When do the top college prospects for the 2016 NBA Draft take the floor on Friday for the Round of 64 at the NCAA Tournament? And what will NBA scouts be looking for?More NCAA Tournament Coverage
NCAA Tournament TV Schedule/Viewing Grid
NCAA Tournament NBA Draft Prospect TV Schedule: ThursdayNote: The numbers listed next to players' names are their current standing in the latest iteration of our Top-100 Prospect Rankings
12:15 PM CBS St. Louis, Missouri
#7 Dayton Dyshawn Pierre
vs.
#10 Syracuse #63 Michael Gbinije, Tyler Lydon, Malachi Richardson, DaJuan Coleman
While many analysts felt Syracuse had no business being invited to the NCAA Tournament considering their resume and lack of quality wins, there is no doubt that this will be a tough matchup for Dayton, a gritty team without the same talent-level as the Orange. Look for this to be a low-scoring and not particularly aesthetically pleasing affair.
Dayton has stumbled to the finish line somewhat, with four of their eight losses coming in the last eight games, but few teams are as competitive defensively as the Flyers. It will be very interesting to see what kind of game-plan Archie Miller, one of the most respected young head coaches in the industry, will come up with to counter Syracuse's vaunted 2-3 zone. While Dayton is not a great outside shooting team overall, their three best players, Charles Cooke, DyShawn Pierre and Scoochie Smith, are all very capable from the perimeter.
For the Orange to have a chance of winning this game, they'll need big games from their young and highly talented freshmen Tyler Lydon, Malachi Richardson, and Franklin Howard, who has played an increasingly important playmaking role as of late.
Richardson is probably the most immediate prospect of the group, a well-built and athletic wing who loves to operate in one on one situations, but has seen mixed results when doing so in his debut campaign. Much older than your average freshman at 20 years old, Richardson can do quite a few things well, but has struggled with his decision making and efficiency this season, as does not possess a great feel for the game.
Michael Gbinijie is one of the oldest prospects in the 2016 senior class, but is also one of the most versatile. He has good size at 6'6 and the ability to play either guard spot thanks to his strong ball-handling and passing ability. He's also an excellent perimeter shooter. He's been wildly inconsistent throughout his career, so getting a good game from him will be huge for Syracuse.
Tyler Lydon is likely the best long-term prospect of the bunch. At 6'10, he brings a rare combination of fluid athleticism, 3-point shooting, and timing as a shot-blocker. He's a major sleeper NBA prospect for future drafts.
12:40 PM truTV Brooklyn, New York
#2 Villanova #91 Josh Hart, Daniel Ochefu, Jalen Brunson, Ryan Arcidiacono
vs.
#15 UNC-Asheville
Josh Hart is one of the best two-way shooting guards in college basketball, bringing a strong defensive and rebounding presence with a solid jump-shot, a high basketball IQ and the ability to play multiple positions and roles depending on what's asked of him on any given night. He spaces the floor effectively and is opportunistic with his ability to create his own shot out of pick and roll and isolation situations, where he finishes very well around the basket. Lacking a degree of size and physical tools from a NBA standpoint, a strong NCAA Tournament run will set up Hart nicely going into his senior campaign.
Another player worth keeping an eye on is 6'7 freshman Mikal Bridges, who has shown the ability to guard up to four positions at the college level with his lanky frame and 7'1 wingspan. Bridges is not the most skilled offensive player you'll find, but he's shown some promise at times and has been very efficient in the small role he's been asked to play. He's a long term prospect that NBA teams are just now starting to get an early read on.
1:30 PM TNT Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
#7 Oregon State #49 Gary Payton II, Drew Eubanks, Stephen Thompson
vs.
#10 VCU Melvin Johnson
The main attraction here is Oregon State's point guard Gary Payton II, and his ability to handle a very tough and competitive VCU defense. The Rams don't press as much as they did under Shaka Smart, relying more on their staunch half-court defense to get the job done, but continue to generate a lot of turnovers. Payton's ability to run Oregon State's offense, both creating looks for himself and his teammates, will be paramount for his team to win this game. He's one of the most physically impressive players in college basketball with his strong size, ripped frame and explosive athleticism, even if his lack of a consistent 3-point shot, and at times average decision making, will be something VCU looks to exploit. Payton is a tremendous defender, and there's a good chance he'll see some time guarding VCU's prolific perimeter shooting guard Melvin Johnson, who has range out to the NBA 3-point line.
2:00 TBS Spokane, Washington
#4 California #3 Jaylen Brown, #14 Ivan Rabb, #74 Tyrone Wallace, Jabari Bird
vs.
#13 Hawaii Stefan Jankovic
1:30 p.m., TBS
Shooting 8/42 (19%) from the field the past four games, physically gifted freshman Jaylen Brown (#3) has struggled quite a bit thus far in the month of March. He'll have to re-find his scoring touch for Cal if they are going to have any chance of making a NCAA Tournament run. With Ty Wallace out for the tournament with a broken hand he suffered in practice this week, the Bears will need Brown to handle the ball more than he typically does, and make good decisions.
Ivan Rabb (#14) will have a huge size advantage inside the paint against Hawaii's 6'7 PF Mike Thomas, but may actually be the one tasked with defending their stretch-5 Stefan Jankovic, a Missouri transfer who has a very high skill level. Jankovic averages a robust 24 points per-40 (61% 2P%, 38% 3P%) and can score from all over the floor, but has a reputation for being extremely soft defensively, which makes this an important game from his standpoint as well.
2:45 PM CBS St. Louis, Missouri
#2 Michigan State #13 Deyonta Davis, #19 Denzel Valentine, Bryn Forbes, Gavin Schilling
vs.
#15 Middle Tennessee
The main attraction here for NBA personnel, besides well-scouted Wooden Award candidate Denzel Valentine, is freshman Deyonta Davis, a potential lottery pick. Although he was a McDonald's All-American, Davis was not the most highly regarded player in his class, but has emerged nevertheless thanks to his tremendous physical tools and impressive versatility on defense. Davis has been a very reliable rebounder and rim-protector at the power forward position, helping to compensate for what is otherwise a rather unimposing Michigan State team physically. Although he doesn't produce eye-popping numbers, his ability to switch on screens and stay in front of players big and small has been huge for the Spartans, especially late in games. He came up with back to back defensive plays in the Big Ten Tournament Championship game that essentially sealed the win over Purdue. Casual fans should try and get to know him better as the Tournament moves on, provided Michigan State is able to advance, as there's a pretty good chance the NBA will be calling for him when the season is over.
3:10 PM truTV Brooklyn, New York
#7 Iowa #53 Jarrod Uthoff
vs.
#10 Temple
Few teams have struggled as much as Iowa has late in the season, going from being ranked in the top three of the AP poll to earning a disappointing 7-seed, relative to how they started.
Whether they are able to bust out of their slump will depend heavily on their senior forward Jarrod Uthoff, who at 6'9 is one of the most skilled perimeter players you'll find in college basketball at his size. Uthoff's percentages have fallen to a middling 49% from 2-point range and 28% from beyond the arc over the last ten games, but more disappointing has been the passivity and inability to handle physicality you wouldn't expect from a player turning 23 years old in two months. Uthoff's talent and natural basketball instincts have never been questioned, he is one of the best shot-blockers you'll find for a ¾ combo forward at 3.3 per-40 for example, but his stoic demeanor and lack of toughness in late-game situations has some NBA scouts perplexed.
4:00 PM TNT Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
#2 Oklahoma #9 Buddy Hield, Isaiah Cousins
vs.
#15 CSU-Bakersfield
While Cal-State Bakersfield will certainly be overmatched in terms of talent in this game, and may struggle to score enough points to keep up, it will be fun to see the game-plan they put together to try and slow down Wooden Award candidate Buddy Hield. They do a great job statistically of getting stops, which might give them a chance to keep this game somewhat close if they can find a way to make shots.
Hield has slowed down somewhat over the past month or so, which was probably inevitable after his torrid start, so it will be interesting to see how he's able to perform in the Tournament with much of the attention of opposing defenses (and the entire world for that matter) on him.
4:30 PM TBS Spokane, Washington
#5 Maryland #16 Diamond Stone, #36 Melo Trimble, #51 Jake Layman, #58 Robert Carter, Rasheed Sulaimon
vs.
#12 South Dakota State Mike Daum
Redshirt freshman Mike Daum puts up outrageous per-40 numbers off the bench for South Dakota State, at 29 points and 11.7 rebounds, while shooting a terrific 58% from 2-point range and 45% for 3. He has a chance to show that his numbers are not just the product of playing in the Summit League, where his lack of athleticism isn't as much of an issue at the center position as it might be against better competition.
Daum is a below the rim player with long arms and a strong frame, who gets by on his terrific timing and basketball instincts. He shoots a very funky looking 3-point shot from above his head with a slow release that he's able to throw in the basket with great touch, even without bending his knees. He can use his size and high release point to get his shot off against most big men, even in the mid-range area, which is a nice advantage and something South Dakota State might have to utilize in a game where they are severely overmatched talent-wise.
Daum loves to operate from the short corner, where he can drive in both directions using a deceptively strong first step and finish off the glass using soft touch and crafty counter-moves with either hand. He can also post up a bit, showing strong footwork, body control and the length to use different angles, which will he'll need to use to the fullest to score over the top of the long wingspans of Diamond Stone and Robert Carter. He gets to the line a ridiculous 10 times-per-40 minutes, and converts a terrific 81% of his free throw attempts once there.
Daum's biggest challenge in this game will be his porous defense, which may be compounded by the fact that he needs to guard two of the most skilled big men in the country in Stone and Carter. In the Summit League he often appears simply too slow to guard power forwards and too below the rim to offer any real rim protection, struggling to cover ground or get over the top of screens. This is likely one of the biggest reasons he only plays 20 minutes per game despite being, on paper, one of the most prolific and efficient scorers in college basketball, and will be a huge hindrance to his professional aspirations if he isn't able to address it.
6:50 PM TNT St. Louis, Missouri
#7 Wisconsin #41 Nigel Hayes, Ethan Happ
vs.
#10 Pittsburgh Michael Young, Jamel Artis, James Robinson
This is a sneaky fun matchup between an incredibly versatile combo forward in Nigel Hayes, going up against the strong frame and terrific toughness of Jamel Artis. Hayes has had an up and down junior campaign, seeing his 2P% drop an alarming 13% and his 3P% drop by 9% from last season, as he has been forced to shoulder a significantly larger offensive responsibility in the wake of Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker moving on to the NBA. Still, there is a lot to like about Hayes' excellent passing ability, terrific length and tremendous all-around basketball IQ. Scouts will be looking to see how he deals with the physicality of Artis, and to a lesser extent Michael Young, who will both be looking to go right at the more highly regarded Hayes.
7:10 PM CBS Brooklyn, New York
#3 West Virginia Devin Williams
vs.
#14 Stephen F. Austin
This is an interesting contrast in styles between the full-court press of West Virginia and the methodical offense of Stephen F. Austin, who generate quite a few turnovers themselves on the other end of the floor.
7:20 PM TBS Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
#3 Texas A&M #85 Danuel House, Jalen Jones, Tyler Davis, Tony Trocha-Morales, Alex Caruso, D.J. Hogg
vs.
#14 UW-Green Bay
This is an opportunity for Texas A&M's older players, Alex Caruso, Danuel House and Jalen Jones, to continue to generate positive reviews from NBA scouts after a very successful SEC Tournament showing. Caruso in particular has endeared himself with his excellent size and playmaking ability at the point guard position, coupled with his strong feel for the game, competitiveness defensively and budding shot-making ability. His game doesn't pop the way some guards in this draft do, but he has a number of intriguing characteristics that could very well help him earn a spot on an NBA roster when it's all said and done.
7:27 truTV Spokane, Washington
#1 Oregon Dillon Brooks, Tyler Dorsey, Jordan Bell, Chris Boucher
vs.
#16 Holy Cross/Southern
23-year old big man Chris Boucher is still caught in NCAA limbo regarding his eligibility status for next season, but he's managed to create a really nice backup plan for himself if things don't go well with his appeal. Boucher's timely outside shootinghe made three 3-pointers in the Pac-12 Tournament Championship game for exampleand strong rim-protection ability has quietly intrigued NBA teams, despite his incredibly underdeveloped frame and advanced age.
9:20 PM TNT St. Louis, Missouri
#2 Xavier Jalen Reynolds, Trevon Bluiett, Edmond Sumner
vs.
#15 Weber State #73 Joel Bolomboy, Jeremy Senglin
Weber State big man Joel Bolomboy (#73) hasn't played a single NCAA Tournament team all season besides Summit League champions South Dakota State. With all due respect to the Jackrabbits, NBA scouts will be anxious to see how the physically gifted big man looks against pro-caliber, athletic big men like the ones Xavier can throw at him. 6'10, 23-year old Jalen Reynolds is a physical specimen who should serve as an excellent test for the Big Sky Player of the Year.
While scouts are there, they'll also take a look at the progression of Xavier freshman Edmond Sumner, a tall, athletic and extremely talented point guard who will certainly be drawing interest in coming years. His matchup with Big Sky First-Team All-Conference point guard Jeremy Senglin will go a long way in deciding who wins this game.
9:40 PM CBS Brooklyn, NY
#6 Notre Dame #11 Demetrius Jackson, #88 Zach Auguste, V.J. Beachem, Steven Vasturia, Bonzie Colson, Rex Pflueger, Matt Ryan
vs.
#11 Michigan Zak Irvin, Aubrey Dawkins, Derrick Walton, Duncan Robinson, D.J. Wilson
Demetrius Jackson has had somewhat of an up and down junior season, and will need to get back on track to help Notre Dame win this game. He shot just 4/20 in the ACC Tournament this past weekend, and will need to bounce back if he wants to solidify his standing as a lottery-level prospect heading into the offseason. If he isn't able to assert his will in a game against a point guard with limited physical tools like Derrick Walton and Michigan's porous defense, NBA scouts will have some concerns.
9:50 PM TBS Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
#6 Texas #54 Prince Ibeh, #68 Isaiah Taylor, Kerwin Roach, Eric Davis
vs.
#11 Northern Iowa Wes Washpun
Senior Wes Washpun is not the type of physical specimen you typically find in the Missouri Valley Conference, with his strong frame, long arms and explosive athletic ability. The left-handed Tennessee transfer almost single-handedly carried Northern Iowa to victory in the MVC Tournament, creating offense off the bounce repeatedly in highly impressive fashion, and nailing a pair of pull-up jumpers late to win the game. Just an average perimeter shooter, Washpun's skill-level and feel for the game is still catching up with his physical tools, but you can't teach the way he covers ground defensively, pushes the ball up the floor and creates space in the half-court. While he's had a number of big games against high-major competition, another strong outing in the NCAA Tournament certainly won't hurt his cause.
9:57 PM truTV Spokane, Washington
#8 St. Joseph's #42 DeAndre Bembry
vs.
#9 Cincinnati Troy Caupain, Octavius Ellis, Gary Clark
Few players helped themselves in conference tournament play as much as DeAndre Bembry (#42) did this weekend in the Atlantic 10 Tournament at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Under the watchful eyes of numerous NBA scouts in New York, Bembry had 60 points, 18 rebounds, 15 assists, 5 turnovers and 3 blocks on 24/42 from the field in three games, helping his team win the championship in impressive fashion.
Bembry has a chance to further improve his standing in the eyes of NBA teams with an intriguing matchup with a hard-nosed Cincinnati team, one of the best defensive units in college basketball according to most metrics. The Hawks will need him to make an impact in a variety of area. As a tall ball-handling wing who can do a little bit of everything, Bembry's versatility will play a key role in the Hawks' ability to overcome this strong and athletic group. This is likely the toughest team St. Joe's has faced since early in the season, making it an important game for Bembry from a scouting perspective.