 13 games was decided by a margin of more than 11 points. (Surprisingly: No overtime games.) Neither team has a winning streak of more than two games during that time. Wisconsin has won the past two and Marquette is a bonafide sleeper team for this season. Just saying.
Forget about the history, though, because both teams currently have a remarkably talented power forward.
The primary reason for optimism at Marquette after back-to-back disappointing seasons is the addition of Henry Ellenson. The Golden Eagles already have a pretty solid big man in Luke Fischer, but they should now have one of the best starting frontcourts in the nation. It might be a bit of a stretch, but it should only be a matter of time before Ellenson draws comparisons to Tyler Hansbrough. He finishes through contact, has great footwork and seems to have a never-ending well of energy.
But can he keep pace with Wisconsin's star? Even with Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker hogging the spotlight, Nigel Hayes was able to shine through as a sophomore who suddenly added an entire element to his game by becoming a reliable three-point shooter. After not attempting a single triple as a freshman, Hayes drained 39.6 percent of his 101 attempts last year. What other tricks might he have up his sleeve for this year?
Winner will be: Hayes
Ellenson has gobs of talent, but he isn't yet a great post defender, which could really get amplified when Hayes forces him to defend out to the perimeter. If Wisconsin can get some solid production out of Vitto Brown and Ethan Happ, the Badgers should be just big enough to contain Marquette's frontcourt to the point where Hayes can lead them to victory.
8. Jaylen Brown vs. Anthony Gill
14 of 21
When they meet: Dec. 22
Why we're watching
If more people would take Anthony Gill seriously as a Wooden Award candidate, this would probably be one of the three best individual matchups of the season. Even at No. 8, it's a phenomenal nonconference pairing of an on-the-meteoric-rise Pac-12 team and an ACC program looking to assert its dominance for a third consecutive year. These forwards on opposite ends of the collegiate spectrum will likely decide the outcome.
Cal freshman Jaylen Brown is about as highly touted as they come. Very similar to what Arizona was getting in Stanley Johnson last season, Brown is a guard-forward hybrid who has the best of both worlds, save for a three-point stroke that could use a little help and a tendency to over-rely on his physical prowess to get the job done. If he can even marginally improve both his jump shot and his court vision, he could be the No. 1 pick in June.
Gill doesn't have nearly the same amount of raw athleticism as Brown, but the senior does have experience and a system at Virginia where he has proven capable of thriving. Gill is a relentless offensive rebounder who finishes through contact and takes smart shots. He is also arguably the best defender for the Cavaliers, utilizing elite basketball IQ and court vision to contest seemingly any shot within a 10-foot radius of him.
Winner will be: Gill
Even in Virginia's losses last season, small forwards were overmatched. Denzel Valentine had four points in Michigan State's NCAA tournament win over the Cavs. North Carolina's J.P. Tokoto and Louisville's Wayne Blackshear had similar difficulties.
Athleticism doesn't do much good against Virginia's pack-line defense. It's like a quicksand in which the more you try to muscle your way out, the farther you sink. Rather, you beat Virginia with smart passing, three-point shooting and not making too many mistakes. Even for a freshman who's ready to deliver from day one, dealing with Virginia is lot to ask from someone just over one month into his college career.
7. Kris Dunn vs. Jalen Brunson
15 of 21
When they meet: Jan. 23 and Feb. 6
Why we're watching
For both Kris Dunn and Jalen Brunson, games against elite point guards will be few and far between. Aside from the games they'll play against each other, it's two games against Georgetown's D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, two games against Creighton's Mo Watson Jr. and not a whole lot else, as neither team has a particularly daunting nonconference schedule.
That only makes their head-to-head showdowns that much more intriguing.
Dunn is easily one of the best players in the country. He definitely has some turnover issues and isn't a lights-out shooter, but what he delivers in points, assists and steals more than makes up for those deficits. He could legitimately lead the nation in any or all of those categories this season, as he ranked first in assist rate and fifth in steal percentage last season, and will be called upon to do much more scoring in 2015-16.
Meanwhile, Jalen Brunson could lead all freshmen in those same three categories if given a full-time job from day one at Villanova. Like Dunn, Brunson has impeccable court vision, looks to get teammates going before calling his own number and falls somewhere between pesky and downright aggravating on defense. He isn't the slasher that Dunn is, so he likely won't earn as many trips to the free-throw line. However, he's a very capable shooter, which will almost certainly lead to a development in driving ability to combat opponents crowding his space.
Winner will be: Dunn
In the box scores on KenPom.com, an MVP is named for each game. Dunn earned those honors 11 times last season, including once in a losing effort. I have no earthly idea what the record is for most KenPom.com MVPs in one season, but Dunn will probably set the record this year.
It's the other four positions on the court where Providence will struggle to win games, but even in what could be blowout losses against a high-ranking Villanova, it would be a surprise if Dunn didn't go for at least 18 points, six assists and a couple steals.
6. Damian Jones vs. A.J. Hammons
16 of 21
When they meet: Dec. 22
Why we're watching
After highlighting three straight upperclassman vs. freshman battles, might we be able to interest you in a good old-fashioned experienced big man vs. experienced big man rock fight?
A.J. Hammons hasn't changed much since his arrival at Purdue three years ago. After posting 10.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game as a freshman, most expected the 4-star recruit to put up monster numbers as a sophomore before jumping to the pros. However, he posted nearly identical numbers in each of the next two seasons, aside from a moderate uptick in blocked shots.
Still, it just feels like he's ready to explode this year, considering his numbers over the final 17 games of last season (13.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.2 blocks, 118.1 average O-rating) were substantially better than the first 17 (10.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 94.2 average O-rating).
Damian Jones was much more consistently strong over the course of the season at Vanderbilt. He averaged 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game, rarely wavering too far from those marks. Another season like that with more experienced guards and Cornell transfer Nolan Cressler and Jones should be hitting those numbers in at least one NCAA tournament game.
Winner will be: Jones
It will depend on how the game is officiated, but Jones had a much better 2014-15 season than Hammons in both fouls committed and fouls drawn. Jones drew 1.8 fouls for each one he committed while Hammons' ratio was just 1.3, resulting in more minutes and more free-throw attempts for Jones.
However, fouls weren't an issue last year when Vanderbilt won 81-71. Jones (15 points, five rebounds, two blocks) simply outplayed Hammons (five points, five rebounds, three blocks). That was during Hammons' much less efficient half of the season, though, so it could be a much different story if second half Hammons shows up a little earlier this year.
5. Jakob Poeltl vs. Ivan Rabb
17 of 21
When they meet: Jan. 3 and Jan. 27
Why we're watching
The Pac-12 has quite a few outstanding big men this year. Washington State's Josh Hawkinson, Arizona's Kaleb Tarczewski, Oregon's Jordan Bell, Colorado's Josh Scott and Stanford's Reid Travis would all be starters for at least 90 percent of schools around the country. But it's Utah's Jakob Poeltl and Cal's Ivan Rabb who are most likely to represent the frontcourt on the all-Pac-12 first team and most likely to make a serious impact in the NBA in the near future.
Poeltl came out of seemingly nowhere last season, as he wasn't even listed on 247 Sports as a member of Utah's 2014 recruiting class. It didn't take long at all for him to grab our attention, though, recording a double-double in his first game of the season before blocking seven San Diego State shots in game No. 2. By the time he put up 24 and 12 with five blocks against North Dakota—the team that was also responsible for Frank Kaminsky's 43-point breakout party in November 2013—the draft prognosticators were already hopelessly in love.
Rabb already has plenty of eyes on him. The 5-star power forward is rated by 247 Sports as the seventh-best freshman in this year's class. He is pretty much expected to also open his collegiate career with a double-double (against Rice). He may even go for seven blocks against San Diego State in late November, too, as his size, instinct and athleticism could make him the best shot-blocker we've seen since Nerlens Noel.
Winner will be: Rabb
In a game of one-on-one, maybe the all-conference big men play to a draw. In a five-on-five contest, though, Rabb should have the upper hand with support from Jaylen Brown and Kingsley Okoroh. Unless Brekkott Chapman or Kyle Kuzma really makes a leap this offseason, Poeltl is pretty much all the Utes have in the paint, so Cal will get to double him without ever needing to worry about Rabb getting the same treatment.
4. Georges Niang vs. Perry Ellis
18 of 21
When they meet: Jan. 25 and March 5
Why we're watching
If you strictly watch college basketball to get a feel for how guys will do in the NBA, maybe sit this one out. Not only are Georges Niang and Perry Ellis not projected to get drafted, but they don't even rank in the top 30 of the Draft Express ranking of 2015-16 seniors. Considering they only have 16 seniors projected to be drafted, that's not a promising position to be in.
If you simply love college basketball, though, and want to watch two of the favorites to win Big 12 Player of the Year go mano a mano, then buckle up for (at least) two great battles.
Look solely at the per-game numbers and Niang appears to be the better player. Over the past two seasons, he has averaged 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game and has been the more versatile offensive weapon, putting up nearly four three-point attempts per game.
But Niang plays more minutes for the team that plays at a faster pace, so the per-100 possessions numbers tell a different, closer story.
Niang per 100 possessions 2013-15: 29.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 107.8 O-rating, 103.6 D-rating
Ellis per 100 possessions 2013-15: 28.6 points, 14.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 119.5 O-rating, 99.2 D-rating
Regardless of how you look at their stats, though, these are two of the most consistently solid players in the country. Niang does a little more passing and Ellis does a better job of cleaning up on the glass, but just like Damian Jones at Vanderbilt, you have a pretty good idea what you're going to get night in and night out.
Winner will be: Niang
Thanks to back-to-back-to-back meetings in the Big 12 tournament, we have nine games' worth of data between these two seniors. Ellis barely played in their first two meetings as freshmen, but they have been quite evenly matched in the other seven, with Niang holding a slight lead in points (19.6 vs. 17.7) and a big lead in assists (4.1 vs. 1.1) and Ellis dominating in rebounds (7.3 vs. 4.6).
However, Niang has scored at least 15 points in seven of his nine career games against Kansas, including each of the past five. He seems to always find an extra gear against the Jayhawks, and we expect him to continue doing so in his final season.
3. Jamal Murray vs. Malik Newman
19 of 21
When they meet: Jan. 12
Why we're watching
Is there any chance this one doesn't get painted as a battle for the border?
Malik Newman was Team USA's MVP at both the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship and the 2013 FIBA U16 Championship, leading the team to a gold medal in both events. He had a pretty nightmarish showing in the 2015 McDonald's All-American game (one point on seven field-goal attempts in 19 minutes), but he is going to be one of the highest-volume scorers in the country as a freshman.
More recently, Jamal Murray had a phenomenal showing for Team Canada at the 2015 Pan-Am Games before his controversial exclusion from their FIBA Americas Championship roster, because it would have caused him to miss the first few weeks of his first semester at Kentucky. Even still, no player's stock rose more this summer, as we watched him also dominate the Nike Hoop Summit while waiting with bated breath to find out if he would reclassify to 2015 and where he would subsequently land and dominate.
This should be a great one, but we'll just be glad if it's a better battle than last year's elite freshman guard showdown between Melo Trimble (three points, one assist, one rebound, missed all eight field-goal attempts) and D'Angelo Russell (18 points, 14 rebounds, six assists in a 24-point blowout win.)
Winner will be: Murray
Were the game being played at Mississippi State, this would be a tougher call. In Rupp Arena—where Kentucky won by 22 last year and won by 30 in 2013-14—the odds of Newman navigating Kentucky's incredible backcourt to emerge as the MVP of the game are decidedly slimmer, if not entirely nonexistent. It's also the only home game that Kentucky plays between Jan. 3 and Jan. 22, so expect Big Blue Nation to be even rowdier than it would normally be for an opponent that hasn't won 15 games in a season since 2011-12.
2. Marcus Paige vs. Melo Trimble
20 of 21
When they meet: Dec. 1
Why we're watching
Like Georges Niang vs. Perry Ellis, this one probably doesn't have any draft lottery implications. Draft Express has Melo Trimble as an early second-round pick and Marcus Paige waiting until almost the very end of the night before finally hearing his name called.
But who cares about June when we've been blessed with an unbelievable December game with serious March repercussions?
Paige and Trimble aren't just battling to help out their conferences in the ACC/B1G Challenge. The winner of this game probably inherits the driver's seat for the No. 1 overall seed in the 2016 NCAA tournament, and would certainly hold the advantage if there's any direct debate about these two teams in the days leading up to Selection Sunday.
On the individual front, this game could also prove to be a deciding factor in the Wooden Award voting.
For Paige, it's one last chance to finally help this team live up to its potential. Given the amount of talent they have had, it's almost inconceivable that the Tar Heels have lost at least 10 games in each of the past three seasons. Sure, there has been a steady stream of injuries and off-the-court distractions, but a fourth straight sub-par season for North Carolina would not bode well for Paige's likelihood of getting the reins to an NBA team.
Trimble is trying to complete Mark Turgeon's two-year transformation from "Coach on the Hot Seat" to "Coach of a National Champion." Without a doubt, the freshman point guard was the catalyst of Maryland's turnaround last season, and the sophomore version is now expected to be the leader for one of the best teams in the country.
Winner will be: Paige
By far the toughest matchup on the list to pick a side on, Paige gets a slight edge because it's a home game and it might be early enough in the season that the Tar Heels haven't yet suffered half a dozen injuries. Even if that's the case, save for the outlier against Ohio State mentioned on the previous slide, Trimble fared pretty well on the road last season and should be able to hold his own in the Dean Dome.
1. Ben Simmons vs. Skal Labissiere
21 of 21
When they meet: Jan. 5 and March 5
Why we're watching
Wait, will we get to watch this one?
We've spent seemingly the entire offseason wondering what Kansas will do if Cheick Diallo is ruled ineligible. ESPN's Eamonn Brennan even dedicated an entire column to that question this week, concluding that the Jayhawks should be very strong regardless, but Diallo could really push them over the top. But it very much has to be noted that Skal Labissiere still has not been cleared by the NCAA, either.
Wouldn't that be the drastically bigger story? The Jayhawks still have Perry Ellis, Carlton Bragg, Jamari Traylor, Hunter Mickelson and Landen Lucas. They'll be just fine. However, what is Kentucky's back-up plan if the projected top-two pick in the 2016 NBA draft is ineligible? Isaac Humphries? Derek Willis? 40 minutes per game for Marcus Lee?
Let's just cross all of our fingers and toes, though, and hope that Labissiere gets cleared so we can watch the projected No. 1 and No. 2 picks square off multiple times. The last time that happened was during the 1998-99 season, and Elton Brand and Steve Francis didn't remotely play the same position, so does that even count? Either way, it's quite rare for scouts of tanking NBA teams to get the chance to evaluate No. 1 options directly against one another like this.
Winner will be: Ben Simmons
Labissiere absolutely oozes potential. His height, wingspan, athleticism, versatility and intangibles are the things that scouts dream about. A good coach can improve low-post footwork and mid-range shooting, but he has all of the natural gifts that make him a potential NBA MVP with the right coach.
Simmons also has gobs of potential, but he is more prepared to immediately dominate at the collegiate level. The 6'9" freshman forward sees the floor better than most senior point guards. He's an excellent scorer, rebounder and passer, and I have no earthly idea how any college player can be expected to guard him one-on-one. If he's able to run circles around Labissiere, LSU should at least be able to win the home game in January.
Recruiting rankings are courtesy of 247Sports.
Kerry Miller covers college basketball for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @kerrancejames.
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