Kevin Durant, Forward, Texas
Kevin Durant is the one of the most talented young players in college basketball. He plays with a type of swagger that may have him in an NBA uniform this time next year.  On his way to becoming the unanimous pick for National Player of the Year, the 6-foot-9 freshman averaged a double-double, 25.1 points and 11.4 rebounds, and destroyed the Big 12 single-season scoring record, averaging 28.9 in conference games. Durant can score at will, and will need to if his Longhorns are to go deep into the Big Dance.

Greg Oden, Center, Ohio State
The 19-year-old full-bearded freshman will bring his 7-foot, 280-pound brick of a body to the field of 65 as one of the most dominant big men in recent memory. He sat out the first few games of the season due to a wrist injury, but he came back in a big way, averaging 15.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game and swatting away any shot that came within his massive wingspan. He was also a vital part of the Buckeyes' Big Ten tournament championship. 

D.J. Strawberry, Guard, Maryland
D.J. Strawberry has proven that he is as versatile a player as anyone in the country. Not only can he make the outside shot, but he is one of the quickest fast break finishers in college basketball. Strawberry was the leading scorer for the Terps, but more importantly, he was the leader throughout the seven-game win streak that closed out the regular season and secured his team a NCAA tournament bid. The shocking loss to Miami in the first round of the ACC tournament may have been a wakeup call for the senior.

Nick Fazekas, Forward, Nevada
Nick Fazekas, a 6-foot-11 first-team All-American, has it all. He has the ability to score and the size to grab double digit rebounds every game. Fazekas is averaging 20.9 points and 11.3 rebounds a game. What makes him most dangerous is not only the stats he puts up, but the consistency with which he has been doing it. He has been named WAC Player of the Year three straight years, which has only been done one other time in league history.

Nate Funk, Guard, Creighton
Senior Nate Funk took over the Missouri Valley Conference championship game, scoring 19 points and dishing out four assists while leading his Bluejays to an upset victory over Southern Illinois. Funk was named conference tournament MVP and also earned a spot on the first-team All-MVC team. If Creighton is able to advance deep in the tournament, it will be on the shoulders of Funk.

Tyler Hansbrough, Center, North Carolina
Despite suffering a broken nose and the bloody mess that followed against Duke, Tyler Hansbrough will continue to be a tremendous force in the paint come tournament time.  One of the best true centers in the nation, Hansbrough ranked third in the ACC in both points (18.8) and rebounds (8).

Acie Law IV, Guard, Texas A&M
No one knows how to deliver in the clutch better than senior guard Acie Law IV. As a first-team All-American selection and catalyst for his Aggies this season, he averaged 18.2 points and 5.2 assists a game. He is one of the most dangerous players in the tournament due to his remarkable ability to take over a game at any time and make the big shot in crunch time. Simply put, opponents don't want the ball in Law's hands in the final seconds of a game.

Jeff Green, Forward, Georgetown
Even though Jeff Green was named Big East Player of the Year, his talent is sometimes overshadowed by his teammate, the 7-foot-2 giant Roy Hibbert. Hibbert may get more attention from the media, but Green showed why he is the leader of this team after guiding the Hoyas to the Big East tournament title and earning them a No.2 seed in the Big Dance. He is as smart and consistent a player as there is in the country, and it reflects in his 13.5 points, 6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

Alando Tucker, Guard, Wisconsin
Alando Tucker, the Big 10 Player of the Year, was second in the conference in scoring in the regular season, averaging 20.1 points a game, and led the Badgers to a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. He is Wisconsin's all-time leading scorer after passing Michael Finley last weekend against Illinois in the Big 10 tournament. Some even say he is the best player to ever come out of Wisconsin. 

Drew Neitzel, Guard, Michigan State
The left-handed sharp shooting junior is the biggest reason the Spartans are even in the NCAA tournament. When they were on the low end of a rollercoaster season, Neitzel directed Michigan State to four straight wins, including a 28-point performance against Wisconsin, which solidified an NCAA tournament bid. Neitzel is a natural scorer and an emotional leader -- a deadly combination come tournament time.

Photos (top to bottom): Courtesy of Texas Athletics, Ohio State Athletics, Mitch Stringer/PressBox, Creighton Athletics, UNC Athletics, Georgetown Athletics.
 
Issue 2.11: March 15, 2007