This article is part of our College Basketball Waiver Wire series.
Well it is officially March which means business is going to start to pick up. This is the final week of the regular season and hopefully everyone reading still has a shot at the championship. My hope is throughout the season this column has helped your team make a great first-week splash pickup or find a late-season gem who is coming into his own.
My best championship advice would be to ride the guys that got you to this point. However, because of injury or scheduling, you might be searching for that one last pickup to put your team over the top. I've compiled a list of players below hitting their peak of the season and very well could give your squad that final jolt.
Power Conferences
Kyshawn George, F/C, Miami
Miami is not the team that many expected this season, and the 'Canes have now lost seven straight games. One good thing has been the emergence of George late in his freshman campaign. He has started the last 11 games and averaged 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.9 three-pointers and 1.5 steals per contest. George had a big game last week against Georgia Tech where he hung up a 16/5/6/4/1 line, and he will get a struggling defensive team in Boston College this week.
Lazar Stefanovic, G/F, UCLA
Stefanovic has given a young Bruins team a lift the last month. The Utah transfer is putting up 13.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.9 three-pointers and 1.0 steals over
Well it is officially March which means business is going to start to pick up. This is the final week of the regular season and hopefully everyone reading still has a shot at the championship. My hope is throughout the season this column has helped your team make a great first-week splash pickup or find a late-season gem who is coming into his own.
My best championship advice would be to ride the guys that got you to this point. However, because of injury or scheduling, you might be searching for that one last pickup to put your team over the top. I've compiled a list of players below hitting their peak of the season and very well could give your squad that final jolt.
Power Conferences
Kyshawn George, F/C, Miami
Miami is not the team that many expected this season, and the 'Canes have now lost seven straight games. One good thing has been the emergence of George late in his freshman campaign. He has started the last 11 games and averaged 8.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.9 three-pointers and 1.5 steals per contest. George had a big game last week against Georgia Tech where he hung up a 16/5/6/4/1 line, and he will get a struggling defensive team in Boston College this week.
Lazar Stefanovic, G/F, UCLA
Stefanovic has given a young Bruins team a lift the last month. The Utah transfer is putting up 13.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.9 three-pointers and 1.0 steals over the last eight games. Stefanovic has scored in double figures in 12 of the last 13 games, and in six of those games, he had at least eight boards. The Bruins play both Arizona teams in the last week and he averaged 17.5 points, 7.0 boards and 3.0 three-pointers in the first two games against them this season.
Chucky Hepburn, G, Wisconsin
The junior has seen his production drop off a bit this season, but lately Hepburn has turned back into the player we saw for large portions of last season, particularly on the offensive end. Over the last five games, Hepburn is putting up 13.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.2 three-pointers per contest. He is shooting 53.5 percent from the field and 44 percent from deep over that stretch. Hepburn continues to be a menace on defense as well ranking second in the Big Ten in steals (2.1 SPG).
Day Day Thomas, G, Cincinnati
Thomas has had a productive first season with the Bearcats. With Cincinnati on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament, they will need Thomas to continue to produce like he has been down the stretch. He is putting up 10.4 points, 3.6 assists and 2.4 steals over the last five games. Injuries to CJ Fredrick (hamstring) and Dan Skillings (hip) should allow Thomas to see some minor increases in his offensive output for the final week of the regular season against Oklahoma and West Virginia.
Jayden Nunn, G, Baylor
Nunn is riding a hot streak that has seen him average 15.0 points, 2.8 three-pointers, 2.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals over the last six games. During that run, he is shooting 55.8 percent from the field and an eye-popping 58.6 percent from downtown. Nunn's play was instrumental for Baylor's success in recent quality wins over Oklahoma and Kansas. Langston Love continues to nurse a knee injury and keep Nunn playing huge minutes.
Quion Williams, G/F, Oklahoma State
It has been a lost season for Oklahoma State, but the Cowboys have found a piece in Williams who has to give them hope for the future. The sophomore has started the last eight games and is averaging 12.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.0 steals over that stretch. Williams is a versatile player who plays as a small-ball four man for the Cowboys and can create some matchup issues. They will close the regular season against Texas Tech and BYU -- two teams towards the bottom of the Big 12 in the defensive metrics.
Koren Johnson, G, Washington
Johnson has been making a strong case for Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year with this late push. He is putting up 18.0 points, 4.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 2.8 three-pointers and 1.5 steals over the last six games. Johnson's usage percentage in that stretch is just above 27 percent and his efficiency has been excellent as well, as he's shooting 52.6 percent from the field and 51.5 percent from deep. These Huskies will be a tough out in the Pac-12 tournament.
Elijah Fisher, G, DePaul
Fisher was a player I was high on coming out of high school. Things didn't go to plan in his one year at Texas Tech, and it was still a bit shaky for the first part of the season at DePaul. Fisher has found some consistency, however, and is playing like a legit power conference starter, averaging 14.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.7 three-pointers over the last six games. Fisher will hope to keep DePaul in the game against St. John's or Seton Hall and avoid an 0-20 conference record.
Other Conferences
Harlond Beverly, G, Wichita State
After four years at Miami, Beverly has finally been given a chance to take on a prominent role. He has delivered this season for the Shockers, especially of late. The 6-5 veteran is racking up 13.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 three-pointers over the last four games. That includes a career-high 23 points last Saturday against Rice. Beverley will close out the regular season against a high-tempo, poor-defensive Tulane team.
Tre' Coleman, F, Nevada
Every good team has a glue guy that can just do it all, and Nevada's is Coleman. The Wolf Pack are looking at a return to the NCAA Tournament thanks to winning eight of the last nine games. Coleman's play is certainly of note, as the 6-7 forward is averaging 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.3 three-pointers, 1.8 blocks and 1.0 steals over his last four games. Nevada does indeed get two games next week as they hope to sneak out a a potential Mountain West title against Boise State and UNLV.
