College Hoops Barometer: Risers and Fallers

There can be little doubt as to the best conference in college basketball this season, at least through the first two months.  The SEC has officially shed the label of only being a football conference, as the three remaining undefeated programs all reside in the Southeastern Conference.  No. 1 Tennessee is 11-0, while the Florida Gators are 12-0, and the surprising Oklahoma Sooners, a new addition to the conference are 12-0 as well.  Meanwhile, Auburn and Alabama both reside in the top 5 despite having losses, and Kentucky is sitting at No. 10 in the country under the direction of new head coach Mark Pope.  All told, the SEC has a staggering 10 schools in the rankings at this time.  Certainly, a lot can change until March Madness, but for now, the SEC is a cut above.

Let's finish off the year on a high note with the last edition of the College Hoops Barometer in 2024.

Wishing you and your loved ones a happy holidays and a happy, healthy new year!

UPGRADE

Trey Kaufman-Renn, F, Purdue – The shoes of Zach Edey are too big to fill, in more ways than one, but Kaufman-Renn has done a decent job in attempting to fill the void.  The 6-9 junior has gone from a complementary role to the primary option in the frontcourt for the Boilermakers.  Kaufman-Renn is averaging 17.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per tilt.  By contrast, he averaged just 6.4 points and four rebounds per contest just a season ago.  Purdue has played a challenging non-conference slate, but Kaufman-Renn more than held his own against the likes of Ole Miss, NC State and Alabama earlier this season.  With floor general Braden Smith still leading the charge, Purdue could be flying under the radar with the vastly-improved Kaufman-Renn as the centerpiece.

Darren Buchanan Jr., F, George Washington – Buchanan is an underrated sophomore who did not play a full season as a freshman but has not averaged less than 15 points per game through his first two campaigns with the Revolutionaries.  Buchanan is undoubtedly leading the charge for the squad this season, though; through 13 contests, he is averaging 15.5 points, 7.3 rebounds. 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals per tilt.  Though conference play has yet to begin, George Washington is off to an 11-2 start, and should be in the mix in the A-10 along with St. Bonaventure, Rhode Island and Dayton, among others.

Boopie Miller, G, SMU – The Mustangs have made a seamless transition to the ACC, at least from a football and basketball perspective.  SMU's football team made the first ever College Football Playoff, and the basketball squad has started 2-0 in conference action.  The Mustangs are led by their floor general Miller, whose given name is Kevin. He is managing 14.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5.8 dimes and 1.5 steals per contest.  Ironically enough, Miller played in the ACC last season as a member of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and experienced similar success.  As Miller is no stranger to the rigors that come with playing hoops in the ACC, the Mustangs should be set up nicely for a stellar campaign in what should be a massively competitive conference now with a staggering 18 schools.

Keshon Gilbert, G, Iowa State – The Cyclones have one of the best backcourts in the nation with Gilbert, Curtis Jones and Tamin Lipsey.  Gilbert has been the top dog of the trio, though, leading Iowa State in scoring and dishing.  Gilbert is managing 16.5 points and 5.2 assists per contest.  He is shooting a career-best 54.5 percent from the floor, showcasing increased shot efficiency as well.  The Cyclones have an impressive six players averaging double-figures in points, perhaps it is no surprise that they are currently ranked No. 3 in the country.  They can beat you in multiple ways, but it all starts with Gilbert.

CHECK STATUS

Bryce Hopkins, F, Providence – Hopkins played in 14 games last season before tearing his ACL.  He missed the first eight games of the 2024-2025 campaign as he rehabbed from the injury, making a fairly miraculous return to the court in less than a year from the injury.  He played in three games, managing 17 points, 7.7 rebounds and three assists per contest.  Unfortunately, he subsequently suffered from knee irritation, resulting in an additional two missed games.  Though Providence has maintained that the issues are not related, one has to be skeptical of such a spin based upon his recent injury history. When healthy, Hopkins is among the top forwards in the country, but his availability may be in doubt, especially with the lack of clarity from the school on the ailment.

J'Wan Roberts, F, Houston – Roberts has been a mainstay in the frontcourt for Houston, starting a combined 82 games over the last two-plus seasons.  However, he is averaging career-lows as a starter this year with 7.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per contest.  He is also shooting a career-low overall at just 50.8 percent from the field.  In addition, he missed Houston's last game due to a foot issue.  Though the ailment is considered minor, it certainly does not help his recent struggles.  The Cougars are thin up front so Roberts should continue to see a steady dose of minutes when healthy, but his production has remained largely stagnant, or perhaps even gotten slightly worse.

Johnell Davis, G, Arkansas – The transfer from FAU has taken a backseat to a couple of coach John Calipari's former pupils at Kentucky, as well as a talented freshman.  Davis was a key component for some extremely stellar FAU squads over the last few seasons, including one that made a Cinderella run to the Final Four. Davis averaged 18.2 points per contest last season as a member of the Owls.  Now playing for "Coach Cal" in his first year at Arkansas, Dais is averaging just 9.2 points per clash, which is fifth on the team.  Meanwhile, former Kentucky Wildcats Adou Thiero and D.J. Wagner, who came over with Calipari, are two of the top three scorers on the squad.  Likewise, freshman sensation Boogie Fland has been the catalyst for the Razorback offense as the point guard.  Davis has not necessarily played poorly; he has just transitioned into a different role as he integrates himself into a new squad.

Amani Hansberry, F, West Virginia – The Mountaineers were already without the services of Tucker DeVries when Hansberry suffered an injury of his own.  Hansberry left West Virginia's clash against Mercyhurst with a lower body injury.  Fortunately, the injury is not considered serious, and Big 12 play starts with a bang on New Year's Eve with a visit to highly-touted Kansas.  Hansberry is the leading rebounder for the Mountaineers at 6.6 boards per tilt and is third on the squad in scoring behind Javon Small and the aforementioned DeVries.  With Tucker's outlook looking bleak for the short term, West Virginia will need the services of Hansberry as conference play begins.

DOWNGRADE

Zach Freemantle, F, Xavier – One the best players in the Big East will be sidelined indefinitely with a lower body injury.  Freemantle has been with the Musketeers since 2009 but has battled a bevy of injuries throughout his collegiate career.  He has played 30 games in a season just twice, and also missed all of last season after undergoing foot surgery.  He had started all 11 games for the Musketeers this season before suffering yet another injury, averaging 16.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals per clash. Xavier will need big contributions from transfer John Hugley, another injury-prone forward, in the absence of Freemantle.  The Musketeers are thin in the frontcourt and will also need senior Jerome Hunter to help fill the void.  Hunter has received the starting nod in Freemantle's place the last two contests.

Kymany Houinsou, G, Loyola-Chicago – The Washington State transfer was off to a career-best start for his new program, averaging 6.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per tilt.  Houinsou had started all nine games he appeared in for the Ramblers.  Unfortunately, Houinsou suffered a lower leg injury and has missed the last four games.  Loyola-Chicago has provided some clarity on the injury, and it now appears he will miss at least the next month.  Perhaps not coincidentally, the Ramblers have lost three of the four games that Houinsou has missed thus far.  Senior Sheldon Edwards has entered the starting lineup since Houinsou has been shelved and has scored in double-figures in all four of those outings, including back-to-back 20-point games against Canisius and Oakland earlier this month.

Drake Allen, G, Utah State – Allen is another player who started every game for his squad before succumbing to injury. Allen averaged 6.3 points, two rebounds and 3.7 dimes per contest in 11 games for the Aggies.  Allen is at his third school in three years, having previously played at Southern Utah and then Utah Valley State.  Allen had been the floor general for the Aggies but left last week's clash with UC San Diego due to a shoulder issue.  Allen will miss the next 4-6 weeks due to the ailment.  It is a tough blow for the Aggies, who have started the season 11-1.  Fellow senior Deyton Albury received the starting nod in place of Allen last game, but freshman Jordy Barnes could also see an uptick in playing time.