Only three top-10 teams were able to hold on for victories this week, as upsets reigned in a hectic week of college hoops. Let's start this week's prospect watch with the last week's top performer, who wasn't quite the same force in two defeats.
Jonathan Isaac, forward, Florida St. (6-11/205)
Remember how good Florida St. was last week with two wins over top-15 teams? That's exactly how bad the Seminoles were this week. Coming off two wins led by Isaac, the Seminoles went on the road to Georgia Tech and were stunned in a 22-point loss. Isaac was held in check for the entire night in one of his most ineffective offensive nights. He shot just 3 for 10 from the field, missed all four of this threes and had just six points. Normally a force on drives, he didn't make it to the free-throw line once.
He did rebound against Syracuse on Saturday, albeit in another upset loss. Isaac had 19 points on just nine shots and reeled in 12 rebounds. He got to the line 10 times, a season-high, and made eight of his freebies. For a likely stretch-four at the next level, his 82.1 percent free-throw percentage, not to mention his 52.5 percent shooting from the field, are quite impressive.
Dennis Smith Jr., guard, North Carolina St. (6-3/195)
Want to know why Smith is considered a top-five pick in this year's draft? Watch the highlights from what he did at Duke on Monday. Many freshmen would be intimidated by a trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium, but he was the opposite, putting together his season's signature performance in an 84-82 win. He scored a season-high 32 points on 18 shots, made 4 of 6 threes, and got to the free throw line 15 times (only making eight shots). All this with six assists.
Duke sent a wave of different defenders to him, most of whom were taller and simply larger than him. However, he drove past the slower defenders and used his handle to dazzle the rest, getting his shot off whenever possible en route to the comeback win. His best play may have been on defense at the end, alertly stealing the ball from fellow prospect Jayson Tatum as Tatum drove for a tying (or winning shot).
Smith struggled with only eight points in NC State's blowout loss to Louisville, but every prospect had some inconsistency, especially this week.
Markelle Fultz, guard, Washington (6-4/195)
Fultz played 79 minutes over two games this week and took 46 shots. In other words, it was an average week for the Huskies' guard, whose team relies on him for basically everything. In a loss to Arizona State on Wednesday, Fultz made 11 of 23 shots, including four threes, and nearly had a triple-double with eight rebounds and nine assists. His 28 points weren't enough, but it was a display of what makes him great.
Sunday's loss to Arizona (more on the Wildcats below) was a display of the perils of the Huskies relying on one freshman guard. Fultz was able to drive to the basket, but the Wildcats sent everything they had on defense to frustrate him and held him to 8 for 23 shooting and just 16 points. He missed all four of his threes and all four of his free throws. He showed he could finish with both hands, but he didn't do it nearly enough to pull off an upset.
Josh Jackson, guard/forward, Kansas (6-8/203)
On the national stage, Jackson put up maybe his best game of the year as No. 2 Kansas beat No. 4 Kentucky. And that came after another one of his best games, if he hadn't already had a sterling offensive performance Tuesday in a loss to West Virginia. Against the Mountaineers, Jackson was 7 for 12 shooting for 22 points while making all four of his threes. He also dished four assists and four rebounds.
But the Jayhawks needed a win against Kentucky, and Jackson was able to be the offensive catalyst in the 79-73 win. He played 39 minutes and made nine shots (two threes) while grabbing 10 rebounds. All season, we've been waiting for Jackson to find his shooting stroke and he's really started to find it. He's made eight of his last 14 threes and is up to 32.7 percent on the year. He still struggles shooting free throws, but the athletic guard/forward is still a force driving to the hoop with speed and some physicality.
Lauri Markkanen, forward, Arizona (7-0/225)
It was a tale of two different games for the Finnish stretch-four this week. Arizona leapt to No. 7 after beating UCLA last week and responded with two wins over Washington St. and Washington. Against Washington St., Markkanen was his normal self, scoring 16 points on just eight shots while going 4 for 7 from three. He's over 50 percent from three on the season and is having one of the best shooting seasons ever for a seven-footer. Draft Express' Mike Schmitz broke down his impressive shooting this week.
However, while the Wildcats beat Washington, the Huskies ran Markkanen off the three-point line effectively for most of the game. Credit coach Lorenzo Romar for focusing on him defensively (even if they didn't stop the rest of the Wildcats). His first three came after an effective screen, but the Finnish forward couldn't get much going as he dealt with foul trouble. He still finished with 12 points and two threes after a late bucket, but it wasn't his best night.
Quick Hits
• Kentucky freshman guard Malik Monk scored 43 points in two Kentucky losses this week. He took 32 shots, quite the high volume, and was just 5 for 19 from three. He averages 21.7 points per game and shoots 39.6 from three this year.
• UCLA freshman guard Lonzo Ball turned the ball over seven times in an 84-76 loss to USC. He shot 4 for 9 from the field, made two threes and had 10 rebounds while scoring 15 points.
• Duke junior forward Luke Kennard saved the Blue Devils from embarrassment this weekend after the loss to NC State. He scored 34 points on 11 for 14 shooting from the field (6 for 6 from three) to beat Wake Forest on the road, 85-83.