NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament Has Put Freshmen In Spotlight

1
NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament Has Put
Freshmen In Spotlight

• By Adam McCormick
• Central Michigan University

2
Tournament Has Been A Reverse of the Regular
Season

• The 2004-05 season has been about upperclassmen.
• The best players on the best teams have been
  juniors and seniors.
• During the first 2 rounds of the NCAA tournament
  this march, freshmen have been the stars in the
  spotlight.

3
Kentucky Tandem Has Played A Key Role In The
Cats Victories

• Rajon Rondo and Randolph Morris were key freshmen
  in Kentuckys slight victory over Mississippi
  State.
• Rondo 38 minutes played, 16 points, 7 assists,
  4-6 FT shooting
• 6 points came from 3-point field goals. This is
  the only time Rondo has hit a pair of 3-pointers
  in one game.
• Morris 25 minutes played, 11 points, 12
  rebounds.
• First college double-double.

4
Two Freshmen with the Largest Amount of Success

• University of North Carolina player Marvin
  Williams averaged 20 points and 11.5 rebounds in
  the first two games.
• JamesOn Curry of Oklahoma State played 35 minutes
  per game and picked up an injured Joey Grahams
  (senior) scoring slack.
• Averaged 15.5 points per game
• Graham only averaged 7.5 points per game.

5
Other Freshmen Making BIG Impacts

• Martin Zeno (Texas Tech)
• 12.8 points per game, his scoring has declined,
  but hes picked up his game in rebounding,
  defending, and passing the ball.
• Demarcus Nelson (Duke)
• Averaging 4.6 rebounds per game.
• Drew Neitzel (Michigan State)
• His 3.5 points per game and 2.9 assists on
  average do not tell the story. Hes doubled his
  scoring average in the tournament to 7.5ppg and
  made his team better.
• Jawann McLellan (Arizona)
• Chipped in 20 minutes, 7 points and 3.5 rebounds
  in two games.

6
Reasons Why Freshmen Are Making the Difference

• Although they lack experience, they bring a lot
  of energy.
• The players mentioned in this presentation are a
  total 37-50 (74) from the free throw line.
• Players are not choking clutch moments.
• They understand their individual roles as members
  of the team.

7

• NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament Has Put Freshmen
  In Spotlight
• By Adam McCormick
• Central Michigan University
• The information used for this presentation was
  received from http//sports.espn.go.com/ncb/ncaato
  urney05/news/story?id2019359 on March 23, 2005.