College Hoops Barometer: LSU's M&M Boys

Even at the tender age of 19, Jahlil Okafor is a man among boys at the collegiate level. The Duke Blue Devils remain undefeated, and Okafor is the biggest reason for the unblemished start. The 6-foot-11 center has been on a tear lately, scoring at least 24 points in four of the last five games. He is averaging 10.4 rebounds per game over that span as well, punctuated by a 25-point, 20-rebound effort against overmatched Elon on Dec. 15. A shift to ACC play shouldn't do much to diminish Okafor's numbers, as the freshman sensation will continue to assert himself down low with a vast array of post moves. Enjoy Okafor's talents while you can, though; he is assuredly a top selection in the 2015 NBA Draft.

Who else has been dominant, and who has left something to be desired? This edition of the College Hoops Barometer will shed further light on the subject.

UPGRADE

Jarell Martin, F, LSU - Teammate Jordan Mickey has the name recognition, but Martin's numbers are just as good. The sophomore is averaging 18.2 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, similar statistics to the above-referenced Jahlil Okafor. In 13 games this season, Martin has failed to snatch at least eight rebounds in just three of those contests. Martin has been surging recently as well, scoring at least 24 points in three of the last four games for the Tigers. The potent 1-2 punch of the M&M Boys, Martin and Mickey, should continue to shine, and it will be interesting to see what happens when they when they meet up with the imposing frontcourt of top-ranked Kentucky on February 10. A slugfest could ensue.

Johnathan Williams III, F, Missouri - The Tigers had a lot of turnover since last season, and it took Williams a bit of time to find his groove. However, he has emerged as the best player on this squad. The leading scorer and rebounder for Mizzou, Williams has flexed his muscle of late in particular. Williams has scored at least 15 points in seven straight games. He has also grabbed at least eight rebounds in each of those contests. The shot selection has been better this season for Williams, who is getting to the free-throw line almost three times as much as he did as a freshman, despite seeing similar minutes between the two seasons. His season averages have steadily climbed as a result, and should continue on an upward trajectory, as the Tigers are extremely thin in the frontcourt.

Jarrod Uthoff, F, Iowa - Frontcourt mate Aaron White is the leader of the Hawkeyes, but Uthoff has quietly become the second option. The junior has been given more minutes and more responsibility this season, and has responded with averages of 11.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for Iowa. He has proven to be no slouch passing the rock either, notching five assists apiece in two of the last three games for the Hawkeyes. In fact, that most recent three-game stretch has been arguably the best of Uthoff's brief career. The 6-foot-8 forward has scored in double figures in each of those games, while also averaging nearly nine boards per tilt. Uthoff looks to be a vital cog for an Iowa unit that is 2-0 in conference play thus far and appears to be on the rise
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Damion Lee, G, Drexel - In a rough season thus far for the Dragons, Lee has been one of the few bright spots. At 2-11, Drexel is going nowhere in the Colonial, which should be dominated by the likes of Hofstra, Williams & Mary and Robert Morris. The Dragons also just lost their leading rebounder, Rodney Williams, to a season-ending injury. However, Lee leads the conference in scoring at 20.3 points per game. He is also averaging 5.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists, placing him near the top 10 in both categories in the conference as well. Lee hits almost 40 percent of his treys, and he certainly isn't shy. The junior canned eight threes in a game earlier this year, and has shot at least seven treys in five straight games. He's a dark horse for CAA Player of the Year due to his team's poor record, but Lee is still the silver lining for Drexel.

CHECK STATUS

Duane Notice, G, South Carolina - The Gamecocks shocked Iowa State last week, and Duane served notice that South Carolina could be a force to be reckoned with. Under fiery coach Frank Martin, SC had a seven-game winning streak until Wednesday's narrow loss to Florida. Still, Notice is the catalyst for the team, leading the team in scoring while also averaging three rebounds and three assists per tilt. He's shooting above 40 percent from three-point land this season. The sophomore tallied 15 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals in the aforementioned upset of the Cyclones. Notice will have to watch his turnovers as SEC play begins in earnest, though thus far he has managed fewer turnovers than a season ago. A few growing pains may occur, but Notice and the Gamecocks appear to be trending in the right direction.

Josh Scott, F, Colorado - Keep an eye on Scott, who missed the last two games for the Buffaloes but is expected to return to action this week. When healthy, Scott is a key component of the Colorado squad. He leads the team in rebounding with 7.7 boards per game, and is second in scoring at 14.8 points per tilt. In fact, he is currently in the top 10 in the Pac-12 conference in both categories. Scott had three double-doubles in the first seven games of the season for the Buffs. However, he has been sidelined recently with an injury to the back, which can be fickle. Although the ailment is not considered serious, back injuries have a way of cropping up unexpectedly over the course of a season, so monitor Scott's progress closely as he returns to form over the next few weeks.

Jarvis Summers, G, Ole Miss - Summers hasn't played bad this season, but simply hasn't been able to maintain his magic from a year ago. In particular, his shooting has been rather woeful. The four-year player for the Rebels is shooting a career-low 37.6 percent from the field, including a dreadful 27.3 percent from long range. This has resulted in an average of more than four fewer points per game this season. His rebounds and assists are also down. On the positive side, Summers has bounced back a bit over the last three games, averaging more than 20 points per game while also shooting nearly 50 percent from the field over that span. He nearly led the Rebels to a miraculous upset of No. 1 Kentucky on Tuesday. However, Summers did turn the ball over six times in the 89-86 OT loss. Still, Summers looks to be on the rebound, and perhaps his numbers will creep back to last season's statistics when all is said and done.

Eric McClellan, G, Gonzaga - McClellan is an intriguing player to keep on the radar. The well-traveled baller is already on his third school after brief stops at Tulsa and Vanderbilt. He was the leading scorer for the Commodores to begin the 2013-2014 campaign, before being dismissed from the squad due to academic issues midway through the year. He's set to make his debut for Gonzaga after sitting out the first semester, but it remains to be seen how he will fit with the Zags. Gonzaga already appears to be a well-oiled machine with the likes of Kevin Pangos and Kyle Wiltjer leading the charge. Still, the versatile McClellan could fill the hole vacated by Josh Perkins, who has been sidelined with a broken jaw. Last season, McClellan averaged 14.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game in limited games for the Commodores, so it is clear he has potential. If he gets minutes and gains the trust of his coaches, McClellan could be a sneaky fantasy addition.

DOWNGRADE

Rayvonte, Rice, G, Illinois - The Illini suffered a crushing blow to their NCAA Tournament chances when Rice injured his left hand in practice. The break will cost Rice at least a few weeks. Rice averaged 17.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game prior to the injury, both team-highs. Rice was fifth in the Big Ten in scoring and rebounding. The senior swingman had shown a much-improved jumper, hitting 51.5 percent from the field and an impressive 48.3 percent of his shots from three-point land. By contrast, Rice shot 43 percent from the field last season and a subpar 29.5 percent from downtown. The Illini started the year 6-0, but have sputtered to a 4-5 record since that time, and the loss of Rice will only further the notion that the team is not tourney-bound.

Reid Travis, F, Stanford - The Cardinal will be without their leading rebounder due to a stress fracture. Travis, a 6-8 freshman from Minneapolis, was averaging 7.5 points and 6.9 rebounds per game prior to the injury. Junior Rosco Allen has seen the most immediate bump in minutes due to the injury to Travis, though the Cardinal will continue to rely on center Stefan Nastic for most of their support in the paint. Nastic snatched 11 rebounds in Sunday's 68-60 OT win over a ranked Washington group. It is not known if or when Travis will return this season.

Jalen Jones, G, Texas A&M - Jones is nursing an ankle injury that has the potential to linger. Not only did he miss Tuesday's tilt with Alabama, but Jones could also miss Saturday's clash with the Kentucky Wildcats. The Aggies were set to be heavy underdogs even before Jones went down with the injury. The leading scorer for A&M, Jones is averaging 13.3 points along with six rebounds per game. Jones transferred from Southern Methodist after his freshman campaign. Without Jones, the Aggies were pasted by the Crimson Tide by a score of 65-44. Things could get really ugly Saturday against the undefeated Wildcats if Jones can't suit up.

Garrett Nevels, G, Hawaii - Nevels plays big minutes for the Warriors, but Hawaii may have to find a way to push forward without the senior at full strength. Nevels had surgery on his shooting hand a little more than a week ago, though was still determined to continue playing for the Warriors. However, he will likely miss at least the next game for Hawaii, and possibly beyond. The senior is averaging 11.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game for Warriors. Only dynamic point guard Roderick Bobbitt is averaging more minutes per game for Hawaii this season. Bobbitt may actually be an interesting play if Nevels is absent from the lineup. Bobbitt is a versatile junior who excels in a variety of statistical categories, most notably assists and steals. His shot needs some work, but he could be asked to shoulder more of the scoring load if Nevels misses further action.