College Basketball: 11 Juniors Set To Be Go-to Players

With the emphasis on one-and-done freshman in college hoops, it’s become easy to underestimate the importance of upperclassmen.

Nevertheless, having both talent and experience can go a long way toward building a winning team. That idea holds true even for veterans who have started their careers as complementary players.

Kansas super-sub Thomas Robinson has been stuck behind the Morris twins for two years, but he’s well-equipped to step into a leadership role now that they’re NBA-bound.

And Robinson is far from the only junior in position to go from secondary option to star.

Whether they’re moving from the bench to the starting lineup or stepping up to replace an NBA-bound team leader, these third-year players are ready for primetime.

An excellent example of a player who won't be found on this list is John Jenkins. The Vanderbilt junior led the SEC in scoring in 2010-11—a pretty good sign he’s already arrived as a go-to star.

With that in mind, read on for a look at the 11 juniors who are ready to arrive on the national stage this season.

C Alex Oriakhi: UConn Huskies

Already the heart of the Huskies’ formidable defense, Alex Oriakhi has a great chance to take a more active role in the offense this year.

His 10 points a game last season were mostly the result of put-backs, as UConn basically lacked a post presence.

Sophomores Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier will handle the perimeter scoring, but Oriakhi is set to step into the vacuum down low.

A big offensive season from him would go a long way toward securing a championship repeat for the team.

G Nurideen Lindsey: St. John's Red Storm

With virtually the entire team gone from 2010-11, Steve Lavin’s Red Storm is certainly in the market for a new go-to option.

Junior college transfer Nurideen Lindsey will get the chance to shine from day one.

Lindsey, a 6’2” combo guard, will be one of the few players with both talent and experience on a raw St. John’s squad.

With three of Lavin’s top freshman recruits ruled ineligible for the fall, the Red Storm will be Lindsey’s team, whether he's ready or not.

G Julysses Nobles: Arkansas Razorbacks

The transfer of leading scorer Rotnei Clarke to Butler leaves a serious vacuum in Fayetteville, and Clarke's backcourt mate could be just the man to step in.

Julysses Nobles, who led the team with three assists and one steal a night, will be front and center in new coach Mike Anderson’s high-pressure scheme.

As freshman Phil Pressey learned under Anderson at Missouri, the coach’s press-and-fast-break system can generate serious numbers for the player who runs the offense.

That’s especially true if, like Pressey (and Nobles), that guard can also play enough defense to trigger some of those breakaways himself.

F E.J. Singler: Oregon Ducks

Although E.J. Singler did score 11.4 points a game last season, he could always defer to frontcourt mate Joevan Catron in the clutch.

With Catron lost to graduation, the 6’6” Singler will step into the spotlight.

The little brother of former Duke star Kyle Singler, E.J. Singler has the family shooting touch.

Even so, he’ll have a tall task keeping an undermanned Ducks squad competitive in the Pac-12’s inaugural season.

G Rodney McGruder: Kansas State Wildcats

The heir-apparent to graduated star Jacob Pullen, Rodney McGruder proved an able running mate for Pullen last season.

In addition to finishing second on the team with 11.4 points per game, the 6’5” McGruder actually led the Wildcats with six rebounds a night.

With Pullen and Curtis Kelly gone, the burden of leadership falls on McGruder and senior forward Jamar Samuels.

If Kansas State is going to make its third consecutive NCAA tournament, both players will have to come up big.

G Peyton Siva: Louisville Cardinals

Peyton Siva has already proven his leadership ability, running the Louisville offense to the tune of 5.3 assists per game last season.

With backcourt mate Preston Knowles gone, though, Siva will need to step up as a scorer in 2011-12.

Louisville has one of the nation’s most balanced offenses (five scorers within five points per game of each other last year), but they’re likely to struggle in close games without a primary scoring option down the stretch.

Look for the 5’11” Siva to take over that responsibility in his junior season.

F Hollis Thompson: Georgetown Hoyas

An afterthought in last year’s perimeter-focused Hoya offense, Hollis Thompson will get his chance to shine in 2011-12.

The 6’7” forward was second on the team in rebounding as a sophomore (4.4 boards a night) but scored just eight points a game.

With Austin Freeman, Chris Wright and Julian Vaughn all graduating, Georgetown has a huge amount of production to replace and no more talented option to replace it than Thompson.

Guard Jason Clark is the leading returning scorer but don’t be surprised to see Thompson leapfrog him this year.

G Matthew Dellavedova: St. Mary's Gaels

St. Mary’s got largely overlooked last year after a loss in the WCC tournament final (to Gonzaga) cost them a shot at an NCAA bid.

Star PG Mickey McConnell is gone, but the Gaels have a good shot to return to the national spotlight behind McConnell’s successor, Matthew Dellavedova.

The 6’4” Dellavedova—another product of the Australian pipeline to St. Mary’s—was second on the team last season with 5.2 assists a game and third with 13.3 points a night.

Now that he has the chance to take over for McConnell as the engine of the Gaels’ offense, Dellavedova should have little trouble eclipsing even those impressive numbers.

G Seth Curry: Duke Blue Devils

With last year’s Blue Devil backcourt off to the NBA, there’s ample opportunity for someone to step up.

In one capacity or another, Seth Curry is a good bet to grab that opportunity.

Whether he’s mentoring freshman PG Austin Rivers or playing the 2-spot alongside him, Curry is ready to blossom as one of the ACC’s top guards.

He won’t score like brother Stephen of the Golden State Warriors, but he’ll still blow away his 9.5-point average from a year ago.

F Thomas Robinson: Kansas Jayhawks

Having to replace both Morris twins at once is a lot to put on any player, but Thomas Robinson is going to give it his best shot.

The 6’9” forward was a top-flight sixth man on last year’s Jayhawks squad, averaging eight points and 6.5 rebounds a game.

Robinson, who will have some of the pressure on him alleviated by the presence of senior PG Tyshawn Taylor, has the athleticism to meet or exceed the standards set by Marcus and Markieff last year.

He’s not going to be as good as the two of them put together, but he should be one of the best power forwards in the country in 2011-12.

G Maalik Wayns: Villanova Wildcats

On a Villanova team that was decidedly Corey Fisher’s show last season, Maalik Wayns often got lost in the shuffle.

That’s a pity, because the 6’2” guard put up impressive numbers, even from inside Fisher’s considerable shadow.

Wayns averaged 14 points and 4.5 assists per game as a sophomore, and with Fisher (and two other key starters) gone, the Wildcats will be his team this year.

Look for Wayns to take his place among the best floor leaders in the country in 2011-12.