March isn’t just about who’s ranked highest or recent streaks; it’s about which teams can trust their star players when everything’s on the line.
The best teams have multiple players to lean on in the biggest moments. But even that isn’t always enough. Today, I’m going to look at the top-performing duos from this week and analyze the strengths and weaknesses that could make or break their team’s NCAA Tournament run.
Junior guard Morez Johnson Jr. and junior center Aday Mara – No. 3 Michigan Wolverines (27-2)
Michigan had its hands full on Friday night when they walked into the State Farm Center to face off against No. 10 Illinois.
The Wolverines controlled the pace for the majority of this matchup, with Mara and Johnson leading the way. Mara surged for 19 points with five rebounds and two blocks, while Johnson complemented his dominance with 19 points and 11 rebounds, leading the team to an 84-70 stomping. Both were extremely efficient with Mara shooting 88% from the field and Johnson adding a strong 60%.
The bad news for Michigan is that sophomore guard L.J. Cason is out for the year after suffering a torn ACL at the end of the first half. Another concern is the lack of production from junior point guard Elliot Cadeau in recent big games. Against Illinois, he shot 33% from the field with only seven points. Against Duke, he shot just 12.5% from the field with eight points.
The good news for the Wolverines is that Johnson and Mara have been incredibly consistent all year. Johnson is averaging 13.4 points and 7.4 rebounds on the year, all while shooting 65% from the floor. Mara is averaging 11.4 points per game with 6.9 rebounds on 67% shooting.
Even with Cason sidelined for the rest of the season, this roster is stacked with players capable of stepping up at any moment. Outside of Johnson and Mara, senior forward Yaxel Lendeborg and senior guard Nimari Burnett remain reliable leaders who can take control of the game when needed, making this team a force to be reckoned with in the tournament.
Junior forward Pryce Sandfort and freshman forward Braden Frager – No. 12 Nebraska Cornhuskers (25-4)
Nebraska wins by shooting the lights out from three. It’s that simple.
Saturday against USC was no different. Coming into a packed Galen Center for a game that USC desperately needed to win, these two forwards exploded for a combined 49 points. Sandfort scored 32 points – including five three-pointers – with six rebounds and two steals, while Frager added on 17 points with eight rebounds to seal an 82-67 win on the road for the Cornhuskers.
These two are both top-three scorers for the Huskers this year, and they shoot the ball with extreme efficiency. Frager is a 50% shooter on the year, and Sandfort is just behind him, shooting 47.9% on average. Both standing at 6-foot-7, the impact of these two doesn’t end at the three-point arc. They can efficiently cut for open layups and drive to the rim with ease. Against USC, Frager and Sandfort combined for 31 points inside the arc, demonstrating the elite two-level scoring within this Husker offense.
Nebraska’s shooting ability is extremely strong, but what happens when they have an off-shooting day? Well, we saw that in a 75-72 loss to Michigan, when they made only one three-pointer in the second half. In a 57-52 loss to Iowa, they shot 33% from the field and made only five three-pointers.
This Husker team has the talent to make a serious March run, but its success will hinge on shot-making from stars like Frager and Sandfort. If they stay hot, Nebraska could be every opponent’s worst nightmare. But if the shots don’t fall, even their depth might not be enough.
Junior center Motiejus Krivas and freshman guard Brayden Burries – No. 2 Arizona Wildcats (27-2)
Arizona got its get-back against No. 14 Kansas at home on Saturday in an 84-61 win. Leading the way for the Wildcats was Brayden Burries, who had 20 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 60% from the field. Motiejus Krivas controlled the paint and added 13 points with 12 rebounds, shooting 75% from the field. The combo played extremely efficient basketball and once again demonstrated how deep this Arizona team really is.
Burries is a very flashy guard who shines when driving to the cup. His speed, combined with his controlled finishing, makes him a serious driving threat whenever the Wildcats have the ball. On top of that, he’s a 37% three-point shooter who can spark it effortlessly when left with a little bit of space.
Krivas, on the other hand, is an immovable object in the paint. At 7-foot-2, guarding him is a near-impossible task for many bigs in the Big 12 conference. Leave him with an ounce of space, and the next moment that ball is already dunked over your head.
Arizona’s offense is arguably the most dangerous in the NCAA this year, shooting 50.2% from the field on the year. The most powerful part about their scheme is that they rely mostly on inside buckets. They sit at 27–2 despite attempting only 481 threes. The only question is whether they can keep up with a team that has an outstanding three-point shooting night.
When you surround a more-than-capable big man like Krivas with dynamic scorers such as Burries and freshman forward Koa Peat, your offense is built for long-term success as we’ve seen all season, and it would be no surprise to see the Wildcats on the biggest stage in April.
Senior guard Peter Suder and junior forward Almar Atlason – No. 21 Miami (OH) Redhawks (29-0)
Miami Ohio remained red-hot this week, picking up two more road wins, including a tight 69-67 win against Western Michigan. Suder led the way with 18 points and three rebounds, shooting 53% from the field, while Atlason added 16 points and three rebounds, shooting 55%. Suder let his midrange and driving abilities shine, attempting no three-pointers, while Atlason shot 3-for-7 from beyond the arc.
The Redhawks were trailing 63-58 when Atlason drilled a three while getting fouled, pulling his team within one. Suder also had a game-tying lay-up in the middle of the second half, keeping Miami in the fight for the rest of the game.
Miami Ohio’s offense is very similar to Nebraska’s, but the difference is that the Redhawks have always found a way to come out on top this season due to the help of Atlason and other scorers. While they have been nothing short of spectacular so far this season, this may change down the road when they face much tougher opponents outside the Mid-American Conference.
Regardless of the conference they play in, however, the Redhawks deserve credit where it’s due. Winning 29 straight games is extremely difficult, no matter what conference you are in. Stars like Suder and Atlason are capable of driving this team on a deep run in the tournament, but they’re going to have minimal room for error when they start playing tougher opponents.
Senior guard Latrell Wrightsell and sophomore guard Labaron Philon Jr. – No. 17 Alabama Crimson Tide (22-7)
Alabama has been surging lately, most notably with a 71-69 road win at No. 22 Tennessee on Saturday. Latrell Wrightsell exploded for 25 points on 66% shooting, while Philon added 23 points on 64% shooting within the arc.
It was raining threes all night in Knoxville, as Wrightsell shot 6-for-9 from three helping the Crimson Tide stay in control late. Philon notched a crafty game-winning two-pointer when the Tennessee big man switched onto him in the final seconds of the game, driving in and fading away for an easy two.
The high-powered Alabama offense runs through Philon, Wrightsell, and sophomore guard Aden Holloway. The issue they’ve run into this season is their lack of defensive pressure against high-powered teams. They’ve given up more than 90 points in five of their seven losses, and while some of these matchups were close, it’s incredibly tough to win against good teams when you need your offense to score every possession.
Alabama can score at will, and with Wrightsell and Philon playing like this, it’s hard to argue that they won’t make some noise in the tournament. However, keep in mind that an off night from any one of these players could result in their season coming to an end in the big dance.
Final takeaways
These dynamic duos pack the firepower for deep March runs, but tournament chaos punishes flaws like cold nights or defensive gaps. When brackets drop, the duos that survive their flaws will advance while the rest go home early.