This article is part of our College Hoops Barometer series.
All aboard the Cooper Flagg hype train. Perhaps the most talked about college freshman in recent memory, Flagg has not disappointed through his first three contests as a member of the Duke Blue Devils. Flagg is averaging 19 points per game while getting to the foul line six times per contest. He has recorded two-straight doubles and also blocked five shots during that time. He is also averaging 3.3 dimes per tilt. Certainly, the 17-year-old will still experience some growing pains, as witnessed by the end-game struggles in Tuesday's loss to Kentucky. However, the talent is undeniable, the production has been exceptional so far and Flagg has all the makings of a bona fide superstar.
Let's take a look at some other players making headlines in the first College Hoops Barometer of the season.
UPGRADE
Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton – The dominant big man had about as close to an unblemished outing as one can have in the season opener for the Bluejays. Kalkbrenner shot 20-of-22 from the floor en route to a staggering 49 points in the 99-86 triumph over UT Rio Grande Valley. He even connected on two three-pointers. The senior also notched 11 rebounds, two dimes and three assists in the virtuoso performance. Nobody's perfect, though; he did miss a foul shot. Kalkbrenner followed up that performance with 24 points in just 22 minutes of a landslide victory over Farleigh Dickinson. With Baylor Scheierman and Trey Alexander in the NBA, Kalkbrenner is the undisputed top option
All aboard the Cooper Flagg hype train. Perhaps the most talked about college freshman in recent memory, Flagg has not disappointed through his first three contests as a member of the Duke Blue Devils. Flagg is averaging 19 points per game while getting to the foul line six times per contest. He has recorded two-straight doubles and also blocked five shots during that time. He is also averaging 3.3 dimes per tilt. Certainly, the 17-year-old will still experience some growing pains, as witnessed by the end-game struggles in Tuesday's loss to Kentucky. However, the talent is undeniable, the production has been exceptional so far and Flagg has all the makings of a bona fide superstar.
Let's take a look at some other players making headlines in the first College Hoops Barometer of the season.
UPGRADE
Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton – The dominant big man had about as close to an unblemished outing as one can have in the season opener for the Bluejays. Kalkbrenner shot 20-of-22 from the floor en route to a staggering 49 points in the 99-86 triumph over UT Rio Grande Valley. He even connected on two three-pointers. The senior also notched 11 rebounds, two dimes and three assists in the virtuoso performance. Nobody's perfect, though; he did miss a foul shot. Kalkbrenner followed up that performance with 24 points in just 22 minutes of a landslide victory over Farleigh Dickinson. With Baylor Scheierman and Trey Alexander in the NBA, Kalkbrenner is the undisputed top option for Creighton, though the continued presence of point guard and sharpshooter Steven Ashworth should still keep defenses honest.
Devin McGlockton, F, Vanderbilt – A transfer from Boston College, McGlockton has controlled the interior for the Commodores through two contests. He has posted two consecutive double-doubles to begin the season. McGlockton tallied 24 points and 13 rebounds in the season-opening blowout of Maryland Eastern Shore. He shot a perfect 10-for-10 from the floor. McGlockton continued to flex his muscles in a closer win over Southeast Missouri State, notching 13 points, 19 rebounds and four blocks in the 85-76 triumph. Overall, McGlockton has grabbed a staggering 32 boards in just 49 minutes thus far in 2024. It remains to be seen if McGlockton can keep up this pace against stiffer competition, but McGlockton has been extremely productive early on this season.
Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois – Jakucionis is far from the average freshman. The 6-6 point guard has played in European leagues for several seasons as a teenager, and his polish and playmaking skills have been ever-present through two games for the Illini. Jakucionis is averaging 11.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 10.0 assists thus far this season. He posted 12 points and 13 rebounds in the most recent game for Illinois, a laugher over SIU Edwardsville. Though he was overshadowed in the season opener by fellow freshman Will Riley, who scored 31 points in another blowout victory, Jakucionis may have a better all-around skill set.
Egor Demin, G, BYU – Another freshman with international experience, Denim is 6-9 but possesses guard skills. He is long, clever with the basketball, and possesses a smooth shooting stroke from the outside. He is averaging 19 points, 4.5 rebounds and 9.0 assists over the first two games of his collegiate career. Moreover, Denim is far from a liability on defense. He notched four steals in the season opener against Central Arkansas. Denim has the ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor as well as play multiple positions, both collegiately and beyond. His exceptional basketball IQ will only serve to help him as the season wears on.
CHECK STATUS
Ace Bailey, G, Rutgers – The No. 2 recruit in this year's class behind the aforementioned Flagg, Bailey has missed the first two games of the season for the Scarlet Knights with a hip injury. Bailey is an elite athlete with the ability to impact the game on both ends of the court. The injury is not considered serious, so Bailey should return shortly for Rutgers. Fortunately for the Scarlet Knights, they were also able to land No. 3 recruit Dylan Harper, who has hit the 20-point mark in each of the first two games. Once Bailey returns to health, the tandem could make Rutgers a formidable foe in the Big Ten and beyond.
Elijah Hawkins, G, Texas Tech – Hawkins is a transfer from Minnesota who was expected to be the starting point guard for the Red Raiders this season. Unfortunately, Hawkins has missed the first two games of the campaign for Texas Tech due to a lower body injury. Hawkins finished tied for second in the entire NCAA last season in dimes with Purdue's Braden Smith, dishing out 7.5 dimes per tilt. Junior Darrion Williams has played very well in place of Hawkins, though, filling in as the primary ballhandler despite starting all 33 games last season as a shooting guard/small forward. Williams is managing 12.5 points, seven rebounds and 8.5 assists through two contests. As such, it will be interesting to see if Hawkins is handed the reins to the offense immediately upon his return to health, or if he will have to vie with the returning upperclassman Williams for that responsibility.
Brooks Barnhizer, G, Northwestern – The leading rebounder and second-leading scorer from a season ago, Barnhizer has yet to take the floor this season for the Wildcats due to a nagging foot issue. Barnhizer does appear close to making his season debut, though. Last season, Barnhizer averaged 14.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per tilt. He also led the squad in steals and was second in assists. Upon his return, Barnhizer will provide some welcome help to junior forward Nick Martinelli, who has taken his game to new heights thus far this season. After playing more of a complementary role as a sophomore with averages of 8.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest, Martinelli has burst onto the scene with 28.3 points and nine rebounds per tilt through the first three games of the year. That included two double-doubles to begin the campaign. In addition, after shooting just 27.1-percent from three-point range last season, Martinelli is a pristine 8-of-8 from downtown to begin the year.
DOWNGRADE
Dan Skillings, G, Cincinnati – Skillings was expected to play a starring role for the Bearcats this season, but that will have to wait at least a few weeks after he underwent a procedure on his knee. Skillings did play in the season opener for Cincy, notching 17 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. Skillings was a reserve at the beginning of last year, but played his way into the starting lineup by the end of his sophomore campaign. Skillings averaged 14.3 points, seven rebounds, 1.9 dimes and 1.3 steals per contest over the last 12 games of the year for the Bearcats. Skillings looked primed for a true breakout campaign, but the injury puts that on hold for the time being. The Bearcats are a ranked squad, though, and should be more than capable of staying afloat until Skillings can return. Look for Simas Lukosius and Jizzle James (also known as Edgerrin James Jr., son of NFL Hall of Famer Edgerrin James) to handle the primary backcourt duties until Skillings can return.
Matthew Murrell, G, Mississippi – Murrell is off to a rough start this season for the Rebels. One of the top returning scorers in the SEC from a season ago, Murrell averaged a career-best 16.2 points per tilt, though has averaged at least double digits in scoring in each of the past three seasons for Ole Miss. Murrell also shot a career-high 39.8-percent from three-point land. By contrast, Murrell has struggled mightily with his shot to begin the 2024-2024 campaign. In two games played, Murrell is averaging just 9.5 points per contest. He is shooting just 36.8-percent from the field, including a dreadful 14.3-percent from beyond the arc. Murrell has found other ways to contribute, averaging 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 4.5 steals over that span. However, his greatest asset during his time at Mississippi has been his scoring acumen. Murrell actually missed the last game for Ole Miss with an undisclosed injury, so perhaps that is also playing a role in his slow shooting start.
Efton Reid, C, Wake Forest – The well-travelled big man finally appears to have found a home after brief stops at LSU and Gonzaga. Embarking on his second season with the Demon Deacons, the seven-footer notched six double-doubles last year. Reid is averaging 7.7 points and 7.3 rebounds through three contests, but there are a couple of red flags. Firstly, he has been in foul trouble in all three outings despite the lackluster level of competition in two of three games. Likewise, though the sample size is small, he is shooting career-low 47.6-percent from the floor. Reid is not much of a shot-blocker either despite his size. Lastly, senior transfer TreVon Spillers has come over from Appalachian State and taken away some of Reid's opportunities. Though Spillers does not have nearly the height or frame of Reid, Spillers is still outrebounding Reid to date. The season is still young, but Reid may not be able to improve as much on last year's figures as initially anticipated.
JP Pegues, G, Auburn – The prized transfer from Furman has found the step up in competition a little more daunting, at least through the first two games of the season for the Tigers. Pegues averaged 18.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists last season, and was expected to play a prominent role for a ranked Auburn squad this year. Even though Auburn has started the season with a 2-0 record, including a win over a tough Houston team, Pegues has had little impact. Despite starting both contests, he did not play more than 19 minutes in either contest. Admittedly, he was not needed much in the season opener against Vermont, but he managed the fewest minutes of any Auburn player that saw the floor in the narrow triumph over Houston. Certainly, it would be unfair to judge Pegues based off of one bad game, but it appears it will take some time for him to mesh with his new squad. That being said, he is certainly going to have fewer opportunities as a member of the Tigers, and the competition will continue to be much tougher than it was in the Southern Conference.
