5. Notre Dame
Key Guards: Eric Atkins (below), Demetrius Jackson, Pat Connaughton
Notre Dame has an experienced backcourt. Grant, Atkins, and Connaughton are upperclassmen, but Jackson is a freshman. Atkins is a knockdown three point shooter, shooting 38 percent from beyond the arc in 3 years. Grant never got a lot of playing time, but he is a high-volume scorer who can fill up the basket quickly. Jackson was an McDonald's All-American who should make a big impact off the bench. Connaughton is a solid player who can do it all on the floor for the Fighting Irish.
4. Michigan State
Key Guards: Keith Appling and Gary Harris (below), Travis Trice, Denzel Valentine
All of MSU's key guards have at least one year of experience under their belt. Appling is the floor general, and he finally looks like a real point guard. After averaging only 3 assists per game in three previous years, the senior is now averaging 6.2 assists per game. His best game possibly ever came against Kentucky last week, when Appling scored 25 points, snatched 8 boards, dished out 8 assists, and had 4 steals. Harris is a future NBA lottery pick with scoring and athletic potential. His shooting percentages are on the downfall, but that should be fixed soon. Trice and Valentine are defensive pests that come of the bench and hassle opponents.
3. Louisville
Key Guards: Russ Smith, Chris Jones, and Kevin Ware (below), Terry Rozier
This lineup is filled with deadly shooters. Russ Smith's shot selection is always questionable, but he can knock down shots with ease. Smith is lightning fast and can slash and finish with the best in the nation. Chris Jones, who wears number three like the last U of L point guard Peyton Siva, plays a lot like Siva. Jones is not quite a deadly shooter, but the 5'10" point guard can get to the basket easily. Kevin Ware is most known for breaking his leg in last year's Elite Eight game against Duke, but he is a unknowingly a defensive stud and a knockdown shooter. He shot 40% from the arc in his first real year as a Cardinal and averaged 1.1 steals per game. When Rozier sees the floor, he becomes effective, but he has trouble finding the floor.
2. Memphis
Key Guards: Joe Jackson, Geron Johnson, Michael Dixon, and Chris Crawford (below), Damien Wilson
All of the guards except for Wilson are seniors. The seniors all start, forming an incredible four-guard lineup with big man Shaq Goodwin in the middle. Jackson has been improving and improving every year he has been at Memphis, and looks comfortable running the point. Geron Johnson is a balanced player who wants the ball at all times, and can shoot very well. Dixon is a transfer from Missouri who plays great defense and can score from anywhere on the floor. Crawford hits 3 after 3 when he gets good looks from the arc. Crawford can play all of the wing positions excellently. Wilson comes off the bench and can score mostly off of penetration, but also from beyond the arc.
1. Oklahoma State
Key Guards: Marcus Smart and Markel Brown (below), Stevie Clark, Phil Forte, Brian Williams
This backcourt is a mix of athleticism and shooting. Marcus Smart is the best point guard in America, and he proved that last night against Memphis when he went off for 39 points, 26 of them in the first half. Smart showed an improved three point shot, his main weakness last year, most notably an early four-point play. Smart also showed off his hops with a fast-break slam and a nice alley-oop from Markel Brown. Speaking of Brown, he made huge strides between his sophomore and junior years. Brown displayed a vastly improved shot while continuing to be the best dunker in the nation. Stevie Clark is a scoring 5'11" guard that earns high praise from the OK State coaches and Smart. Clark is averaging 9.8 points per game on 54% shooting so far this year. Phil Forte cannot dunk, but his incredible range makes up for that. Forte, Smart's former high school teammate, scored almost all of his points from beyond the arc last year. But Brian Williams is the most athletic guard of all of the Cowpokes. Williams doesn't do much beside dunk, but dunk he does. Oklahoma State is the most exciting team in the nation and their backcourt has poised them to make a deep run in March.
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