Basketball has no doubt evolved into a guard oriented sport with perimeter play becoming the focal point of almost every team. College basketball has not been immune to these changes, and a back-courts can either make or break a tournament contender. Here are the top three backcourts in this year’s March Madness.
Kentucky – What more can be said about the dynamic duo that is Tyler Ulis and Jamal Murray? These superstars have propelled Big Blue Nation to an SEC title and a 4 seed in the tournament. It is nearly impossible to pick which of these two is more important to their team. Ulis is the floor general, leading the team with 7.3 assists per game, there might be no player in the nation with as tight of a handle as this 5’9 guard. His size does not stop him at either, he is by far one of the toughest players in college, a trend on this list. Ulis is not a spectacular outside shooter, only shooting a meagre 34% from beyond the arc, he still scores an eye-opening 17 points per contest. His aggressive style is his greatest asset, never scared to go in amongst the trees, he shoots 49% on his two point attempts. Ulis is also one of the most impressive perimeter defenders in basketball, relentlessly pursuing the ball at all times, Ulis will pick up any guard full court and harass them for a full 40 minutes, managing 1.5 steals per game.
His running-mate, Jamal Murray, who has been setting just about every Kentucky scoring record this season, is an even more dynamic offensive player than Ulis. Since the beginning of February, nobody in all of Division 1 basketball has scored more points per game than the native of Kitchener Ontario. Murray is a point guard who has been forced to play off the ball and has quickly turned into what you could describe as a sharp-shooter with range, possessing one of the quickest and most accurate releases in the game. He can do it on both the catch and from off the dribble, shooting 43% from three on almost 8 attempts per game. Murray just can’t stop scoring right now, scoring over 20 a game on the season, Murray has used his shooting prowess to attack people on close-outs. He uses his 6’5 frame to shoot over his opponents when driving to the rim. The kid is a scoring machine. Do not be surprised if you see Jamal Murray be a top-5 pick in the upcoming NBA draft.
Wichita State – Wichita State has had some dream runs the last couple of years and have turned into a must watch team each March. The one constant that they’ve had? Fred Vanvleet and Ron Baker in their back-court. Vanvleet is one of those players who, like Ulis, controls the tempo of a game and has an affinity for making big time shots, even though he only attempts 9 per game. Fred has a great assist to turnover ratio of 6 assists for every 1 turnover. Vanvleet does not let his 6-foot frame stop him from picking up full court and harassing defences. He puts his body on the line every night, always taking a charge at a key point in the game. Despite averaging only 13 points per game this season, Vanvleet is by far one of the most dangerous players in the tournament because he shines when the lights are brightest.
Ron Baker is the type of player who you watch in warm-up and think, this will be simple. The fact of the matter is he is anything but an easy player to deal with. He proved as much by representing the United States at the Pan-Am games over the summer. A surprisingly strong player, Baker uses his 6’4 frame to shoot right over most defenders. His movement is the closest thing to Kyle Korver college basketball can offer, he just never stops. A 40% three point shooter, Baker, who is most dangerous on the catch, has turned into both a scorer, averaging 14 a game, as well as a serviceable playmaker as he logs 4 assists each match as well. Baker is a player that NBA General Managers are watching closely and could provide excellent value to an NBA team in need of spacing.
Maryland – Maryland is a team that has somewhat underachieved this season, but that does not mean they are not a threat in the tournament. Melo Trimble and Duke transfer Rasheed Sulaimon are two of the most elite scoring guards in Division 1. Sulaimon only scores 11 per contest and does not have overwhelming statistics, but is just one of those players the other team always has to be aware off when he is on the floor. One of the smoothest players in the tournament, Sulaimon possesses the skill to go for 20 on any given day. Unfortunately for Maryland fans, he is also susceptible to long dry spells. A supremely confident three point shooter he averages 41% from beyond the arc and is always looking to let fly. Sulaimon is as confident as they come with the ball in his hands, shooting 48% from the field, a pretty good number for a player who relies mostly on his jumper. He would usually be the best player on the floor if it were not for his outstanding point guard Melo Trimble.
There is a reason Melo Trimble is a finalist for the Bob Cousey Award as the best point guard in the nation. The sophomore guard has averaged almost 18 per game this year in the Big-10 and has had to shoulder most of the scoring for his Maryland team. A physical specimen, Trimble can look like Russel Westbrook in the open court and can finish at the rim with the best of them, he attempts 5 free throws per contest, which is rather high for a 6’2 guard. Trimble loves to penetrate and find open shooters like Rasheed Sulaimon who are camping out on the perimeter looking to capitalize on the collapsed defences. Trimble has upped his assist numbers to over 5 a game and can take over games in the blink of an eye. There is almost no one in college who can even hope to stay in front of Trimble when he is in attack mode. Maryland will have to rely heavily on this talented duo if they wish to make a magical run in this year’s March Madness.
