SEC/Big 12 Challenge Prospect Standouts
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This Saturday, the two best conferences in college hoops clashed during the SEC/Big 12 challenge. Half of the top 12 teams in the nation were in action, featuring many of the very best players in the sport. Big 12 squads ended up taking seven of the ten matchups, but NBA Draft prospects in both divisions shone to boost their stock on a big stage.
Ricky Council IV, Arkansas
25 points & 3 rebounds
On an Arkansas roster headlined by the best freshman class in the country, junior transfer Ricky Council IV has been the leading scorer with an average of 17.2 points per game. In the Razorbacks’ loss to Baylor this weekend, the former Wichita State wing put on another scoring clinic, finishing with 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting. All day, he flaunted his vicious explosiveness, pristine footwork, and versatile finishing ability to be a downhill menace.
Per Synergy Sports, Council IV has ranked in the 85th percentile in efficiency at the rim this season, so this type of of dominance as a driver is pretty typical. However, his 39th percentile efficiency on pull-up jumpers signals an area for growth, and he certainly flashed some last outing, hitting multiple mid-range pull-ups. The 29.1% 3-point shooter also made half of his four attempts from deep, which was encouraging to see.
Defensively, he made an impact as an active presence guarding the point-of-attack.
Keyonte George, Baylor
24 points & 3 assists
On the winning side of the aforementioned matchup, Keyonte George had a statement performance. He displayed what makes him one of the best shot-makers in college basketball, repeatedly drilling difficult pull-ups from deep. This ability has been the foundation of the 17.2 points per game scorer's brilliance this season, but he's shown a lot more than just that and continued to do so today. Baylor’s freshman sensation dished out some nice passes, both in the half-court and in transition. Ultimately, he took the game over late with some clutch floaters and layups to seal the deal against a challenging opponent.
Cason Wallace, Kentucky
14 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, & 5 steals
Cason Wallace stuffed the stat sheet in Kentucky’s loss to the defending champion Kansas Jayhawks. As always he dominated defensively, wreaking havoc all night. He shut down his perimeter assignments, effortlessly navigated screens, and even protected the rim a bit.
Offensively, he made two of his three attempts from beyond the arc. He also got all the way to the rim with dribble-drives and finished through contact. The Wildcats freshman’s passing was on point too, feeding Oscar Tshiebwe down low for some easy buckets on multiple occasions.
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