Player of the Night -- Marshall Henderson, Ole Miss
Rather quietly, Henderson leads the SEC at 19.1 PPG. But more people got to know the transfer from Utah thanks to his buzzer-beater last night. Henderson’s launch from 35 feet sent the game into overtime, but that’s not all he did in the 89-79 win against Vanderbilt. He finished with 26 points, and is now averaging 23.0 PPG in conference play.
Glen Rice and Doug McDermott
Season Comparison
Scorer of the Night -- Doug McDermott, Creighton
Playing against the school to which he had originally committed, McDermott scored a game-high 31 points as Creighton beat Northern Iowa 79-68. That’s his fifth 30-point game this season, most in nation.Thanks to 70 points in his past two games, McDermott moved into second in the nation at 24.0 PPG. Statistically, McDermott’s season is starting to look an awful lot like Glen Rice’s senior year at Michigan in 1989 (see chart).
Freshman of the Night -- Nerlens Noel, Kentucky
Noel finished with 12 points, nine rebounds, six blocks and four steals, leading Kentucky to a 75-65 win against Tennessee. He continues to rank in the top 10 in the nation in blocks (fourth) and steals (eighth). No player has done that in at least the past 15 years. Kentucky is 9-2 when he has three blocks or more, and just 2-3 otherwise.
Bench Player of the Night -- Amir Garrett, St. John's
Fresh off a scoreless outing against Georgetown, Garrett provided a spark off the bench as the Red Storm knocked off Notre Dame 67-63. He finished with 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and three blocks. St. John’s has now won five straight at home against Notre Dame, despite the Irish being ranked each time.
Stat of the Night -- Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin upset Indiana at home 64-59 to win its 11th straight against the Hoosiers. That’s tied for the second longest losing streak Indiana has ever had against an opponent. Purdue won 12 straight against Indiana from 1908-14. Wisconsin is also the first team to win five straight at Indiana since 1923.