Basketball
March is tomorrow, meaning college basketballs teams are in the home stretch of the regular season.
With conference tournaments and the NCAA Tournament impending, 2026 draft prospects are looking to find their groove ahead of games that could boost their stock.
Here were a few standout performances from Saturday’s loaded slate of games:
Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
In taking on a top-16 opponent in Texas Tech, senior forward Joshua Jefferson was able to put together one of this most productive games of the season, totaling 22 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals. He shot 6-for-14 overall, and managed to tack on two more triples to his resume.
Jefferson’s been a standout all-around player all season, and it showed Saturday, despite the loss.
As an aside, his teammate in Milan Momcilovic was similarly potent in the scoring department, adding 20 points on 50% shooting.
Labaron Philon, Alabama
Philon, one of the most electric guards in the country, came off the bench against No. 22 Tennessee, but that didn’t stop him from getting into his game.
He’s added what has become a typical 23 points on 9-for-14 shooting, with two assists and one rebounds. He hit just one of three triples, but managed to get to the line and finish 4-for-5.
Philon’s output against the Volunteers especially highlights how much a threat he is as a downhill scorer, shooting 8-for-11 inside the arc.
Brayden Burries, Arizona
Guard Brayden Burries saw a slow start to the year, but has claim to being one of the top freshman in the country outside of his first five games. He’s not a true point guard, but toes the line between lead and scoring guard well.
He continued to stuff the stat sheet in a big win over No. 14 Kansas, going for 20 points on 60% shooting, 12 rebounds, five assists to zero turnovers and one steal.
Burries is older for a freshman, but his general production and positional versatility should be set to see him taken in the lottery.
Brayden Burries vs. Kansas,
20 points on 60% shooting, 2-for-4 from three, 12 rebounds, five assists to zero turnovers, one steal: pic.twitter.com/JSQxlbWwgn
— Derek Parker (@DParkOK) February 28, 2026
Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt
At 6-foot, Vanderbilt point guard Tyler Tanner is undersized, but that hasn’t stopped him from being one of college basketball’s top producers.
Against Kentucky on Saturday, Tanner continued his hot-streak with 19 points on 9-for-12 shooting, adding six assists to just three turnovers, with three rebounds and two steals.
The Commodores would ultimately fall in an essential blowout loss, but Tanner was a bright spot.
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