College Hoops Barometer: Freshman Sensation

Jahlil Okafor gets the pub among this year's freshman class, and rightfully so. The Duke big man is virtually guaranteed to be the top pick in June's NBA Draft, as his post moves are smooth and his size is ideal. He has been gushed over ad nauseam. However, another freshman, Ohio State guard D'Angelo Russell, has taken his game to another level recently. Over his last three contests, Russell is averaging more than 27 points per game. On Jan. 17 against Iowa, Russell notched the first double-double of his career with 27 points and 14 rebounds. In his last game against Indiana on Jan. 25, he tallied a different type of double-double, accumulating 22 points and 10 assists in an 82-70 victory. Overall, Russell is having a sensational freshman campaign, averaging 19.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists per tilt. The versatile, 6-foot-5 neophyte is really helping his draft stock. The hopes for the Buckeyes in this year's Big Dance also likely hinge on Russell's performance as the season progresses.

Who else is surging, and who is leaving something to be desired? The College Hoops Barometer awaits.

UPGRADE

Joshua Smith, C, Georgetown - It has been a bumpy road for Smith, but it seems he has finally found his game. The big man was a highly prized recruit coming out of high school, but battled weight issues and disciplinary problems while at UCLA, and eventually transferred to Georgetown after two seasons. Last year Smith seemed to rediscover his scoring touch around the basket, but still averaged just 3.4 rebounds per game. Finally, in his final campaign, Smith appears to be tapping into his potential. Smith has tallied five double-doubles this season, including a monstrous 18-point, 15-rebound effort against Marquette on Saturday. Smith is also shooting an impressive 64.5 percent from the floor; perhaps even more impressive is his 70 percent mark at the free throw line, which is a career-high. He's even managing a career-high 1.2 assists per tilt. It took Smith some time, but he may finally be becoming the dominant force once envisioned.

Tyler Kalinoski, G, Davidson - Is Kalinoski another Stephen Curry in the making? The Davidson connection makes the comparison easy, though Curry is obviously a special talent. Curry averaged an absurd 28.6 points per game in his final season at the school. Still, Kalinoski is giving the Wildcats hope for an NCAA Tournament run with his play during his senior season. He happens to be a dangerous three-point shooter, hitting 43 percent shooter from downtown. Kalinoski hit seven three-pointers in a game earlier this season. Overall, Kalinoski is averaging 16.8 points per game. He's not just a one-trick pony, though, as the 6-4 guard is also averaging 5.9 boards and four assists per game for Davidson. Kalinoski leads the squad in points and rebounds, and is second in assists. Hey may not be Steph Curry, but the Wildcats will go as far as Kalinoski takes them.

J.J. Frazier, G, Georgia - A 37-point outburst almost guarantees a mention in this article, but what makes it particularly interesting is that Frazier had scored above 20 points just once in his career prior to Saturday's Herculean effort. Frazier was absolutely on fire at Mississippi State, canning all seven of his three-pointers while shooting 12-of-14 overall. While this game could be an aberration, scoring-wise, Frazier had been stepping his game up prior to this outburst. He has now scored in double figures in four-straight contests, grabbed at least six rebounds in four of the last five games, and notched at least three assists in each of the last five tilts. Frazier does have the ability to impact the game in a variety of ways, and if his shooting stays hot, watch out.

Cliff Alexander, F, Kansas - The Jayhawks appeared to be searching for an identity earlier this season, but Alexander's emergence has solved some of their issues of late. Over the last two contests, both against ranked opponents, the freshman is averaging 14 points and 11 rebounds per game. Both games have been victories for KU. The tandem of Alexander and Perry Ellis has brought some stability to the Kansas frontcourt, which is unusually thin for coach Bill Self. The Jayhawks did not play anyone over 6-8 in their last outing, a win at Texas. Due to the lack of height, Alexander's aid is even more crucial to the Jayhawks' success this season. He looks to be hitting his stride at just the right time for Rock Chalk.

CHECK STATUS

Aaron White, F, Iowa - White is banged up for the Hawkeyes after suffering a shoulder injury in the last game against Purdue on Saturday. White has been one of the more productive players in the Big Ten during his time at Iowa. In fact, White has averaged at least 11 points and five rebounds in each of his four seasons in Iowa City. That includes a career-high 15.1 points per game as a senior. However, if White is unable to suit up Saturday against Wisconsin, teammate Jarrod Uthoff would be in line to pick up the slack, and also make an intriguing play in Daily Fantasy Sports leagues. Though he has cooled off recently, Uthoff had a fairly recent stretch of two double-doubles in four games. He also scored in double figures in five-straight games even with White in the lineup. Although the Badgers make for an extremely difficult matchup, Uthoff would certainly get the opportunities if White is sidelined.

Justin Bibbs, G, Virginia Tech - Concussions are not to be taken lightly, and that is exactly what Bibbs is dealing with right now. He has missed the last four games for the Hokies, three against ranked opponents. That included Sunday's narrow loss to undefeated Virginia. There's no telling how the presence of Bibbs could have affected that outcome, as the freshman guard is the leading scorer for the Hokies. VaTech is 0-6 in the incredibly deep and ACC, and the Hokies don't have much hope for any measure of a successful season if Bibbs can't return. Virginia Tech is averaging a putrid 53.3 points per game during Bibbs' absence. He shouldn't miss much more time, but with head injuries, the health of the player is always paramount.

Alan Williams, C, Santa Barbara - Williams is the reigning Big West Player of the Year and is working on his third-straight season of averaging a double-double for the Gauchos. Often forgotten due his conference and his height (6-8), Williams has managed 10 double-doubles thus far as a senior. He had 16 as a junior and 15 as a sophomore. He has compiled some gaudy numbers during his time at UCSB. Williams has two 20-rebound games to his credit. He has 16 outings with at least 15 rebounds over his career. Unfortunately, Williams will be on a hiatus from the hardwood over the next two weeks or so after injuring his shoulder in practice. Williams had been having a bit of a down year in terms of scoring, though that does not appear to be as a result of any lingering injury problems. In any event, he was still averaging 17.1 points per tilt for the Gauchos. Williams won't be held out for long, but his production will be almost impossible to replace in the short term.

E.C. Matthews, G, Rhode Island - It would likely be prudent to monitor the status of Matthews for the remainder of the season. The leading scorer for the Rams, Matthews has plantar fasciitis, a foot issue that can be extremely painful and flare up at any time. While rest and therapy can aid plantar fasciitis, it is not something that responds well to the repetitive nature of running and jumping on the basketball court. Matthews was sidelined for Sunday's win over St. Bonaventure, and it remains to be seen how the injury will be handled and play out as the season unfolds. Matthews was not only averaging 17 points per game, but also 4.8 rebounds and two assists per contest. He will likely attempt to play through the injury, but this decision could have repercussions.

DOWNGRADE

Robert Upshaw, C, Washington - The Huskies suffered a crushing blow to their NCAA Tournament hopes, as Upshaw has been dismissed from the team due to a violation of team rules. The shot-blocking center had been enjoying a breakout season prior to the dismissal. Upshaw was leading the NCAA in rejections by nearly one block per game, averaging 4.4 swats per tilt. Upshaw had also tallied six double-doubles for UW. The junior was averaging 10.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, putting him first in rebounds and third in scoring for the Huskies. With backup Jernard Jarreau also sidelined with a knee injury, the extremely shorthanded Huskies will rely even more heavily upon Shawn Kemp Jr. and their talented guards for rebounding help.

Isaiah Cousins, G, Oklahoma - Cousins has had a rough go during his time at Oklahoma. He was arrested for public intoxication in 2013, and then was struck by a stray bullet as an innocent bystander during summer break in 2014 while back near his home in New York. He made a full recovery, though, and had been lauded for his more mature approach both on and off the court. This had resulted in career-highs of 12.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Known as mostly a tenacious defender upon his arrival at Norman, Cousins had since developed a lethal three-point shot, hitting 44 percent from long distance this year. However, the Sooners will have to get by without Cousins for an unknown amount of time, as he sprained his wrist and is out indefinitely. There is no timetable for his return, despite X-rays coming back negative. Leading scorer Buddy Hield could have even more shots at his disposal without Cousins in the lineup.

Nate Austin, F, BYU - A rebounding specialist for the Cougars, Austin is likely finished for the season due to a recurring hamstring injury. The senior had appeared in 10 games this season before the issue cropped up, but was slated to come back in January. He then re-aggravated the injury in practice, and may now be done for the remainder of the 2014-2015 campaign. The vertically-challenged Cougars had been manhandling opponents on the boards at the beginning of the season, but the lack of height has come back to haunt them in recent games, including being outrebounded 41-28 in a recent loss to Saint Mary's on January 17. Austin's big body would certainly have aided in the cause; he averaged 7.9 rebounds per game when healthy last season. Even more overall responsibility will now fall on BYU's Kyle Collinsworth, while Tyler Haws leads the squad in terms of scoring. Expect the guard-oriented lineups to continue in the foreseeable future for BYU.

Isaiah Zierden, G, Creighton - Zierden will also be lost for the season due to a knee injury, suffered last week against Butler. Even worse, this is the second consecutive season in which Zierden has endured a season-ending knee problem. Zierden partially tore the MCL in his right knee, while also injuring his patella tendon. The MCL in his right knee was also involved in his previous ailment. The biggest loss for the Bluejays will be the sophomore's scoring prowess. Already reeling at 9-12 due to the loss of Player of the Year Doug McDermott to the NBA, Zierden was shooting 39.6 percent from three-point range. He was also a 90 percent foul shooter. The Bluejays have struggled to score the basketball even with Zierden, the second-leading scorer at 9.5 points per outing. Junior James Milliken will benefit from an opportunity standpoint, but the Bluejays are likely in for a rough remainder of the season. The team is riding a nine-game losing streak.