Ten for Tuesday: Where'd these guys come from?
We're shocked at how well each member of Ten for Tuesday is playing this season. You? You're not shocked. Of course not.
1. Tyrus Thomas, LSU: Put it this way: Tasmin Mitchell is not LSU's most productive freshman forward. Mitchell, a McDonald's All-American, hasn't been a disappointment (13.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg) -- but Thomas has been a revelation. A redshirt freshman, the 6-foot-9 Thomas has grown two inches since high school and is averaging 17.3 ppg and 9.0 rpg. He's shooting a ridiculous 82.4 percent from the floor (28-for-34).
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| Cedric Simmons has matured faster than expected for the Wolfpack. (Getty Images) |
3. Randall Hanke, Providence: No Ryan Gomes meant an expanded role for Hanke. But nobody said Hanke had to be this good in his expanded role. The 6-11 sophomore has basically doubled his production from a year ago, averaging 16 ppg and 6.2 rpg and shooting 77.3 percent from the floor.
4. Colorado State: Well, I'm sure as hell surprised. After Colorado State lost leading scorer-rebounder Matt Nelson from last season's 11-17 team, CBS SportsLine.com projected the Rams would finish eighth in the nine-team Mountain West. Oops. Led by 7-foot Jason Smith, Colorado State is 6-0 for the first time in 35 years, with wins against Auburn, Colorado and Denver.
5. Mike Gerrity, Pepperdine: Even if you knew Pepperdine's best player was a freshman guard, you'd never pick this guy out of the layup line. For one thing, he looks 25 years old (he's 19). For another, his hair is heavily gelled into a faux-hawk. And finally he shaves his legs (they say it's a California thing). Everything about this guy screams, "Walk-on!" But then the games starts and ... wow. If he gets a jumper, he'll be a star. Not that he's bad now: 16.2 ppg and 3.4 assists per game.
6. Brian Butch, Wisconsin: He's no project anymore. He's a player. A 2003 McDonald's All-American who redshirted in 2003-04 and was a mild disappointment last season, Butch is averaging 14.7 ppg and 7.2 rpg. More shocking, he has a positive assist-turnover ratio and is shooting 38.5 percent on 3-pointers. The dude's 6-11!
7. Cedric Simmons, North Carolina State: People knew Simmons, North Carolina's high school player of the year in 2004, would be good -- even this good. But not this soon. He's gone from the Wolfpack's 10th man last year to their leading man this year, topping the team in scoring (13.3), rebounds (7.0) and blocked shots (2.7), and placing third in assists (2.2). Against Iowa's bruising front line last week, Simmons had 13 points, 13 rebounds, six blocks and five assists.
8. Calvin Wooten, Oakland: The 6-foot Rutgers transfer is the latest Detroit native to flourish at Oakland. After averaging 3.5 ppg as a Rutgers sophomore in 2003-04 and sitting out last season, Wooten is among national scoring leaders this year at 25.4 ppg. He's efficient, too: 47.7 percent on 3-pointers. And Oakland is 4-1 with a solid win at Bowling Green.
9. Josh Wright, Syracuse: He's finding his way into the rotation after an abysmal freshman season and dismal start to his sophomore year. After playing no role in the first five games, Wright has averaged 9.3 ppg, 6 apg and 2.7 steals in the last three. If it continues, his emergence will open the floor for Gerry McNamara and Eric Devendorf.
10. Sasha Kaun, Kansas: Don't blame Kaun for Kansas' struggles. While the preseason love went to another sophomore, C.J. Giles, Kaun leads the team with 14.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg -- one year after averaging 2.6 ppg and 2.3 rpg.
And five disappointments
1. Cem Dinc, Indiana: At best, the 6-10 Turkish freshman is a project whose Big Ten-readiness was overrated when he signed late. At worst, he's Lucas Steijn. Dinc has played seven minutes and scored two points ... all season.
2. Joe McCray, Nebraska: What's wrong with this guy? After averaging 15.8 ppg as a freshman, the 6-5 wing is down to eight ppg and is shooting 26.8 percent. Selfish? A little. He has 16 turnovers and four assists.
3. Marcus Arnold, Illinois: Arnold, a 6-8 Illinois State transfer, finally contributed Saturday against Xavier (seven points, four rebounds). But his season averages of 3.7 ppg and 2.7 rpg are still less than half of what was expected.
4. Fordham: Seven of the top eight scorers returned from last season's 8-8 Atlantic 10 surprise ... but they didn't come back for this. Fordham is 1-6, with home losses to St. Francis (N.Y.) and Iona.
5. Bernard Cote, Northwestern: Cote, a 6-8 Kentucky transfer, is barely contributing more than he did last year as a redshirt: 1.8 ppg and one rpg. Northwestern leads the country in disappointing transfers, with Duke refugee Mike Thompson producing 1.7 ppg and 3.3 rpg before getting an illness and missing the last four games.
Also receiving votes: Stanford, Manhattan, Taj Gray, JamesOn Curry, Arizona.
