College Hoops Barometer: Risers & Fallers

The college hoops season still has that "new car" smell, but some schools are already feeling good about themselves despite the calendar not yet turning to December. At the time of this writing, a few Big Ten teams have started undefeated, including a surprising Iowa squad that has wins over Oregon and UConn, as well as an Ohio State Buckeyes unit that has been ranked No. 1 by the new NET ratings, which are supposed to replace the old RPI rankings. The Buffalo Bulls have made a novel appearance in the rankings after a shocking win at West Virginia. And the only remaining undefeated team in the Big East? It's not the defending champion Villanova Wildcats, but the St. John's Red Storm. Chris Mullin's troops have raced out to a 6-0 record, led by scorer extraordinaire Shamorie Ponds, transfers Mustapha Heron, Justin Simon and L.J. Figueroa.

A lot can change in a short amount of time, though, and some key non-conference tilts during the holiday season may give us a better idea of the contenders and pretenders. On that note, let's take a look at those players helping or hurting their respective causes in this week's edition of the College Hoops Barometer.

UPGRADE

Rui Hachimura, F, Gonzaga - The Zags did the impossible last week, taking down the mighty Blue Devils and their ferocious freshman trio. Hachimura led the Bulldogs in scoring with 20 points in the thrilling 89-87 win, but he also contributed seven rebounds, five assists and three blocks to the cause. His numbers are up across the board, but most notably his scoring, which has increased by more than 10 points per game from his sophomore to junior campaigns. With Killian Tillie expected to be out through the end of the calendar year, Hachimura's usage should remain sky high.

Luguentz Dort, G, Arizona State - A talented freshman guard from Montreal, Dort exploded for 33 points last week as the Sun Devils won the heavyweight bracket of the MGM Main Event. Despite being just 6-foot-4, Dort has proven an exceptional rebounder as well, averaging 7.8 boards per tilt for the still undefeated Sun Devils. Dort flew under the radar as a recruit but currently trails only Washington State senior Robert Franks in scoring in the Pac-12. Of course, the schedule has yet to stiffen, including a dynamic non-conference clash with No. 5 Nevada lurking on Dec. 7, but it is safe to say that Dort has begun his collegiate career with a bang.

De'Andre Hunter, G, Virginia - Unless you've been living under a rock, you know the Cavaliers had the misfortune of being the first No. 1 seed to fall to a No. 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Hunter was a freshman reserve on that team, but has blossomed into a sophomore star. Virginia squads in the past have had trouble scoring the ball; Hunter may provide the solution this season. He is shooting an impressive 61.3-percent from the field through six games, including 46.7-percent from three-point range. At 6-7, 225, the versatile swingman has also shown an ability to rebound (10 assists in season opener, nine boards in last game versus Wisconsin) as well as dish out assists (nine dimes against MTSU). The Cavs will still play their grind out, slow down offense, but Hunter has thus far proven to be an efficient, potent weapon.

Dedric Lawson, F, Kansas - The Memphis transfer has been a monster for the Jayhawks lately. Lawson posted back-to-back double-doubles in wins over Marquette and Tennessee, averaging 25 points, 12.5 rebounds and four assists over that span. Add in a double-double in the season opener versus Michigan State, and Lawson has three double-doubles in five games for the Jayhawks, with two coming against high caliber opponents. Kansas is thin up front after center Udoka Azubuike, leaving plenty of rebounds for Lawson to gobble up. Lagerald Vick may finally be getting his chance to shine, but Lawson may have more to do with the early season success of KU.

CHECK STATUS

Nickeil Alexander- Walker, G, Virginia Tech - Duke, Virginia and North Carolina get the pub in the ACC, but there's much more to this conference than just the bluebloods. Alexander-Walker has taken his game to new heights for the Hokies, averaging 18.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.2 dimes per game. He's sixth in scoring in the entire ACC thus far, and tied for eighth in assists. He leads VaTech in points and bounding. The Hokies have an experienced team, though not much size. That will cause Alexander-Walker to shoulder even more of the rebounding burden once the competition stiffens. The team will have its work cut out for them in conference play, but Alexander-Walker's rise to prominence gives the Hokies a puncher's chance.

Jarrett Culver, G, Texas Tech - Culver was overshadowed at times as a freshman on an excellent squad, but the Red Raiders are his team this season. With Zhaire Smith and Keenan Evans in the NBA, Texas Tech will rely on Culver to try and take them back to the Elite Eight. Culver is doing his part so far for the 6-0 Red Raiders, managing 18.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. It will be interesting to see who steps up for the multiple players missing from last year's quality squad, particularly in Big 12 conference play. Otherwise, the opposition will attempt to shut down Culver and make the supporting cast beat them. For now, though, Culver has Tech flying high.

Ignas Brazdeikis, F, Michigan - The Wolverines lost firepower from last season's squad that made the NCAA Championship, including the heart and soul of that team, Moritz Wagner. Brazdeikis does not have the size of Wagner, but thus far he is leading the undefeated Wolverines in scoring through six games, and is second on the team in rebounding. That includes back-to-back 20-point games in wins over Providence and Chattanooga. Michigan has beaten every opponent by double-digits this season, though that may speak more toward the level of competition than anything else. Upcoming matchups with North Carolina and Purdue may provide more insight into whether Brazdeikis and the Wolverines are for real this year.

Trey Mourning, F, Georgetown - If the last name looks familiar, it should. Mourning is Alonzo's son. So yes, Alonzo Mourning's son is playing for head coach Patrick Ewing at their alma mater. How perfect is that? The younger Mourning has played more of a bit role the last three years for the Hoyas, but may be poised to finally break out. He set career highs with 27 points and 12 rebounds in Georgetown's last game. Trey is not quite as big as his father or his coach at 6-9, 220, and has only scored in double figures in two of Georgetown's first six games. Clearly Trey has great blood lines, though, and could be coming out of his shell as a senior.

DOWNGRADE

Darius Garland, G, Vanderbilt - The Commodores have suffered a damaging blow, as garland suffered a torn meniscus and will miss the remainder of the season. The freshman guard and possible future NBA lottery pick was the leading scorer through five games for Vandy, averaging 16.2 points per contest. He was shooting an impressive 47.8-percent from three-point land, and was also second on the squad in assists. Sophomore Saben Lee will shoulder even more of the ball-handling load in Garland's absence, though fellow sophomore Maxwell Evans may see the biggest spike in playing time.

Nick Sherod, G, Richmond - A torn ACL will also end Sherod's season prematurely, as the Spiders star was averaging 15.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game prior to the injury. Richmond has already been without the services of point guard Jacob Gilyard, leaving the Spiders scrambling to fill key minutes. Sophomore Nathan Cayo scored 23 points in the last game, and would appear to be the chief beneficiary in Sherod's absence. It could be a long season for the already injury-racked Spiders, as they sit at 2-4 and just lost by 20 points to an underwhelming Hampton squad.

Jalen Hudson, G, Florida - Hudson was expected to play a vital role for the Gators this season after averaging 15.5 points per game as a junior, but he has not lived up to expectations thus far this year. Hudson has just 12 points the last four games for the Gators, who have limped to a 4-3 start. He's been ice cold from the field, hitting a putrid 24-percent of his shots from three-point range. By contrast, Hudson shot higher than 40 percent from long distance just a season ago. The sample size is small, and the season is still very young, but Hudson isn't even getting the minutes lately to right the ship. Perhaps he can play his way back into the rotation, but Hudson has been a dud for the slumping Gators.

Reid Travis, F, Kentucky - It's not that the graduate transfer has been bad for the Wildcats, only that as a member of a talented Kentucky squad he is unlikely to reach his stats from a season ago at Stanford. Travis averaged 19.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game as a senior, but is obviously playing on a much better team this year. As a result, his minutes are down, and so are his numbers. Travis is managing 13.7 points and 6.2 rebounds in just 23 minutes per contest. Even as a freshman at Stanford, he played more minutes. Perhaps his usage will rise as the competition improves, but P.J. Washington and E.J. Montgomery may also obstruct Travis's path to stardom. In sum, Travis is an experienced, talented player, but he has gone from the best player on a bad team, to a good player on a possibly great squad, so it may be foolish to expect him to dominate.