Is Kentucky’s Backcourt the Best in the Country?

In this article, I will be analyzing all three players in Kentucky’s backcourt. I will also be comparing them to other top tier guard groups across the country. I don’t think this is a hard question to answer, but we’ll look into it anyway.

Player Profiles:

Ashton Hagans –

Hagans was projected to be Kentucky’s leader coming into this season, and he’s lived up to that billing. Ashton started the season out very strong, and made a case for himself as the best PG in college basketball. I think that argument can still be made, but he’s regressed as the season has progressed. He’s still one of the best defenders in the country, if not the best. He’s an amazing play-maker, and gets the ball to his teammates. Hagans’ decision-making is questionable and he’s been struggling with turnovers lately. Nonetheless, he’s an amazing PG and brings leadership and grit to this team. Ashton is averaging 11.8ppg, 4.0rpg, and a team high 6.5apg. His 2.0spg leads the team and the SEC. He is a front-runner for the Naismith DPOY award.

Immanuel Quickley –

Immanuel is the surprise player of this group. After averaging just 5ppg last season, he’s emerged as the scoring leader on this team. Quickley is one of the most efficient 3PT shooters in the nation, shooting 43% from three. He leads the team in points per game with 16.2. He’s in the top 10 in the country in free throw shooting, with a 91.5% clip. Immanuel has been on fire lately, scoring 26 against Florida and 30 against Texas A&M. In addition, he doesn’t make mistakes and is one of the most efficient players in the SEC. Immanuel is a leader for the SEC POTY award.

Tyrese Maxey –

Maxey is the third player in this back-court, but certainly holds his own. He is projected to be a top 10 pick in the draft, and is the most skilled player of the three. Maxey has an all around game. He’s one of the best finishers in the country, and can score from anywhere on the floor. Tyrese is a great ball-handler and pesky on-ball defender. He’s also shown the tendency to be clutch. Furthermore, his floater is automatic and he’s a good 3PT shooter. Tyrese is averaging 14ppg, 4.3rpg, and 3.1apg. He is a candidate for SEC Freshman of the Year.

How Do Other Backcourts Compare?

In college basketball, there are obviously fans of other teams and programs who believe their team and players are better than anyone else. Let’s see how other teams compare in terms of guard-play.

Duke:

Tre Jones is one of the best PG’s in college basketball this season. However, this backcourt doesn’t compare to Kentucky’s. Jones may be better than Hagans, but not by much. They don’t have any scorers who match Quickley or Maxey’s abilities. Cassius Stanley is a decent sidekick for Jones, but his 12ppg and 4rpg don’t make up for it. O’Connell and Goldwire don’t contribute much scoring-wise. Duke’s backcourt isn’t really anywhere close to as good as Kentucky’s.

Kansas:

This group is comparable to Kentucky’s as they also have a three headed monster. Devon Dotson, Ochai Agbaji, and Marcus Garrett make up a great core of guards. Dotson’s 18ppg is higher than anyone on UK’s team. Agbaji contributes 10ppg and Garrett contributes 9.4ppg. Garrett is a solid rebounder and playmaker as well. they’re a top 5 backcourt in the nation for sure.

Oregon:

This may be one of the first groups that pops into people’s heads when they think of elite backcourts. Senior Payton Pritchard is putting up 20ppg and 5apg. Chris Duarte is the next man up with 13ppg and 6rpg. Their third in the group is Will Richardson, who also throws in double digit points with 11ppg. Oregon is definitely a top 3 backcourt.

Arkansas:

Lastly, we have a sleeper team. The Razorbacks have one of the best guard groups in the country, but they don’t get talked about because of their record. They are lead by Mason Jones, the SEC’s leading scorer with 21ppg. His 6rpg are among the best in the country for a guard as well. Isaiah Joe is a scoring machine, putting up 16ppg. Their third guard is Jimmy Whitt, Jr. He averages 14ppg and 5rpg. This is the highest scoring guard group in the SEC. They have one of the better backcourts in the country, so they deserve to be on this list.

Conclusion:

There are a bunch of really good back-courts in college basketball this year. Arguments can be made for any of the groups that I just listed (other than Duke, they aren’t that good.) I still think that Kentucky has the best three man combo in the country when it comes to guard play, but it’s all a matter of opinion anyways. Guard-play is extremely important in March Madness, so I would look for these teams to make solid runs in the tournament.

Follow me on Twitter @TaninSmith

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