The NCAA Tournament is officially here, and Michigan State fans are busy dissecting the East Region and figuring out which matchups would be best for these Spartans.
Tom Izzo knows the matchups, too, and he has a good idea of which teams he wants to see and which ones he’d like to avoid. The teams he’s probably like to avoid have elite players that could create matchup nightmares for the Spartans.
And these are the three players that I believe will be keeping Izzo up at night over the next few weeks.
1. Cameron Boozer, F, Duke
Stats: 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.5 steals, 56.5% FG, 40.9% 3FG
The most obvious pick here is the best player in America. Cameron Boozer can absolutely take over a game and he did that in the final minutes of the matchup with Michigan State back in December. You can’t tell me that Izzo hasn’t thought about the ending to that game and the fact that the Spartans just couldn’t stop him late.
Boozer was quiet in the first half, Michigan State looked like it was in prime position to win, and then the freshman All-American and future top-five NBA draft pick couldn’t miss. He finished 7-for-13 from the floor for 18 points and 15 rebounds.
Cameron Boozer is as dominant as they come.
2. Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas
Stats: 19.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.5 steals, 44.2% FG, 38.4% 3FG
While Boozer has arguably been the most consistently dominant player in the country this season, I would argue that Darryn Peterson is the scariest.
The talented freshman is considered a top-two NBA draft prospect, and it’s because when he’s on his game, there’s really no one stopping him. The only real gripe people have with him is the fact that he doesn’t seem dialed in at all times. He’s sat out games and subbed himself out of games several times this year, and that makes people question his drive.
I have no doubt that he’ll be motivated during the NCAA Tournament.
3. Zuby Ejiofor, F, St. John’s
Stats: 16.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.1 blocks, 1.2 steals, 55.4% FG
Honestly, Zuby Ejiofor is a name that doesn’t get mentioned enough when talking about the East Region’s best players. He just missed making the first or second All-American teams, but he’s good enough to be on either one, in my opinion.
Ejiofor does a little of everything for St. John’s. He’s a great post presence, can hit the occasional three, he rebounds well, and he averages 3.3 stocks (steals + blocks) per game. Ejiofor is a tough matchup because he’s a big-bodied (6-foot-9, 245 pounds) forward who can stretch the floor a bit but who likes to get physical in the paint.
The senior big man from Garland, Texas, is Big East champ St. John’s’ best player and he went insane during the conference tournament.