He led Davidson to the verge of the Final Four in 2008 before basketball people knew about Stephen Curry. But this is where the future NBA MVP – and eventual Hall of Famer – was introduced to the rest of the country.
And that is one of the things that is so great about the NCAA tournament, the rest of the countries meet outstanding players who are playing at the superstar level out of the headlines. The list of those players is long, and it is fantastic. Take a walk down memory lane.
And now, here are five players who can join the list of the famous Cinderella in 2021.
UPSET ALERT: Sleeper most likely to bust your bracket
Max Abamus, Oral Roberts
Let’s start with this: Abamas led all Division I scorers at 24.2 points per game. You are a good place to start a list of players with double digit seeds that can lead their teams to upset wins, wouldn’t you say? Emas got a four-game stretch in February in a 6–1 flurry, when he scored 37.3 points per game, and he knocked in at least four 3-pointers 13 times this year. He is shooting 43.3 percent from beyond the arc. And he is not intimidated by the “big” competition; Abbas has 33 against Oklahoma State, 28 against Wichita State, and 20 against Oklahoma – three NCAA tournaments – in big teams – at the start of this season. The No. 2 seed Ohio State Buckeyes will present a significant challenge for the 15-seeded Golden Eagles, but a little Abamas magic could make that interesting.
Isaiah Miller, UNCG
I saw Miller a couple of times during my Freshman season, and it was clear that this kid was special. He was the best player on the court at times, even though he was a very good UNCG team – the Spartans won 27–8, won the SoCon tournament and pushed to 4– seed Gonzaga before losing, 68–64, to the NCAA Tournament. First round – in which many juniors and seniors play leading roles. This year, his senior season, Miller is averaging 19.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.6 steals per game. He is only 6 feet, but he makes his living inside the arc; He has made only 10 3-pointers throughout the season. He is in the top 10 in three categories on the KenPom leaderboard: sixth in steal percentage, fourth in possession percentage and sixth in shot percentage. Make no mistake, as Miller goes, so goes UNCG. And he is now on a roll in his last five bouts at an average of 25.4 points.
Field Construction:
WEST | East | South | MIDWEST
Chandler Woodrin, Winthrop
Vaderin is not the same scorer as the others on this list, but his influence is undeniable. First thing, he is a guard of 6-7 points. Oh, and he is left-handed. Another: He transferred to Winthrop from Walsh University, a Division II school. Yes He has recorded eight career triple-doubles (most of any active DI player) and has won at an average of 12.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 per game. His assist rate of 38.5 ranks ninth in the nation – and the best of any player in the NCAA tournament – as seen on KenPa.com. There is a reason the Eagles – who are 23–1 this year – are a trendy upset pick in their 12-vs.-5 game with Villanova, and it starts with Wodderin.
Jason Preston, Ohio
You have to work hard to get a better story in the tournament. Preston did not play much on a very talented high school team, and he needed a highlight tape to get the attention of any college. Ohio loved Preston’s talent, and the rest, as they say, is history. Well, he is still making history as a junior. Preston gained the nation’s attention in November, when Ohio went to Illinois and gave it to the host team – and the final No. 1 seed – who couldn’t handle everything. Preston was phenomenal, scoring 31 points in 13-of-23 shooting, handing out eight assassins and catching six rebels, while committing zero turnovers in 37 minutes. A big NCAA tournament performance from a 6-4 junior point guard could boost their NBA draft stock, which is already growing.
UPS limit by seed
15 vs 2 | 14 vs 3 | 13 vs 4 | 12 vs 5
Torrey Patton, Cleveland State
See, this won’t be the first time a Cleveland State team has sent shock waves through the NCAA tournament. In 1986, the 14-seed Vikings defeated Indiana in the opening round and then St. Joseph’s in the second round to reach the Sweet 16. Patton is a player who can lead Cleveland State to another miracle. He scored 23 points at the Horizon League Championships, 30 in openers and 14 in the semi-finals. He is a 6-5 guard who loves to get in and mix it up; He won double-digit waivers in four consecutive matches. And, yes, it’s probably a long shot to think that Cleveland State could elevate No. 2 seed Houston in the opener, but back in November, the Vikings played another team wound on the 2-seed line (Ohio State) Lost by six points.
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