It was this time last year when all eyes were on New Orleans and a Final Four packed with blue bloods and star power.
A total of six first-round picks in the 2022 NBA Draft played in last year’s Final Four, including the No. 1 overall selection: Duke‘s Paolo Banchero.
This year’s Final Four has quite a different look. There are no high school All-Americans — and likely no future top-10 NBA draft picks — playing in Houston this weekend. In fact, this is the first Final Four in the seeding era (since 1979) without a single McDonald’s All-American.
That is not to say there won’t be plenty of talent on the court when the Final Four tips off Saturday at NRG Stadium, with No. 9 Florida Atlantic up against No. 5 San Diego State, followed by No. 4 UConn battling No. 5 Miami (Fla.).
Here is a look at the top 10 players to watch in the Final Four, ranked 1-10.
1. Adama Sanogo, F, UConn
Sanogo is one of the most physically imposing big men in college basketball and has been a catalyst in the middle for the Huskies throughout the team’s Final Four run. The 6-foot-9 junior from Mali is averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game and has recorded at least one block in all four games in the Big Dance. His matchup against Miami’s Norchad Omier will be one of the most-anticipated matchups in the Final Four and will go a long way in deciding the outcome of the game. It will be fascinating to see how Miami defends Sanogo and handles his ability to slip middle-ball screens and roll to the basket.
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Fun Fact: Sanogo is just the second UConn player since at least 1985-86 to post 80 points, five assists, and five blocks in a single NCAA Tournament (Emeka Okafor).
FOX Sports’ John Fanta on Sanogo: “He has a relentless motor, a knack for being in the right place to rebound the basketball and an improved ability to both score on the back-down and recognize a double-team to be able to dish it. The development of an elbow and even perimeter jump shot has added to Sanogo’s arsenal. He’s developed a tremendous feel for the game that makes him so difficult to stop.”
2. Jordan Hawkins, G, UConn
Hawkins is a lights-out shooter who has the ability to go for 25-plus points on any given night. He is the focal point of a UConn squad that is putting up 82 points per contest and has outscored opponents by an average of 22.5 points per game in the tournament. The 6-foot-5 guard, who is projected to be a first-round selection in June’s NBA Draft, has back-to-back 20-plus point efforts and is 16-of-31 from 3-point range (52%) through four games in the Big Dance.
Fun Fact: Hawkins is the only player in this year’s NCAA Tournament to make 15-plus 3-pointers and is just the third UConn player to ever accomplish the feat (Rashad Anderson and Shabazz Napier).
FOX Sports’ Michael Cohen on Hawkins: “Hawkins’ ability to rain 3s in game-changing bursts has elevated the Huskies in the second halves of wins over Saint Mary’s, when he made four 3-pointers in fewer than five minutes, and Arkansas, when he buried three 3s and was fouled on a fourth attempt in barely four minutes. Few players left in this tournament can flip the score like Hawkins can.”
3. Isaiah Wong, G, Miami
Wong is a stat-sheet stuffer and one of the top remaining players in the NCAA Tournament. The junior guard leads the Hurricanes in scoring (16.2), assists (3.2) and steals (1.4) and is the team’s go-to option when they need a bucket late in a game. Wong was exceptional in the Canes’ second-round win over Indiana, putting up a game-high 27 points while shooting 4-of-6 from 3-point range and adding eight rebounds in the process. His matchup vs. UConn’s Hawkins will be one to watch on Saturday.
Fun Fact: Wong is the only player in Miami history to score 60-plus points in two separate NCAA Tournaments (scored 65 in last year’s run, and has 66 in this year’s tournament).
FOX Sports’ Bryan Fischer on Wong: “The junior guard has an innate feel for how to attack defenses with the ball in his hand and is a vital asset for the Hurricanes in controlling the tempo and flow of a contest. Just as impressive, he does it all while barely breaking a sweat as one of the calmest players on the court.”
4. Jordan Miller, G, Miami
The Hurricanes would likely be heading back to Coral Gables, Florida without a Midwest Regional title if it wasn’t for Miller’s performance in the team’s 88-81 win over 2-seed Texas. The 6-foot-7 senior guard poured in a game-high 27 points and was a perfect 7-for-7 from the field and 13-for-13 from the free-throw line in the victory. While Wong and Nijel Pack are elite-level shooters from distance, Miller is a slasher with the ability to get to the rack and get high-percentage looks. He will need to do that if the Canes are going to get past a red-hot UConn team in the national semifinal.
Fun Fact: Miller became the first player to score 27 points while shooting 100% from the field and connecting on 100% of his free throws in an NCAA Tournament game since Christian Laettner did it for Duke in the Blue Devils’ 1992 Elite Eight game against Kentucky.
Fischer on Miller: “He is fresh off a Midwest Regional final where he hit literally everything. That part of [Miller’s] game has been well established over the years, but it’s the defensive versatility that the senior brings in guarding 1-5 that really makes him one of the best at this year’s Final Four.”
5. Nijel Pack, G, Miami
Pack has been lights out for the Hurricanes throughout the team’s tournament run, averaging 18.5 PPG, including a 26-point outburst in the team’s Sweet 16 win over No. 1 seed Houston. The former Kansas State transfer was named the most outstanding player of the Midwest Region. The Canes are going to need Pack to be efficient on the offensive end, as his scoring often dictates the results of games. Miami is 15-1 this season when he scores 15-plus points. Pack is the second leading scorer remaining in this year’s NCAA Tournament, trailing only Sanogo.
Fun Fact: Pack is just three points behind Kameron McGusty for most points in Miami history in a single NCAA Tournament (77 for McGusty, 74 for Pack).
Fischer on Pack: “He is an excellent shooter who always keeps his head up looking for teammates who might be wide open on every trip down the floor. He’s deadly off screens given how little space he needs to elevate and is superb in finding the spot in the lane to grab an easy basket. Jim Larrañaga calls him Miami’s quarterback and that’s an apt descriptor for the Kansas State transfer.”
6. Norchad Omier, F, Miami
Miami is a guard-heavy team, but the production Jim Larrañaga’s team gets from sophomore big man Omier is a big reason why the Canes have reached their first Final Four in program history. Omier, who only stands at 6-foot-7 but plays down low for the Canes, is a walking double-double, averaging 13.3 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Omier has been tasked with going up against several elite-level bigs throughout the NCAA Tournament and has outperformed each one of them in helping Miami survive and advance. All eyes will be on the matchup of Omier vs. Sanogo. If he can defend the ball screen and avoid foul trouble, Miami has a chance to advance to the school’s first national championship.
Fun Fact: Omier is the only player in this year’s NCAA Tournament to record 50-plus rebounds (53).
Fischer on Omier: “One of the most affable big men around when off the court, Omier seems to flip some switch and embody Dennis Rodman when there’s a rebound to be had on the court. He’s extremely savvy when it comes to face-up play around the basket and really has turned into a key glue guy for the Hurricanes to make everything work on both ends of the court.”
7. Johnell Davis, G, Florida Atlantic
Florida Atlantic is one of the most balanced teams in the NCAA Tournament, and it has paid off with a trip to the Final Four. The Owls have five players who average between 8.4 and 13.9 points per game, with Davis leading the way in the scoring column. The 6-foot-4 sophomore guard has been consistently good for FAU throughout this team’s tourney run, with his best game coming against upset-minded Fairleigh Dickinson in the Round of 32. FAU coach Dusty May knows Davis is a guy who can handle the ball late in games and knock down clutch free throws, shooting 22-of-25 from the charity stripe in the Big Dance.
Fun Fact: Davis’ 29-point effort against FDU is the highest scoring total in a single game among remaining players in the NCAA Tournament.
Cohen on Davis: “His fearlessness to take, and make, big shots has come to fruition with an uptick in scoring during the postseason, dating to FAU’s run through the Conference USA Tournament. He’s averaging 17 points per game over his last seven and has shot 37-for-41 from the free-throw line during that stretch.”
8. Andre Jackson, G, UConn
This is a case where looking at the stat sheet doesn’t tell the whole story of what an impact Jackson makes for this UConn team. The 6-foot-6 junior is arguably the most versatile player in this year’s Final Four and a valuable part of what Dan Hurley’s team does on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Jackson flirted with a triple-double in the Huskies’ Elite Eight win over Gonzaga, totaling eight points, nine rebounds and 10 assists, while playing lock-down defense throughout the game. He is the engine that makes this team go.
Fun Fact: UConn is 9-1 this season when Jackson scores 10-plus points.
Cohen on Jackson: “Opposing coaches who face UConn often describe Jackson — not Sanogo, not Hawkins — as the Huskies’ most important player. Through a unique combination of high-level defense, elite floor vision and the versatility to play multiple positions, Jackson can dominate games without putting the ball through the net himself.”
9. Matt Bradley, G San Diego State
Bradley has had a quiet NCAA Tournament, especially over the past two games, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a special player. The talented senior guard, who spent his first three seasons at Cal before transferring to SDSU, can fill it up from distance. He leads the Aztecs in scoring, averaging 12.5 points per contest, and is tied with Adam Seiko for most 3-pointers made on the team with 53. Brian Dutcher’s team is going to need Bradley to step up if the Aztecs are going to get past Florida Atlantic and stamp their ticket to the national championship game.
Fun Fact: Bradley’s 2,296 career points are the most among any player remaining in the NCAA Tournament.
Fanta on Bradley: “A 3-and-D player that can get hot at any course in the game, Bradley is a physical wing who has emerged into an effective leader at San Diego State. Even though he’s shot 3-for-17 from the floor in the last two games, Bradley impacts the game defensively, and he just embodies the scrappy nature of the Aztecs. He’s also effective when taking contact, and has become the man you want at the free-throw line at the end of the game, shooting 80% from the stripe. He’s a capable distributor as well. But more than anything, he’s the guy for SDSU that, if on, helps them find separation in a game.”
10. Darrion Trammell, G, San Diego State
Much like Florida Atlantic, San Diego State is a very balanced group that doesn’t rely on only one or two players to carry them on the offensive side of the ball. However, it has been the play of senior guard Trammell who has carried the Aztecs to this point in the Big Dance. The transfer from Seattle was exceptional in the team’s upset win over Alabama in the Sweet 16, putting up a game-high 21 points and pulling down five boards. But it is Trammell’s aggressive style of on-ball defense that has allowed this team to excel throughout the tournament. Trammell and the Aztecs are holding opponents to a 27.8% clip from beyond the arc and limited Creighton to just 2 of 17 shooting (11.8%) in their Elite Eight victory. Trammell was named the most outstanding player of the South Regional.
Fun Fact: San Diego State is 14-3 when Trammell scores 10-plus points this season.
Fanta on Trammell: “He’s a walking bucket, and to think he had zero Division I offers out of Saint Ignatius High School in California is wild. The key for him is to find a way to get dribble penetration, because the 3-point shot is not consistent at 31% on the season. But make no mistake about it: Trammell has a clutch gene for this team, and there’s a reason why he’s second on the team with 46 steals on the year. Trammell is scrappy and unafraid, and Alabama learned it the hard way when he posted 21 to lead the Aztecs. Creighton did too in a final possession that led to a foul … on a runner, of course.”
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