NCAA Rankings: 10 College Ballers You Want Taking Your Final Shot
Hitting a game winning shot as time is running thin on the clock can cement a player's legacy in tournament lore for many years. The simple idea of succeeding under such pressure is something all hoop stars dream of since birth.
When that dream comes true, it's one of the most rewarding moments a player can experience.
Gerry McNamara (left) played shooting guard for Syracuse from 2002-2006, and is most remembered for the performance he put on in the 2006 Big East Tournament.
McNamara hit a game-winning or game-tying shot in three consecutive games against Cincinnati, Connecticut, and Pittsburgh to give the Orange an unprecedented and unlikely birth in the NCAA Tournament.
It was a run that won't be forgotten.
The following is a list of ten sharpshooters who can be much in the clutch, with a big game hanging in the balance.
Kyle Weems, Missouri State
1 of 10
It's safe to say that Missouri State would not be anywhere near as successful this year if it wasn't for this guy. He's directly responsible for two conference wins, along with a slew of others he's strongly contributed to.
On December 29th, Weems hit a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer against Northern Iowa, giving the Bears a 57-56 victory.
Weems averages 16.7 points per game and shoots an impressive 44 percent from behind the arc. He's the Missouri Valley's most reliable scorer and will attract any team's best defender.
He's that good.
Andrew Goudelock, College Of Charleston
2 of 10
It's official: ice runs through this guy's veins. No matter who the opponent might be, Goudelock comes out and performs.
Extremely well.
In games this year against Maryland, North Carolina, and Tennessee, Goudelock scored 27, 28, and 31, respectively. He is currently the nation's fourth-leading scorer, averaging 23.7 points per contest.
In a game earlier this season against Furman, Goudelock portrayed the very definition of a clutch scorer. After a Furman jumper knotted the score at 70, Goudelock took over, scoring the final six points of the game for Charleston, including a go-ahead J with 41 seconds left.
And cementing himself as one of the best go-to scorers in the nation.
John Jenkins, Vanderbilt
3 of 10
Sophomore John Jenkins is one of the most talented young scorers in the country.
Averaging 19.8 points per game and 42 percent on his threes, Jenkins has driven the Commodores to an impressive 18-6 record and No. 18 in the national rankings. He has repeatedly been asked to step up in big games for Vanderbilt, and comes out shining almost every time.
A February 12th showdown with Kentucky showed Jenkins at his finest.
Down one with just over six minutes left in the contest, and struggling with a sprained shoulder, Jenkins gutted out one of the best performances of the season. He scored 10 of Vanderbilt's next 14 points to ultimately put the Wildcats away.
Jenkins finished with 32 points on the night. Clutch.
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Mickey McConnell, Saint Mary's
4 of 10
This Bob Cousy Award finalist is one of the purest three-point shooters in the country. He shoots a whopping 48 percent from behind the arc, which helps boost his 16.8 points-per-game average.
Aside from being money without time-crunching pressure, McConnell has excelled time and time again when the game is on the line.
On January 27th, Saint Mary's traveled to Spokane, not having won against Gonzaga since 1995—as if the Gaels needed any more pressure. All McConnell did was go in and have the game of his life, scoring 27 points, including 10 of his team's final 11.
The best part: points nine and ten were the game-winning runner with :01 left on the clock.
Jacob Pullen, Kansas State
5 of 10
Now, I know what you're thinking: Is Kansas State even tournament-worthy? Well, they did just beat Kansas...so, I say yes.
And the reason for Pullen's presence on this list? He led Kansas State to the upset over the Jayhawks, was a Preseason First Team All-American and is one of the silkiest shooters in the country.
Despite Kansas State's disappointing season overall, Pullen has essentially kept them afloat amidst the turmoil in Manhattan.
He averages a solid 18.8 points per game despite being asked to play more of a facilitating role at times. If it came down to it, Pullen could be one of the most reliable scorers in the tournament, as he proved last year in the Sweet Sixteen against Xavier.
Nolan Smith, Duke
6 of 10
Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year. Does anyone else like the sound of that?
How about National Player of the Year. Sounds better, right?
With all the scorers and pure shooters Duke has on their roster, it is unlikely that Smith would even get the nod with the seconds ticking away. But the fact of the matter is, this is who Duke wants to have the ball. Better yet, who they need.
All Smith has done in his senior season is put up unrivaled numbers for a Duke point guard. 21.4 points, 5.4 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game, all while shooting the ball an average of 15 times per contest.
His leadership shows us he won't fold under the pressure of the big stage, and also that fireworks are sure to come.
Jordan Hamilton, Texas
7 of 10
NBA Scouts love this guy. And for good reason.
Hamilton has proved he has the ability to create, and hit any shot the defense gives him. He gets to the rim as well as any player, and is an incredible finisher with contact. All of these are necessary characteristics of a player you can trust with the game on the line.
Hamilton can beat you any way possible in the closing seconds: pull up jumper, three-pointer, free-throw line, lay-up, etc.
On the season, Hamilton averages an impressive 18.8 points per game and also grabs an average of 7.6 boards. Incredible numbers for a sophomore on the third-best team in the country.
Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh
8 of 10
The date was November 19th, and the opponent was Jordan Hamilton and the Texas Longhorns. Big name and big school, so what did Ashton Gibbs do?
Go out and have a big game.
He finished with 24 points, including a pair of free-throws in the final seconds, free-throws that followed a dagger-like three-pointer with 1:24 left in the game. Gibbs scored every Pittsburgh point from that moment on.
It's often debated whether Gibbs is even the best player on his own team, but if the game came down to the wire, it's easy to say who Jamie Dixon would like hoisting up a cardiac-arresting shot: Ashton Gibbs, with his 46 percent three-point shooting and 16.3 points per game.
Kemba Walker, Connecticut
9 of 10
How many big shots has Kemba Walker hit in the closing minute this season? Three, two of which came in the Maui Invitational when nobody gave Connecticut any respect.
What was the third, you ask? Just a game-winning 15-foot heave with :05 left in overtime at Texas.
Kemba may be the most clutch player I have listed here. His presence on the floor warrants the opponent's most skilled defender, and even then he is difficult to tame.
Walker is the nation's seventh-leading scorer, averaging a dominant 22.8 points per contest. He has the ability to take over any game when he wants to and there's no other player on Connecticut I would rather have taking a shot in the closing seconds than Walker.
Jimmer Fredette, Brigham Young
10 of 10
Quick: How many adjectives can you think of to describe Jimmer Fredette on a basketball court?
Here's a few: silky, smooth, silky-smooth, cold-blooded, clutch, dominant.
Fact is, Jimmer Fredette very well may be the country's best scorer and purest shooter. His range has no limits, and he has absolutely no conscience when shooting. The entire West Coast has Jimmer-mania!
The former three-star recruit from New York is now the NCAA's leading scorer with a whopping 27.3 points per game.
He becomes even more dangerous because he wants the ball in his hands in crunch time, as was shown on November 27th against Saint Mary's. Jimmer hit the go-ahead three pointer with :10 remaining.
Truth is, he has eight 30-plus point games on the season, and there is no player I'd rather have with the clock running thin.
.png?w=480 "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Championship")
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