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March Madness: Prospects to watch for in NCAA Tournament’s second weekend

By Ryan Doyle

NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 28: Mikal Bridges #25 of the Villanova Wildcats celebrates his three point shot in the overtime period against the Seton Hall Pirates on February 28, 2018 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.The Villanova Wildcats defeated the Seton Hall Pirates 69-68 in overtime. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 28: Mikal Bridges #25 of the Villanova Wildcats celebrates his three point shot in the overtime period against the Seton Hall Pirates on February 28, 2018 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.The Villanova Wildcats defeated the Seton Hall Pirates 69-68 in overtime. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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Devonte Graham, Kansas Jayhawks
WICHITA, KS – MARCH 17: Devonte’ Graham #4 of the Kansas Jayhawks reacts against the Seton Hall Pirates in the second half during the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at INTRUST Bank Arena on March 17, 2018 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Devonte Graham, Kansas Jayhawks

Friday vs. Clemson, 7:07 p.m./CBS

The Kansas Jayhawks survived the craziness of the first weekend and are poised for a deep tournament run. A big part of their success will be on the shoulders of Devonte Graham. The senior averaged 17.4 points per contest and 7.5 assists per contest this season.

However, Graham has not played up to par with his regular season numbers in the tournament. He scored 29 points against the Penn Quakers, but he only shot 37.5 percent from the field. In his next game, he shot a putrid 14.3 percent from the floor and only scored eight points.

Although he may not have been efficient offensively, Graham affects a game in so many ways. He is a pesky defender and has done a solid job of getting his teammates involved with 15 assists in his last two ballgames.

Jevon Carter, West Virginia Mountaineers

Friday vs. Villanova, 7:27 p.m./TBS

West Virginia’s head coach Bob Huggins has been known for his elite defensive teams. The 2018 team is no different.

Senior guard Jevon Carter is a menace on the perimeter. His matchup has to deal with him up and down the floor as he tries to force turnovers.

Carter’s defensive intensity fits perfectly with the West Virginia identity. His three steals per game are exactly what the Mountaineers coaching staff preaches.

His offensive game has finally taken a step in the right direction in his senior season.

Carter averaged a career-high 17 points per game, he doubled his assists total and shot just worse than 40 percent from beyond the arc.

Carter and West Virginia face off against Villanova on March 23. If the Mountaineers are to advance, he will have to cause chaos for Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo.

Keenan Evans, Texas Tech Red Raiders

Friday vs. Purdue, 9:57 p.m./TBS

The Texas Tech Red Raiders will rely on Keenan Evans in their marquee matchup against the Purdue Boilermakers. Evans led Texas Tech in scoring this past season and has been consistent during the tournament.

Evans dropped more than 20 points in both of his NCAA Tournament games thus far and has been efficient in the process. With his strong offensive performances allowed the Texas Tech Red Raiders to sneak past a tough Florida Gators team.

In his four years at Texas Tech, Evans improved in every season. From a bench player to the team’s star, Evans is the epitome of a senior leader.