Ranking the Best Individual College Basketball Performances in January

Even the heartiest college basketball fans would admit that January isn't usually the time for their sport to be drawing the most attention. The sports world is deep into the CFP National Championship and NFL playoffs.

Yet this first month of 2016 hoops has been special. The Big 12 has made it that way, getting rave reviews throughout the Twitter-sphere for pace and excitement of play. Familiarity with some older stars has also drawn in fans that have seen players grow up and pursue their NBA futures.

The new rules regarding limited contact have forced physical teams like Michigan State and West Virginia to adjust, which at times has made for some grumpy faces from coaches like Tom Izzo and Bob Huggins. But even they'd have to admit that faster games and better scoring numbers have made for a better nationwide product.

Then there's this surprise: Duke is struggling. Kentucky is struggling. Kansas, too.

The bluebloods underperforming has afforded some attention to be shined elsewhere. Sure, there's no ultimate Darth Vader, like last year's UK platoon system, but it's a wide-open race that has excited fanbases across the country, from Providence to Xavier to USC.

There is no inevitability forthcoming, except college basketball is heating up toward March.

But let's put a nice cap on the best performances of January. These outputs have set us up for a well-watched stretch run.

We've taken into account big individual numbers. But we also gear our rankings toward their place in history. Big games should mean more than a win. They should elevate a player, or team, into a new stratosphere. We look to stars, to the bench and even to halftime—to a young, understandably heartbroken woman with an incredible spirit and message.

Here are 11 wonderful cases of college basketball excellence.

11. Malcolm Brogdon Spurs Wild Comeback at Wake Forest

Ryan M. Kelly/Associated Press

The Virginia Cavaliers and Malcolm Brogdon offered a lesson for the kids on Jan. 26: Don't give up, no matter how bad the first 39 minutes of shooting seemed.

Brogdon scored a game-high (and matched his career best) 28 points at Wake Forest, most notably hitting a couple of three-pointers in the final 54 seconds after the Demon Deacons allowed the potential for a rally by not making free throws.

UVa—which makes about 40 percent of its threes to lead the ACC—missed a dozen in the first 13 tries before Brogdon got going in the 72-71 win. Four bombs were drained in the final minute, miraculously allowing the struggling Cavs to avoid a fourth consecutive road loss.

Darius Thompson hit the actual game-winner, a banked three, on his only shot of the game—and first made trey since Dec. 22.

Brogdon's first three made it a three-point game with 53.6 seconds left. His second made it a 70-69 deficit with 4.7 seconds left.

Keep believing, and keep firing away—a good lesson, not just for college basketball players.

10. Evan Fitzner Comes Up Nearly Perfect Against WCC King

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There's a conference double standard that Kansas gets a ton of credit for owning the Big 12, while Gonzaga's achievement of being the West Coast Conference's top dog is generally met with mockery.

Saint Mary's decided to do something about that, though, taking over first place after an amazing Jan. 21 home-court rally.

Fitzner, a 6'10" redshirt freshman, made seven of his nine shot attempts against Gonzaga's perceived towers of terror, including the two game-clinching free throws with 2.9 seconds left. He finished with a team-high 20 points.

The late-night affair was missed by most East Coasters. But it had merit all over the country because it put Saint Mary's in the driver's seat of the WCC. That type of win could mean stealing an at-large bid from the rest of the NCAA tournament field, as Gonzaga presumably would still be in at this point.

The game's biggest highlight was guard Joe Rahon's postgame admission of a "brain fart" to ESPN (h/t the Score). Thinking the Gaels had a foul to give, Rahon grabbed Eric McClellan with about four seconds left. But the nearly 70 percent foul shooter for the Bulldogs missed the front end of a one-and-one, leaving SMC up a point.

Fitzner's team-high point total was part of a rally from 15 down with 13 minutes left.

It snapped an eight-game losing streak to Gonzaga, too, which was another important mind meld to overcome.

9. Tyler Roberson Makes History at Cameron Indoor Stadium

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OK, so these aren't the Duke Blue Devils of last year. Not nearly as big or as good.

But there's something to be said for someone playing them and accomplishing a rare feat in an incredible league, not to mention in a tradition- and history-soaked arena.

Syracuse's Tyler Roberson produced 14 points and an astounding 20 rebounds in a 64-52 win at Duke on Jan. 19.

Roberson set the arena record for a non-Duke player, topping North Carolina's Sean May in 2005 (and May's tie from a player in 1957).

"Just anticipating misses and just going after everything," Roberson said afterward, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com). "When you do that, good things happen."

Roberson also produced a vital offensive rebound and kick-out pass to Trevor Cooney for a key three-pointer that put the Orange ahead by eight points with 5:30 left.

The win was Syracuse's first-ever at Cameron. It also put Jim Boeheim's team back in the running for an NCAA tournament at-large bid (improving his team to 3-1 since his return) after the coach's harrowing nine-game suspension threatened to doom Roberson and Co.'s season.

Right now, Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller has 'Cuse as one of the final teams to make the field. Looks like it needed every single one of those boards from Roberson that night in Durham.

8. Samantha Smith's Courage and Halftime Message at Butler

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Sometimes the most amazing performances really do come at halftime.

Samantha Smith had the courage to address a saddened Hinkle Fieldhouse four days after her husband, former Butler Bulldogs standout Andrew Smith, died of cancer at age 25.

Yahoo's Jeff Eisenberg wrote of the Jan. 16 ceremony:

"

Samantha's brief halftime speech was the most heartbreaking yet inspirational moment from a poignant day at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Twenty-third ranked Butler pounded last-place St. John's 78-58, but the outcome was secondary to the many tributes to Smith, a former three-year starter and member of the Bulldogs' 2010 and 2011 Final Four teams.

"

The Bulldogs ended a two-game losing streak on the emotional day, as well, after including a pregame tribute to Smith.

According to the New York Daily News, 14 members of Smith's family attended the game.

“Andrew and I have had this game on our calendar to come to. I say that and we were supposed to come here together,” Smith said from midcourt. “We didn’t come because it was easy. It’s really hard.”

7. Jordan Mathews Shines off the Bench vs. Arizona

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The Cal Golden Bears are still in a perilous spot, not living up to the hype that came with two incoming stud freshmen and possibly not making the NCAA tournament.

But Jordan Mathews did his best Jan. 23 to come off the bench and be the spark that kept his team in the bubble talk. He had a season-high 28 points at Haas Pavilion against Arizona in front of a sellout crowd in a 74-73 win against the Pac-12's annual favorite.

Mathews matched a career best with six three-pointers, making 10 shots in 17 attempts in his new role off the bench. It was critical timing, considering Cal had just lost senior leader Tyrone Wallace for four to six weeks with a broken hand.

The 6'3" Mathews most notably scored on a tough layup with 1:13 to play that created enough scoreboard separation.

A win against Arizona, fueled by a reserve, could temper the loss of Wallace—at least as far as warts on the NCAA tournament portfolio are concerned.

6. Ben Simmons Shines in SEC Debut

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Naturally, the country's top freshman had to get on here at some point. Versatile LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons sure didn't disappoint in his first SEC game.

He torched Vanderbilt for 36 points, needing only 15 shots, and added 14 rebounds and four assists Jan. 2.

To that point, Simmons had taken some heat, much like LeBron James has over the course of his career, for not being assertive enough.

LSU has been on the ropes and out of the bubble talk at times this year, but it could be won games against a solid (if underachieving) team like the Commodores that'll make the difference in getting the one-and-done Simmons a shot in the NCAA tournament.

"To do that your first night out in this type of environment here says a lot about him," coach Johnny Jones said after the road win, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com). "But certainly not surprised about his play, and not a lot surprises me about him. I've been around him enough now."

5. Jaron Blossomgame Shows Clemson Is About More Than Football

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Wasn't it figured that Clemson would drop off every college sports fan's radar after football season?

Jaron Blossomgame had something to say—and do—about that. His Jan. 16 performance at home against Miami was the keynote spark in an overall revival of the Tigers. The 6'7" junior had 25 points on 15 shots against the then-No. 8 Miami Hurricanes.

The win over Miami came after beating ranked Louisville and Duke.

Miami had a six-point lead with 7:48 left before Blossomgame took over with eight consecutive points, his team pulling away for good after Donte Grantham gave the Tigers a lead following his outburst.

4. Brice Johnson Has a "Man's Night" at Florida State

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Through the years, North Carolina Tar Heels coach Roy Williams has tried anything and everything to get the most out of his 6'10" star.

Whatever occurred before the Jan. 4 game at Florida State, bottle that stuff up for NCAA tournament time.

Brice Johnson went off, posting career highs of 39 points and 23 rebounds. Oddly, the result came just hours before Buddy Hield's wild night in a triple-overtime affair at Kansas, so reaction to Johnson's performance was relatively subdued.

Except, of course, a certain former Kansas coach—Williams—paid more attention to what Johnson did, though he did compare the outing to a former Jayhawk player of his.

"That was a man's night," Williams said after a big win in Tallahassee, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com). "I've had guys, Nick Collison against Duke one time had over 20 points, 20 rebounds. Same thing against Texas. Sean May, last game of the regular season over 20 points and rebounds. But this is about as good as any I've ever seen. Particularly on the road."

How scorching was Johnson? He had 28 second-half points. His previous career high for a complete game was 27 points. That's what happens when you also hit 14 of your first 16 shots. He also became the first player at UNC in 42 years, following future Hall of Famer Billy Cunningham, to post a 30-and-20 night.

Tyler Zeller (20 points, 22 rebounds) was the last 20-20 man for UNC, the performance coming in the 2012 NCAA tournament against Ohio.

But what Johnson did was better. Consider this: He is only the third player in the last 20 seasons to post at least 35 points and snag at least 23 rebounds in a game.

The other two were Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin. Mighty fine company.

3. Monte Morris' Clutchness Against No. 1 Oklahoma

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Monte Morris wasn't even the Iowa State Cyclones' best scorer Jan. 18 at home against Oklahoma.

But when it came to efficiency and big shots, he reigned supreme to everyone at Hilton Coliseum in a valuable win against the No. 1-ranked Sooners.

The junior guard hit a jumper with 19 seconds left that finally put away a game that was exciting as any played in the country this year, outside of the triple-overtime thriller between Kansas and Oklahoma a couple of weeks prior.

OU had tied the game right before Morris' clutch shot. A couple of free throws with 10 seconds left assured the Cyclones of their first win against a No. 1 team since 1957.

Morris finished with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting, adding seven rebounds and three assists. He was complemented by Georges Niang, who had 22 (9-of-19 accuracy) while also earning his school-record 89th career win at ISU.

The night featured 18 lead changes. ISU was going to make the tournament regardless of the outcome, but the win, through Morris' contributions, did two significant things. First, it helped the Cyclones overcome a 1-3 start to league play that threatened their upper-tier existence in the Big 12.

Second, it was a major boost of confidence for ISU and its fanbase regarding new head coach Steve Prohm.

2. Jarrod Uthoff Takes Hawkeyes, Himself to New Level at Michigan State

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Once in a while, you get a twofer. One game has a player suddenly jump into national conscience and, as a result, so does his team.

That was the case with Iowa after it barnstormed Michigan State for the second time. Remember, this is a Hawkeyes program that had lost the last nine meetings with Sparty heading into this season.

Uthoff took his team to a top-10, Final Four level of consideration. The Jan. 14 outcome of a 17-point road win, coupled with his 15 points and 10 rebounds, has been the linchpin of a nine-game winning streak that started immediately after a one-point loss to neighbor Iowa State on Dec. 10.

Truth be told, at East Lansing, Uthoff wasn't even the best Hawkeye that night. He missed 13 of 18 shots. Teammate Peter Jok scored a game-high 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting. But it was the 6'9" Uthoff who suddenly was thrust into a contender for Player of the Year, per KenPom, where he now stands at No. 2 behind Oklahoma's Buddy Hield.

Scott Dochterman of the Gazette (of Iowa City and Cedar Rapids) pointed out that Uthoff's postgame words at MSU have been spark plugs for his team's confidence:

“Just going back to toughness. We knew we were the better team from the get-go. We wanted to go out and prove it. And we did. They fought us as hard as they could. I think they gave us their best fight. Both times.”

Uthoff, a senior, is getting major NBA talk as a big outside-scoring threat. The Hawkeyes are getting national love, as the first regular-season Big Ten title since 1979 is within reach.

It's impossible to find a team that has enjoyed a more fulfilling January outside of the Denver Broncos or Carolina Panthers.

1. Buddy Hield's Showdown with Kansas

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Here's something we'll never really know: Would Kansas fans still have given Oklahoma Sooners star Buddy Hield a standing ovation if he had won that Jan. 4 triple-overtime classic at Allen Fieldhouse?

What we found out, though, even amid Hield's sky-high production not being quite enough, is that OU is a national force. Hield not only earned the love of Kansas fans, but he also surpassed LSU Tigers freshman Ben Simmons and Michigan State star senior Denzel Valentine (and any other contenders) as the front-runner for Player of the Year.

Hield scored 46 points—the most ever posted by a visiting player at fabled Allen Fieldhouse. That Hield saw 54 of the 55 minutes (just two days after playing all 40 in a home win against Iowa State) yet needed just 23 shots spoke volumes to what kind of year he'd be bound to have. He made eight of 15 three-point attempts that night, giving KU nightmares like Steph Curry did once upon a time in an Elite Eight game in 2008.

Kansas won both of those meetings against legendary shooting performances, but it will always remember those nights.

Hield was incredibly gracious in the postgame handshake line. And he has been incredibly lethal during any game. He is shooting a wild 52 percent from three-point range, up from 35.9 last year. The Sooners appear to be a guaranteed No. 1 NCAA tournament seed.

Fans and media in Norman may have thought they'd never see a better on-campus player than Blake Griffin (2007-09).

Even Griffin couldn't win a league title, though, and OU is on its way to winning the Big 12 regular-season crown for the first time since 2005. A lot of this has been built because of, and in spite of, a legendary loss at conference kingpin KU.