Rutzick’s Red-Hots is a weekly column dedicated to analyzing the top talent in college basketball. Every Sunday, I’ll highlight five players who had the most impactful individual performances in college basketball over the past week—players who turned heads, shifted momentum, and made a difference for their team.
This week of college hoops did not disappoint. With loads of top-10 teams falling, there were tons of heroes who played their part on the winning side of basketball. Without further ado, here are my “Red-Hot” performers of the week.
Cameron Boozer, freshman forward, No. 3 Duke Blue Devils (25-2)
Boozer had two outstanding performances this week and is proving to be one of the most consistent producers in college basketball. On Monday night against Syracuse, he put up 22 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 80% from the field in a 101-64 stomping. On Saturday, against No. 1 Michigan, Boozer surged for 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, helping his team to a 68-63 statement victory.
The 6-foot-9 freshman is arguably the most dominant forward in the country. His large frame allows him to absolutely bully defenders in the paint, and his finishing touch is NBA-ready. What stands out to me above all in his game is his passing ability. We saw this on display against Michigan when he made an awesome spin-o-rama pass to junior guard Caleb Foster for an open three.
Boozer carries a majority of the workload in this Blue Devils offense, and his numbers speak true to that. He’s averaging 22.6 points and 10 rebounds per game, all while shooting a stellar 52.8% from the field—a testament to extremely efficient basketball.
Collecting rebounds like candy and scoring at will are good reasons why Boozer is projected to go top three in the next NBA draft.
Bryce Hopkins, junior forward, No. 17 St. John’s Red Storm (22-5)
Hopkins was the spark this week for the red-hot Red Storm, serving as senior forward Zuby Ejiofer’s efficient running mate in paint scoring. On Wednesday night against Marquette, he tallied an impressive 23 points with 10 rebounds in a crucial 76-70 victory for the Red Storm. Saturday, in an 81-52 win over Creighton, he had 15 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 60% from the field.
The two-man game that Hopkins and Ejiofor play in the paint is what makes this Red Storm offense so lethal. Hopkins’ passing and cutting ability are second to none, making him an extremely efficient disher and finisher in this offense.
He’s averaging 14 points and six rebounds per game on the season, largely due to his wide frame at 6-foot-7, 225 pounds. He’s an aggressive attacker who can back down almost anyone in his way, and is a major threat to any Big East defender who matches up against him.
The Red Storm has won 14 of its last 15 games with the help of Hopkins and Ejiofor. Don’t count head coach Rick Pitino and his boys out yet, as this team could be a sneaky bracket buster in March if Hopkins and company keep playing like this.
Anthony Dell’Orso, senior guard, No. 4 Arizona Wildcats (25-2)
Dell’Orso absolutely jumped off the page this week, showcasing his stellar shotmaking ability against ranked opponents. On Wednesday night against No. 23 BYU, he tallied an impressive 22 points with four rebounds in a 75-68 victory. On Saturday, in a hard-fought road matchup against No. 2 Houston, he racked up 22 points, four steals, and three rebounds, leading his team to victory.
Dell’Orso averages just nine points per game this season. When I watched him play against Houston, you could’ve told me he was a top scorer in the NCAA this season. He completely controlled the pace of this game, with his three-level scoring ability shining extremely bright. He recorded a series of tough buckets, including two clutch 3-point makes.
He is extremely agile for his size, making him a shifty threat at all three levels of scoring. He can beat a guy wide to the cup, shake a man off of him for an open three with his footwork, or pull up in the mid-range with just the slightest bit of space.
The 6-foot-6, 205-pound guard from Melbourne, Australia, has demonstrated just how deep this Wildcat offense is this year. If he can keep shooting above 50% from the field like he has this week, Arizona will remain a daunting opponent to face going into March.
Alex Condon, junior forward, No. 12 Florida Gators (21-6)
Condon has been the heartbeat for this Gator team that is just now starting to catch its stride. On Tuesday night against South Carolina, he had 20 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists in a 76-62 win. On Saturday, the Gators continued their win streak with a 94-75 victory at Ole Miss, where Condon surged for 24 points, six assists, and four rebounds.
The junior forward was a key part of Florida’s National Championship squad last year, and he’s continued to shine and play a bigger role in the offense this season as his game has progressed.
Condon is most effective in the paint, and he’s displayed his ability to become an efficient scorer in close range. Against South Carolina, he shot 50% from the field; against Ole Miss, 69.2%. His long reach gives him a step up on defenders when he’s driving to the cup, and at 6-foot-11, he’s also always an alley-oop threat when cutting.
The Gators are on a heater right now, having won seven straight, and it’s safe to assume they’ll keep trending upward as long as Condon keeps producing at this rate.
AJ Dybantsa, freshman forward, No. 23 BYU Cougars (20-7)
With BYU star sophomore shooting guard Richie Saunders out for the season with an ACL injury, the Cougars have looked to Dybantsa to carry the bulk of the weight for them going forward. On Wednesday, in a road loss to No. 4 Arizona, he scooped up 35 points and seven rebounds. On Saturday, he tallied 29 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists in a statement 79-69 victory over Iowa State.
Dybantsa is a projected top-three pick in this year’s NBA draft for good reason. He has incredible footwork, allowing him to finish at will from his spots. His mid-range shooting is fantastic, allowing him to make tough, contested shots in the paint. His explosiveness above all else gives him an edge in this league—he can jump out of the gym and is one of the best dunkers in college basketball right now.
In terms of filling production gaps with Saunders, Dybantsa seems comfortable with playing a higher volume of minutes.
“If I need to play forty minutes to win, I’ll play forty minutes to win,” said Dybantsa in a post-game press conference after BYU beat Iowa State.
Although losing Saunders is a severe blow to this Cougar offense, they still have the best scorer in the country (24.8 points per game) in Dybantsa, who can take over any game he plays in.
Key Takeaways
It’s worth noting that every player in this week’s edition is projected to be playing in the NCAA Tournament. These are the players who will do the majority of the damage for their team in March, and it’s these guys who make the difference between a team moving on and one falling.