Oscar Tshiebwe, Ron Harper Jr. highlight Saturday's top performers
Sports fans got a hearty fix of riveting action ahead of Super Bowl Sunday, as college basketball took center-stage Saturday.
We're heading into the final stretch of contests before March Madness takes over the sporting landscape, and Saturday featured a slate of games with heavy repercussions.
There were also a number of great individual performances along the way. Here were the premier performers from Saturday's showcases.
Rutgers has a knack for playing up to its competition when pitted against ranked opponents, as it did with an early-season victory over then No. 1-ranked Purdue. It added another upset win to its résumé Saturday against No. 14 Wisconsin.
The Scarlet Knights' most frequent offensive contributor was the same man who hit the half-court stunner to stop the Boilermakers cold: Ron Harper Jr.
Harper Jr. was ballin' like his father Saturday, posting 21 points and six boards in the victory. He was commendable from the free-throw line as well, going 6-for-7. Harper Jr. added two assists and a block.
Oscar Tshiebwe, No. 5 Kentucky
Wow. That's the only sufficient word to describe Oscar Tshiebwe's rampant run through the SEC in conference play.
Tshiebwe had arguably his best statistical showing of the season Saturday, unleashing 27 points and 19 rebounds in the Wildcats' 78-57 win vs. Florida. He also led the way with a game-high 38 minutes.
It was his 12th straight game with double-digit rebounding numbers. This is also his seventh straight matchup with double-digit scoring numbers.
Walker Kessler, No. 1 Auburn
A quick look at Walker Kessler's box score from Saturday's 75-58 win over Texas A&M reveals a nice, if not eye-opening, stat line: 12 points and 11 rebounds. But when you dig a tiny bit deeper, something else stands out — the man had 12 blocks as well.
That makes it a triple-double of an unusual sort for the 7-1 sophomore.
It also puts him in rare territory as one of only five players in SEC history to record multiple triple-doubles in their career. Anytime you join a group that includes Shaq, it's got to be a good thing.
Baylor has an abundance of capable scorers, and its versatility was on display in an impressive statement victory over No. 20 Texas.
All five of the Bears' starters scored in double-figures, but no man was more potent than junior guard Adam Flagler. He entered the matchup averaging 12.7 PPG but topped that with a 20-point masterclass to guide Baylor's scoring.
Flagler was effortlessly efficient from the field, going 8-for-11 from the floor while knocking down four of his five attempts from 3. The win vaulted Baylor to a 9-3 record in conference play.
Baylor's most formidable Big 12 foe is Kansas, whose combination of size, scoring and defense has many tabbing them with championship-or-bust stakes.
Jalen Wilson possesses all three of those attributes. The team's leading rebounder with 7.1 per contest, Wilson exploded into the scoring column in the Jayhawks' 71-69 win over the Oklahoma Sooners, scoring 22 points. Wilson doubled down on his rebounding heroics, grabbing a team-high nine boards. He also hit three clutch free throws, including Kansas' 71st and final point that sealed its win.
Jermaine Samuels, No. 15 Villanova
It's a big-time contest every time Seton Hall and Villanova link up, and this Saturday's rendition of the longtime rivalry did not disappoint.
It was a back-and-forth affair, as both teams traded haymakers throughout. Nova responded to a 9-0 run from The Hall with a 17-5 spurt of its own — and it came at precisely the right time. Jermaine Samuels was the centerpiece of it all. The 6-7 senior put up 16 points to go with four boards and three assists. The Wildcats are peaking at the right time, and now have a three-game winning streak in Big East play.
Bennedict Mathurin, No. 4 Arizona
The Wildcats have been charging through the Pac-12 this season, with their only conference loss coming against No. 12 UCLA at Pauley Pavilion.
They had zero fear of the road on Saturday at Washington, and Bennedict Mathurin was a huge reason for that. The 6-6 sophomore guard dominated the Huskies, scoring a team-high 25 points and chipping in five rebounds and three assists as well. He went 8-for-11 from the field, including 3-for-5 from 3-point range, as Arizona cruised to a 92-68 victory.
He was so dominant, in fact, that he can be forgiven for being a bit uncertain what to do with this break-away opportunity.
Drew Peterson, No. 21 USC
Peterson entered Saturday's game against No. 12 UCLA averaging just 10.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, but the 6-9 senior absolutely dominated the Bruins.
Peterson scored 27 points, going 9-for-13 from the field, including 4-for-5 from 3-point range. He also led all players in rebounds (12), assists (four) and blocks (five) as the Trojans beat their rivals, 67-64.