Sophomore guard Christian James, whose 12.7-point average is nearly five points higher than last season, is shooting 50.7 percent from the field after a. Plenty of Sooners holdovers are flourishing with Young getting them the ball in better spots. 26 is tied for the second-highest total in the country this season, but he also matched the NCAA record with 22 assists against Northwestern State on Dec. Sure, Young’s 43-point night against Oregon on Nov. He has seven 20-point, 10-assist performances and three of the nation’s eight 30-point, 10-assist efforts. It’s evident that focusing solely on Young’s scoring ability is simply lazy. The other 19 players who saw action in that contest had nine assists combined. 9 in which Young finished with 27 points and nine assists, Oklahoma has made 486 field goals on the season with Young scoring or assisting on 279, or 57.4 percent. Young’s 35.1 player efficiency rating (PER) also is the best in the country, and his 480 points produced – a metric combining scoring and assists adjusted with 3-pointers weighted more – are 60 more than anyone else in the nation.Īfter the Sooners’ 75-65 win over No. Sooners coach Lon Kruger puts the ball in Young’s hands more than any coach does for any player in the country, and Young responds with efficiency not seen anywhere else.Īccording to, Young leads the nation with a 38.1 usage percentage, which estimates the percentage of plays a team uses a player while he’s on the floor. No, Young isn’t the chucker you might believe from simply watching him launch during those highlight sessions. No one in college basketball history has led the nation in both points and assists per game. It’s Young’s national-leading 10.1 assists per game that stand out given his obvious reputation as a score-first point guard. Young averaged 42.6 points last season as a senior at Norman North just down the road from the Oklahoma campus, so it shouldn’t be too surprising he leads the country in scoring with a 29.2 average. Young is Oklahoma’s offensive facilitator in far more ways than him pulling up from just inside the midcourt logo, which is why he’s on the cusp of an accomplishment not seen in the NCAA in 66 years. 9 and headed for the NCAA Tournament as of Jan. Indulging in those short clips won’t fully capture everything Young contributes to a Sooners team that is 13-2, ranked No. That’s certainly fun, but it’s definitely unproductive. It’s even earned praise from the man himself, who called Young “incredible” and “unbelievable.”īut chances are Stephen Curry and the majority of Young’s growing fan base mostly have evaluated Young’s talent through highlights of the Oklahoma freshman sinking Curry-like 30-foot heaves that appear effortless. Trae Young’s scoring prowess draws easy comparisons to a former Davidson guard of similar stature who’s blossomed into a two-time NBA MVP. Given an opportunity for a baseline layup in the game's final minutes, Simmons instead passed the ball to Matisse Thybulle.Trae Young’s remarkable efficiency has the Sooners’ freshman on track to accomplish something no college basketball player has ever done The well-documented struggles of Ben Simmons continued on Sunday, as he attempted just four field-goal attempts, hitting two in a five-point, 13-assist, eight-rebound effort. He shot just 8-of-24 from the field, a line that includes multiple misses near the basket down the stretch. Tobias Harris was Philadelphia's second-leading scorer with 24 points alongside 14 rebounds and four assists. He also committed eight of Philadelphia's 17 turnovers. Joel Embiid led the 76ers with 31 points and 11 rebounds. The 76ers left the home floor of the Wells Fargo Center to a chorus of boos from a frustrated Philadelphia fanbase. More postseason disappointment for 76ersįor Philadelphia, it's another agonizing playoff exit falling well short of the expectations of a No. Ten of his 21 points arrived in the final quarter. Young finished with 21 points and 10 assists on a 5-of-23 shooting night that saw him connect on just 2-of-11 3-point attempts. Huerter led the Hawks' effort with 27 points and seven rebounds while connecting on 10-of-18 shots from the field. Trae Young struggled but had the last word with the 76ers and their fans on Sunday.
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