Four more Sweet 16 games will unfold on Friday night as NCAA March Madness rolls on, and several of the top 2013 NBA Draft prospects will be in action. Trey Burke of Michigan has dazzled scouts with his efficiency and his natural feel for pick-and-roll situations, while Ben McLemore has yet to break out in the tournament despite off-the-charts athleticism and prototypical size. Here is a breakdown of where and when the top NBA prospects will be playing on Friday night.
No. 1 Louisville Cardinals vs. No. 12 Oregon Ducks (7:15 p.m. ET, CBS)
Gorgui Dieng - Junior - Louisville: The 6'11 big man is long, athletic and mobile on the defensive end, and he has polished his offensive game to the point that he posted 10.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game for the Cardinals this season. Dieng plays within himself and works to get easy shots on the offensive end. Through two (combined) NCAA Tournament games this season, he's a perfect 9-9 from the field for 20 points to go with 10 rebounds, two blocks and three steals. Dieng currently is currently ranked the No. 24 prospect on the Draft Express Top-100.
Russ Smith - Junior - Louisville: Smith struggled to score the ball efficiently during his first two seasons in college, but the explosive 6'0 guard has made important improvements to his game in his junior season. The mercurial guard is finishing better around the rim and getting to the line more often than ever before, and for the year he averaged 18.4 points per game on 41.6 percent shooting and 34.1 percent shooting from long range. Smith scored 23 points and ripped away eight steals in Louisville's first NCAA Tournament game against North Carolina A&T. He followed that up with 27 points on 7-15 shooting in the Round of 32. Smith is the No. 51 prospect on the DX board.
No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks vs. No. 4 Michigan Wolverines (7:37 p.m. ET, TBS)
Ben McLemore - Freshman - Kansas: McLemore is an explosive athlete who ranks No. 2 on the DX board behind Kentucky center Nerlens Noel. He needs to work on the finer points of his game, but scouts are excited about his prototypical size. It has been a rough tournament for McLemore, however. Through two games he has scored just 13 points on 2-14 shooting. Kansas has been one of the more disappointing high seeds to survive and advance in the tournament thus far, but a big performance against Michigan would go a long way to improving that image.
Jeff Withey - Senior - Kansas: The 7'0 center has improved his draft stock by stifling opponents at the rim this season, and after 12 blocks through two tournament games he is turning heads and generating buzz as a potential mid-first-round pick. Withey is the No. 26 prospect on the DX board, and he can improve his stock by making life difficult for Trey Burke and company on Friday night.
Trey Burke - Sophomore - Michigan: He's been the talk of the advanced stats community for the majority of the season thanks to his efficient style of play and mastery of pick-and-roll situations. He is small (listed at 6'0), but his production speaks itself. The No. 10 player on the DX board rebounded from a lackluster opening game by scoring 18 points and dishing out seven assists to help Michigan knock of VCU in the Round of 32.
Glenn Robinson III - Freshman - Michigan: The son of the former NBA No. 1 overall pick has flashed excellent potential during his freshman season, and after scoring 11.1 points per game through the regular season he has notched 35 points on a remarkable 15-19 shooting to go with 15 rebounds through two NCAA Tournament games. He's the No. 20 prospect on the DX board.
No. 2 Duke Blue Devils vs. No. 3 Michigan State Spartans (9:45 p.m. ET, CBS)
Gary Harris - Freshman - Michigan St.: The No. 23 prospect on the DX board is more of a scorer (13.1 PPG) than a distributor (1.3 APG). He has improved throughout the year, and is now hitting his stride in the tournament. Harris has scored 33 points on 10-20 shooting through two games, including a 23-point outburst against Memphis in the Round of 32.
Adreian Payne - Junior - Michigan St.: The rangy big man is probably best known for his double-clutch alley-oop dunk earlier in the tournament, but his defensive ability and impressive athleticism has pushed him into the second round of the draft (No. 44 on the DX board). He turned heads with five blocks against Memphis, and he can do the same with a strong performance against Mason Plumlee.
No. 1
Mason Plumlee - Senior - Duke: Plumlee is one of the top big men in the draft (No. 12, DX). His matchup with Adreian Payne will be one that NBA scouts focus in on, because those are the types of athletes Plumlee will need to succeed against if he wants to make it at the next level. Cody Zeller didn't fare well against the interior defenders of Syracuse. Plumlee will be looking to put together a better effort on Friday.
No. 3 Florida Gators vs. No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (9:57 p.m. ET, TBS)
Patric Young - Junior - Florida: The 6'9 forward from Jacksonville averaged 10.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in his junior season, and he moved to fringe first-round status as a result (No. 37, DX). Young exploded for 16 points and nine rebounds in Florida's first tournament game, but he posted just five points and seven rebounds in 26 minutes against Minnesota and Trevor Mbakwe in the Round of 32. This isn't a flashy matchup for Young, but a strong performance could help improve his stock.
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