March Madness Megastars to Watch in 2022 Conference Tournaments
Each season, a handful of players rise above the rest to take college basketball by storm with huge NCAA tournament performances.
Those stellar individual runs often begin with a strong conference tournament showing.
In honor of the start of conference tournaments, we've highlighted one male player to watch from each of the Power Five conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC) and three other major conferences (AAC, Atlantic 10 and Big East), as well as two mid-major players who could also steal the show.
Players were selected based on importance to their team's success and current level of production, with focus placed on teams that are in position to make the NCAA tournament. NBA upside was a nice addition, but it was not the determining factor in who was selected.
Let's get to it.
AAC Tournament: Jalen Duren, Memphis
1 of 10
Stats: 11.9 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.1 APG, 2.4 BPG, 62.9 FG%
High Game: 22 points (Nov. 19 vs. Western Kentucky, Feb. 24 vs. Temple)
The numbers might not jump off the page, but Jalen Duren is a future lottery pick, and his production has ticked up as the season has progressed.
The 6'11", 250-pound freshman is averaging 14.2 points and 7.9 rebounds in his past nine games, and Memphis has gone 6-3 during that stretch to stay alive in the bubble picture.
His offensive game is limited to the post, but he is a significant factor on the defensive end where his 7'5" wingspan and athleticism make him an elite rebounder and shot-blocker. To that point, he leads the AAC in rebounds per game and blocks per game, despite averaging only 25.5 minutes per contest.
With NBA scouts watching closely, he could boost his stock considerably with a strong finish to the season.
Atlantic 10 Tournament: Hyunjung Lee, Davidson
2 of 10
Stats: 16.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.8 SPG, 38.5 3PT%
High Game: 32 points (Nov. 30 vs. Charlotte)
While VCU and Dayton are both still in the NCAA tournament bubble picture, Davidson currently looks like the only Atlantic 10 team with a clear path into the field.
The regular-season finale between Davidson and Dayton on Saturday will be a big one for the Flyers, and it would be another big win for the Wildcats who already have Quad 1 victories against Alabama (neutral site) and VCU (road) on their resume.
One of the best offensive teams in the country, Davidson ranks 14th in KenPom.com's adjusted offensive efficiency, and guard Hyunjung Lee is one of four players averaging double figures for a team that scores 75.8 points per game.
The 6'7" junior has been shooting it extremely well of late, averaging 20.8 points in his past five games while connecting on 17 of 34 three-point attempts. He was held in check in the team's two matchups against VCU in January, so the Dayton game will be an opportunity for him to make a statement against a quality opponent.
ACC Tournament: Armando Bacot, North Carolina
3 of 10
Stats: 16.4 PPG, 12.7 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.7 BPG, 58.5 FG%
High Game: 29 points (Jan. 8 vs. Virginia, Jan. 15 vs. Georgia Tech)
Duke freshman Paolo Banchero has a bright NBA future and Wake Forest senior Alondes Williams leads the ACC in scoring at 19.6 points per game, but it's North Carolina center Armando Bacot who is the favorite to win ACC Player of the Year.
The 6'10", 240-pound junior has 23 double-doubles in 30 games, and he's one of only eight players in the nation averaging at least 15 points and 10 rebounds per game. He has also developed into a more dynamic rim protector this year, with his 52 blocks ranking sixth in the ACC.
As impressive as he's been for most of the year, Bacot was largely held in check by Duke when the two matched up on Feb. 5. He finished with 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting and grabbed a season-low five rebounds in a lopsided 87-67 loss.
He'll have an opportunity to avenge that game when the two rivals square off in the regular-season finale on Saturday. Regardless of the outcome of that game, the Tar Heels have some work to do in the ACC tournament to punch their ticket to March Madness.
.png?w=256 "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Championship")
Big East Tournament: Collin Gillespie, Villanova
4 of 10
Stats: 16.5 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.1 SPG, 42.7 3PT%
High Game: 33 points (Feb. 5 vs. Providence)
Last year's co-Big East Player of the Year, Villanova point guard Collin Gillespie has lived up to the hype of being named a preseason All-American by the Associated Press.
The fifth-year senior suffered a season-ending knee injury last year that kept him out of the NCAA tournament, and he decided to return for one more year after the initial expectation was that he would begin his pro career.
His 16.5 points per game lead a 22-7 Villanova team, and he has taken his long-distance shooting to another level this year by knocking down 90 three-pointers at a blistering 42.7 percent clip.
Gillespie went off for a career-high 33 points against Big East regular-season champion Providence last month, and he'll be looking to make up for lost time this year after missing out on the fun last March.
Big 12 Tournament: Ochai Agbaji, Kansas
5 of 10
Stats: 20.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.8 SPG, 43.1 3PT%
High Game: 37 points (Jan. 24 vs. Texas Tech)
A role player behind Devon Dotson and Udoka Azubuike as a sophomore, Ochai Agbaji upped his production to 14.1 points per game last year as the leading scorer for a well-balanced Kansas team. This year, he has emerged as one of the nation's most potent offensive threats.
The 6'5" guard leads the Big 12 and ranks top-20 in the nation with 20.1 points per game, and he has upped his three-point efficiency from 37.7 to 43.1 percent while knocking down 84 three-pointers. He's doing all of that while grinding out 34.9 minutes per game—the third straight season he's played at least 33 minutes per contest.
He has poured in 20-plus points in four of his past five games, including a 27-point showing on the road against Baylor, and he has not been held to single-digit points yet this year.
The Jayhawks are still in the mix for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, and a strong showing in the Big 12 tournament will be necessary in order to clinch that spot on the top line.
Big Ten Tournament: Johnny Davis, Wisconsin
6 of 10
Stats: 20.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 32.7 3PT%
High Game: 37 points (Jan. 3 vs. Purdue)
The Big Ten Player of the Year race is shaping up to be one of the most compelling storylines on the postseason awards slate. Johnny Davis (Wisconsin), Kofi Cockburn (Illinois), Keegan Murray (Iowa), E.J. Liddell (Ohio State) and Jaden Ivey (Purdue) all have a legitimate case for the award, and all five play for teams that are comfortably inside the NCAA tournament field.
That makes the Big Ten tournament must-see TV from start to finish, and it also makes it extremely difficult to choose just one of those players to highlight here.
The Badgers have been the surprise team of the conference—picked to finish 10th in the preseason media poll—and Davis has been one of college basketball's biggest breakout stars after averaging a modest 7.0 points per game coming off the bench as a freshman.
With three 30-point outburst, including a 37-point night in a road win over Purdue back in January, the sophomore is capable of going off like few players in the country.
Pac-12 Tournament: Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona
7 of 10
Stats: 17.2 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 38.2 3PT%
High Game: 30 points (Dec. 11 vs. Illinois)
The Arizona Wildcats have terrific size inside with 7'1" center Christian Koloko (11.6 PPG, 7.1 RPG) and 6'11" forward Azuolas Tubelis (15.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG) creating consistent matchup problems for opposing teams.
That said, it's sophomore guard Bennedict Mathurin who leads the team in scoring with 17.2 points per game, a mark that trails only Arizona transfer and current Washington star Terrell Brown Jr. (21.5 PPG) on the Pac-12 leaderboard.
He had his best game of the season in a hard-fought 83-79 victory over Illinois in December, connecting on five three-pointers while pouring in a season-high 30 points.
However, he might be playing his best basketball right now. In his past eight games, Mathurin's averaging 19.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 49.5 percent from the floor and 44.4 percent from beyond the arc.
SEC Tournament: Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky
8 of 10
Stats: 16.9 PPG, 15.3 RPG, 1.1 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.5 BPG, 60.2 FG%
High Game: 30 points (Jan. 11 vs. Vanderbilt, Feb. 26 vs. Arkansas)
Will Oscar Tshiebwe win National Player of the Year honors?
It seems to be a race between him and whoever emerges as the leading candidate from the Big Ten, with Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji also on the periphery of the conversation.
There is little question Auburn star freshman Jabari Smith has the highest NBA ceiling in the SEC and perhaps in all of college basketball, but we're talking about college stardom here. That being the case, Tshiebwe is the clear headliner in the conference this season.
The 6'9", 260-pound forward has 10 games with at least 20 points, five games with at least 20 rebounds and an impressive 24 double-doubles on the year. His 17-point, 20-rebound game against Duke at Madison Square Garden in the season opener set the tone for what has been a truly impressive first season at Kentucky for the West Virginia transfer.
Mid-Major (Mountain West Tournament): David Roddy, Colorado State
9 of 10
Stats: 19.4 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 47.3 3PT%
High Game: 36 points (Nov. 21 vs. Creighton)
Outside of the usual suspects Gonzaga and Saint Mary's, there's a strong case to be made that Colorado State is the best mid-major team in the country this year. The Rams have four Quad 1 victories—three of which came in February—and sport a 13-4 conference record in the Mountain West, which will likely receive four NCAA tournament bids.
Colorado State ranks 22nd in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency, and guard David Roddy is the catalyst. The 6'5" junior ranks top-10 in the conference in scoring (19.4 PPG, third) and rebounding (7.7 RPG, sixth), and he has been one of the most accurate three-point shooters in the nation this year.
After shooting just 23.5 percent from distance during his first two seasons, he has knocked down 43 of 91 attempts from beyond the arc, good for a 47.3 percent clip that ranks second in the nation among players with at least 90 tries.
He has three 30-point games this year, including a 36-point showing against a good Creighton team, when he connected on seven of 10 three-point attempts and shot 13-of-20 from the floor overall.
Mid-Major (Summit League Tournament): Baylor Scheierman, South Dakota State
10 of 10
Stats: 16.2 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.4 SPG, 46.8 3PT%
High Game: 26 points (Jan. 13 vs. Omaha, Feb. 24 vs. Oral Roberts)
Another year, another competitive South Dakota State team.
The Jackrabbits have won 20 or more games eight times in the past 11 years, and they steamrolled Summit League competition this year with a perfect 18-0 record in conference play en route to a 27-4 regular season.
Baylor Scheierman is the star, averaging 16.2 points while connecting on 72 three-pointers at a terrific 46.8 percent rate. The 6'6" guard also leads the Summit League in rebounds per game (8.2) and assists per game (4.6), and his 42 steals are good for second on the conference leaderboard.
He closed out the regular-season slate averaging 23.3 points in his final five games while shooting 57.4 percent from the floor and 50.0 percent from behind the arc, so he'll bring plenty of good momentum into postseason play.
All stats courtesy of Sports Reference and through Wednesday's games.
.png?w=480 "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Championship")
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
