This primary weekend of convention play in 2024 is within the books. There have been winners, losers, standout performances and upsets — the entire 9 yards.
Regardless of this freshman class being unpredictable at occasions, there was a stage of consistency close to the highest. USC star guard Isaiah Collier has been below a microscope this season as a result of that is what occurs whenever you’re the top-ranked highschool participant taking part in in faculty. Collier and USC have struggled at occasions, however seem like again heading in the right direction after a pair of wins to open up the brand new 12 months.
After which there’s the Kentucky freshman. That unit led by Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard has been far and away the very best collective group of first-year gamers within the sport. Between massive man Aaron Bradshaw pulling down a clutch 3-pointer close to the top of the sport towards Florida and Sheppard pulling down clutch free throws down the stretch, it is clear there’s turn out to be a good better stage of belief between them and coach John Calipari.
Let’s leap into our rankings and get to our CBS Sports activities/USBWA Freshman of the Week for the the 2023-24 faculty basketball season
Freshman of the Week: PJ Haggerty, Tulsa
Welcome again to the Frosh Watch, our weekly rating of the 5 most spectacular freshmen in faculty basketball. CBS Sports activities has as soon as once more teamed up with the US Basketball Writers Affiliation and its Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the 12 months Award to current this every-Tuesday function. Every week we’ll begin by saying the nationwide Freshman of the Week honoree. The cycle for FOTW runs Tuesday-Monday.
Coming into the switch portal and enrolling at Tulsa was the absolute best resolution Haggerty might’ve made. After showing in solely six complete video games for TCU final season, Haggerty discovered a brand new dwelling at Tulsa. By way of the primary two months of the season, Haggerty has been Tulsa’s main scorer and is coming off a 27 level efficiency towards Memphis and 17 factors towards Jap Carolina.
Haggerty has scored 20+ factors six occasions this season and Tulsa sits at 9-5 on the season.
Popping out of Crosby Excessive College, Haggerty was ranked as a four-star recruit and was the No. 126 total participant at his place within the 2022 recruiting cycle. Haggerty ranked because the No. 18 combo guard within the nation and initially dedicated to TCU over the likes of Arizona State, Auburn, Florida State, Houston and LSU amongst others.
Frosh Watch: High 10 freshman rankings
1. Reed Sheppard, Kentucky
Stats: 12.6 PPG | 4.7 RPG | 4.2 APG | 57.4% FG
Within the 87-85 win over Florida final weekend, Sheppard went 6 for six from the free-throw line within the ultimate 19 seconds to seal the Wildcats’ comeback win. Collier did play properly final week and he definitely has an argument to be the highest participant on this listing, however Sheppard has been an analytic darling. Simply take a look at the corporate he’s in by way of the primary two months of the season.
I actually assume you may make the argument that there is not a freshman that is helped their NBA Draft inventory extra this season than Sheppard. It is apparent how a lot belief Calipari has for him as a result of he is within the closing lineup each sport regardless of coming off the bench. Final week: 1
2. Isaiah Collier, USC
Stats: 15.6 PPG | 4.3 APG | 2.6 RPG | 50.3% FG
Collier scored a career-high 26 factors in a win over Stanford final weekend, however that wasn’t even his greatest efficiency. Within the sport a number of days prior towards Cal, Collier scored 13 factors however dished out seven assists and recorded zero turnovers for the primary time in his faculty profession. Collier is a participant that got here into faculty as a pass-first level guard and his excessive turnover fee plagued the opposite nice issues he confirmed on tape. If Collier continues to restrict his turnovers, it should assist his workforce and his total draft inventory. Final week: 3
3. Ja’Kobe Walter, Baylor
Stats: 15.3 PPG | 4.4 RPG | 1.3 SPG
Walter confirmed his great shot-making means in a blowout win over Cornell by scoring 23 factors on 4-of-9 taking pictures from distance. Walter is taking pictures precisely 40% from past the arc and is among the greatest 3-point shooters in his class. In his first sport towards Massive 12 competitors, Walter scored solely seven factors however grabbed six rebounds in a 75-70 additional time win over Oklahoma State. Final week: 2
4. PJ Haggerty, Tulsa
Stats: 17.8 PPG | 4.5 RPG | 3.4 APG | 46.8% FG
After main Tulsa to 4 consecutive wins, the Golden Hurricane’s win streak got here to an in depth with a slender loss to Memphis after Jahvon Quinerly drilled a late shot from past the arc to provide the Tigers their first win of AAC play. In that loss, Haggerty scored 27 factors and added eight rebounds. He adopted it up three days later with 16 factors and 5 rebounds/assists in one other shut loss to Jap Carolina. Final week: 5
5. Rob Dillingham, Kentucky
Stats: 13.7 PPG | 4.2 APG | 3.6 RPG | 46.1% FG
Dillingham dropped a number of spots within the rankings after struggling towards Florida. The explosive guard performed solely 18 minutes — his second lowest complete of the season— and recorded solely six factors whereas turning the ball over 4 occasions. His physique of labor off the bench is nice sufficient to maintain him within the high 5. Dillingham has performed below 20 minutes solely 3 times this season and two of these outings got here within the first three video games of the season towards New Mexico State and Kansas. Final week: 4
6. Carlton Carrington, Pitt
Stats: 14.6 PPG | 5.3 RPG | 5.0 APG
In his first motion of 2024, Carrington scored a career-high 20 factors in a 70-57 loss at dwelling to North Carolina. He adopted it up by taking part in all 40 minutes towards Louisville and recorded 16 factors, six rebounds and 5 assists. Carrington is a participant that may be a triple-double menace in each outing. He recorded a triple-double in his first sport as a university participant and has come a number of rebounds or assists shy of recording one other double-double. If he continues to play the complete sport like he did towards Louisville, he is sure to file one other one. Final week: 7
7. Jared McCain, Duke
Stats: 12.1 PPG | 4.0 RPG | 43.8% 3FG
I put McCain in the identical class as Shepard so far as gamers who’ve elevated their draft inventory essentially the most on this class as of late. McCain can have a choice to make within the coming months on whether or not he is staying at school or declaring for the draft, however for now, he is given Duke a spark within the beginning lineup as a knockdown shooter from deep. McCain is taking pictures 45.4% from the sphere however is connecting on 43.8% of his triples. McCain scored 18 factors in a win over Syracuse and added 11 factors and 5 rebounds in a highway victory over Notre Dame. Final week: 8
8. Malik Mack, Harvard
Stats: 19.0 PPG | 4.4 APG | 4.0 RPG
After lacking Harvard’s final three video games attributable to mononucleosis, Mack returned to the lineup in a blowout loss to Princeton. Mack had his first single-digit efficiency of the season and scored eight factors in his over 32 minutes of motion. He struggled to seek out his shot, missed all three of his 3-point makes an attempt and turned the ball over 5 occasions. Mack will definitely get again into type, however for now, he drops a number of spots within the rankings. Final week: 6
9. Myles Rice, Washington State
Stats: 14.6 PPG | 3.1 APG | 2.2 RPG
Rice strikes up one spot within the rankings after a standout efficiency towards Oregon. Rice recorded 22 factors and 7 assists within the 89-84 loss to the Geese. Within the sport prior towards Oregon State, Rice scored 12 factors and dished out 4 assists. Rice did not play final season as a result of he was receiving chemotherapy remedy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He was recognized in September 2022 and went into remission earlier this summer time. Final week: 10
10. Sebastian Mack, UCLA
Stats: 14.3 PPG | 4.2 RPG | 2.2 SPG
UCLA’s season has been a catastrophe, however one of many lone brilliant spots has been the play of Mack. The previous No. 66 participant within the 2023 recruiting cycle by 247Sports recorded his third 20+ level efficiency of the season in a loss to Cal. Whereas Cronin has been hesitant to belief his eight newcomers who entered this system this season, it is clear that Mack has been the most efficient of the bunch. The Bruins have misplaced seven of their final eight video games and Mack’s play might assist spark a turnaround in Westwood. Final week: NR