NEW YORK -- The game was played in the World's Most Famous Arena. The world may not have been watching -- after all, this is the NIT (Not Important Tournament) -- but those who were saw arguably the best individual performance of this college hoops postseason.

	Dajuan Wagner, right, was dominant at times for Memphis, but gave up a career-high 25 points to Alex Wesby.

No kidding.

Memphis' much-ballyhooed freshman sensation, Dajuan Wagner, has been a hot topic all season long. He may actually be the best high school player in recent years to forego the NBA for the college game (doesn't that sound twisted?).

Tuesday night, he owned an NBA floor, although not for the entire 40 minutes. It was difficult at times for Wagner and his Tiger teammates, in a seesaw struggle against Temple. The Tigers got off to a scorching start, taking a 13-point lead late in the first half, and Wagner led the charge with 17 first-half points on 6-of-7 shooting.

But Temple played valiantly -- especially considering the Owls were without leading scorer Lynn Greer (23.2 ppg), who missed the game with a bad ankle sprain. The Owls surged ahead midway through the second stanza, and it was a battle from there.

Wagner was the floor general, and made things look easy early, nailing all three of his attempts from downtown. But then Temple made things much more difficult, coming out of their traditional match-up zone and employing a trapping 1-3-1 defense that took the Tigers completely out of their game.

That included Wagner, who disappeared for nine minutes in the second half. Not only was he stymied and scoreless during that stretch, but he was abused on the other end by Temple's Alex Wesby, who torched him for a career-high 25.

Then it was Memphis' turn to make a move.

Coach John Calipari devised a brilliant plan. "I said, 'Get (Wagner) the ball. Dajuan, make a play,' " according to Calipari. "That was a great coaching strategy."

Wagner made a play. And then about a dozen more. A slam dunk off a baseline drive. A steal. A double-clutch jumper with defenders draped all over him. Another long-range jumper. And a pass.

That's right: A pass.

After banking in a remarkable shot to cut the Memphis deficit to 77-76, Memphis got the ball back with a steal. Wagner caught the ball on the break and drove the lane with under 30 seconds to play. Everyone in the house expected him to go up with it, but he dished to his right, and teammate Kelly Wise dunked in the final two points of the ballgame, giving Wagner at least one more game in his college career.

After that, who knows? Wagner won't discuss the decision he will soon face until after this season, but NBA dreams must have danced in his head as he lit up Madison Square Garden. This could be his home court next season. He certainly looked comfy.

In the eyes of one coach, at least, Wagner was even getting the superstar treatment from the refs when he penetrated. "Naturally we couldn't get a call on that, because referees give great players those plays, all the time," said Temple coach John Chaney. "He's [already] a pro at that."

Is Wagner capable of taking the leap next year? Absolutely. Would he be a lottery pick? Almost certainly. Does he still have a lot to learn? Without question.

Yes, he looked dominant at times. For most of the game, one forgot he's a freshman. His game is smooth. He doesn't need much room to release. And despite being a super scorer, he's unselfish and doesn't force things much.

But during that one second-half stretch, you couldn't forget he's a freshman. He was frustrated on offense, unable to get the ball. He was dominated on defense, lacking intensity at times. And his mind seemed to wander on occasion.

Still, you can't ignore the bottom line: 12-for-18 from the field. 5-for-6 from beyond the arc; five assists. His 32 points equaled his collegiate career high (although it's a far cry from the 100 he scored in a high school game). And most importantly, a W.

His coach, needless to say, was impressed. "(Wagner) is a tremendous young man, who has made us a better team because he's a great teammate," Calipari said. "He's made my life an absolute joy for six months."

That joy may soon come to an end, at least in Memphis (unless the Grizzles get lucky). Wagner may not have made up his mind, but no one will be surprised if he moves on.

"I'll play anywhere," Wagner said after the game. "I just love the game of basketball."

In the meantime, his coach is doing all he can to take advantage of the time Wagner spends on his team, and to teach him as many things as possible. "But some things that he does, like today …" Calipari said wistfully. "I can't teach some of that."

No one can. The kid was blessed when he was born and he's obviously worked hard to develop his skills. And some NBA team is going to feel blessed soon enough.

"He's a great player. There's no question about it," Chaney said. "He has a great chance to be a pro, in my opinion."

No kidding.

Kieran Darcy writes for ESPNMAG.com.