CBB's Biggest Star 'Sidekicks' Who Will Make or Break March Madness Runs
Superstars get all the love.
While that's typically for good reason, college basketball teams sometimes become a one-man show because of the main attraction. But when the 2020 men's tournament arrives, the sidekick is often just as important as the superstar.
Our choices are focused on players who regularly produce points (scoring and assists) with an emphasis on perimeter shooters. We didn't say they connect at a high percentage, for the record.
Notable exclusions are Marcus Garrett (Kansas), Cassius Stanley (Duke) and Aaron Wiggins (Maryland), who are probably better considered third wheels than sidekicks.
Tomas Woldetensae, Virginia
1 of 7
The star: Mamadi Diakite (13.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.3 BPG)
After boasting one of the best perimeter groups in 2018-19, Virginia has struggled mightily from three-point range this season.
Tomas Woldetensae is the exception—lately, at least.
Through 17 games, the junior connected on 32.3 percent of his triples and averaged 4.5 points while Virginia mustered an 11-6 record. Since then, however, the Hoos are 9-1 with Woldetensae knocking down 41.3 of his triples with an 11.1-point scoring average.
Chris Duarte, Oregon
2 of 7
The star: Payton Pritchard (20.2 PPG, 5.4 APG)
This one comes with a big asterisk. Chris Duarte recently underwent surgery on a broken finger, and his return date is unclear.
"It's up in the air," head coach Dana Altman said, per Matt Prehm of 247Sports. "Whatever the doctors say. ... He really was tough, played with five games with it. He couldn't do it anymore. He got it fixed. Now it's just a matter of when they release him."
Oregon desperately needs him back.
Pritchard can shoulder a hefty offensive burden, but Duarte is a significant contributor with 5.6 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. If he's healthy for March Madness, the Ducks have considerable upside. Without him, they're likely to get bounced quickly.
Sean McDermott, Butler
3 of 7
The star: Kamar Baldwin (15.7 PPG, 3.3 APG)
Butler is already thin on scoring weapons, but the struggles only look worse when Sean McDermott struggles.
In 20 wins, the senior is shooting a scorching 44.3 percent from three-point range with a 54.1 overall clip. During nine losses, though, McDermott has trudged to a 29.4 long-distance mark and 34.6 overall. That split is problematic because Baldwin, despite his 30-point upside, is prone to inefficient nights.
If the Bulldogs are going to make a run, Baldwin and McDermott need to carry the offense together.
Quincy McKnight, Seton Hall
4 of 7
The star: Myles Powell (21.5 PPG, 2.6 APG)
No reasonable person will argue that Powell is the centerpiece of Seton Hall's championship pursuits. Quincy McKnight, though, is an absolutely vital part of the team's success.
Beyond his 11.6 points per game, McKnight provides 5.4 assists and 1.6 steals. The Pirates lack quality depth behind him in the backcourt, and nobody can replace his defensive contributions. McKnight also shoots 85.3 percent at the free-throw line, a complementary asset that shouldn't be overlooked.
For the program to snap its 20-year and six-tournament streak of missing the Sweet 16, Powell and McKnight need to produce.
Joe Wieskamp, Iowa
5 of 7
The star: Luka Garza (23.7 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 1.7 BPG)
Garza's performance will have a more dramatic effect on Iowa's level of success. But if Joe Wieskamp isn't scoring, it's safe to suggest the Hawkeyes won't survive long.
Yes, the 10-point standard is an arbitrary barrier. Still, Iowa is 1-5 when Wieskamp falls short of the mark and 19-4 otherwise. And unfortunately for Iowa, three of those sub-10 performances have happened within the last seven games.
Wieskamp needs to shake this late-season slump for the Hawkeyes to be a threat in March.
Jalen Crutcher, Dayton
6 of 7
The star: Obi Toppin (19.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.3 BPG)
Jalen Crutcher has immense value because he doesn't need 20 points to perform at a high level. The bright side for Dayton is he's fully capable of hitting the mark anyway.
As the Flyers have soared to a top-five national ranking, the junior has seven showings of 20-plus points and 14 of five-plus assists. While averaging 14.8 points and 4.9 assists, Crutcher has connected on 41.8 percent of his three-point attempts.
"We have a lot of trust in Jalen," Toppin said, according to David Jablonski of the Dayton Daily News. Every single time he's on the court, he's always going to do good for the team."
Koby McEwen, Marquette
7 of 7
The star: Markus Howard (27.6 ppg, 3.3 apg)
Howard could single-handedly propel the Golden Eagles into the Sweet 16 and beyond. It's unlikely he can sustain a 30-point scoring pace in the NCAA tournament, however; Marquette needs a second creator.
While fellow senior Sacar Anim merits a nod with 12.9 points per game, Koby McEwen is the wild card. He's averaging 9.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists but is shooting only 28.9 percent from long distance and commits 2.7 turnovers per game.
Marquette won't reach its collective potential unless McEwen can string together a few clean performances on offense.
Statistics courtesy of KenPom.com or Sports-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
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