Adair to dream: Loyola freshman a headline act

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There may not have been any groundbreaking changes to the top 10 rankings this week, but there were certainly several notable performances across the last seven days that made the week that was an intriguing one.

The week was headlined by a truly emergent performance from Loyola Maryland freshman Emmett Adair - the fourth game of his college career proving to be his breakout party with a 29-point, seven-rebound performance carrying the Greyhounds to a big win over Coppin State.

He backed it up with 3 points against Hampton in his most recent outing, so consistent output will be a process, but it was a fantastic glimpse of his long term potential.

We also saw a season best performance from Will Johnston, a fellow Sydney-sider that transferred to Richmond for his final college hoorah. His 19 points was a team leader as Richmond knocked off Belmont.

NCAA Men's Power Rankings

1. Alex Condon

2. Oscar Cluff

3. Anthony Dell'Orso

4. Max Mackinnon (up)

5. Austin Rapp (down)

6. Joel Foxwell

7. Caleb Van De Griend

8. ⁠Charles Johnston (up)

9. Tuburu Naivalurua

10. Jayden Stone (down)

This week's top performers

Emmett Adair - 29pts, 7reb vs Coppin State

Adair’s breakout performance. In his fourth game of college basketball, Adair scored inside and out, including three triples, to carry Loyola Maryland across the line against Coppin State.

Anthony Dell’Orso - 16pts, 3reb, 3ast vs Norfolk State

Dell’Orso remains a consistent contributor for a very strong Arizona team this season.

Dell'Orso continues to show his ability to score at every level, getting to the line for nine free-throw attempts in a big win against Norfolk State.

Alex Condon - 12pts, 10reb vs Duke

Condon had a headline matchup against top projected draft pick Cameron Boozer.

It was a slow start for the Aussie big man, but he ended up with a solid double-double, including six offensive boards. Ultimately a tough outcome with Boozer finishing with 29 and Duke getting the one-point victory.

Oscar Cluff - 10pts, 5reb, 4ast in 17 mins vs Eastern Illinois

The big man was slightly quieter against Rutgers in their most recent game, his eight points a season low, but his output against Eastern Illinois was incredibly solid.

Most notably, some of Cluff’s offensive metrics demonstrate he has had an immense impact on that end of the floor (see the tweet below)

Max Mackinnon - 12pts, 7reb, 2ast vs Boston College

Sitting at 8-0, LSU are having a fantastic start to the season and Max Mackinnon continues to be a big reason why.

He’s scored in double digits for four consecutive games, and while the Tigers were tested in an overtime battle against Boston College, Mackinnon’s 12 points and seven boards helped get them over the line. He’s firmly secured his spot as a big minutes player in a relatively tight LSU rotation.

Fraser Roxburgh - 18pts, 10reb vs Army

Former Adelaide 36er development player Fraser Roxburgh has quietly been having a sophomore season to remember for Manhattan, with averages of 13 points and seven rebounds per game.

It was tough overtime loss to Army in their most recent game, but Ruxburgh kept things competitive with a team high 10 rebounds and equal team high 18 points.

Caleb Van De Griend - 14pts, 10reb in 21 mins vs Kansas City

Van De Griend has been playing modest minutes despite fantastic output for Idaho State, but he only needed 21 minutes to put up this double-double against Kansas City. The Perth big man continues to demonstrate elite toughness and motor on the glass.

Austin Rapp - 13pts, 3reb, 2st vs Northwestern

It was one to forget for Austin Rapp against TCU early in the week, going 1-from-6 from the field along with three turnovers for two points, but it took no time for Rapp to get back to form against Northwestern, knocking down three triples on route to 13 points despite a move to the bench.

Will Johnston - 19pts vs Belmont

It’s been a much quieter season for Will Johnston after making the jump from LMU last season, but Johnston had a career high 33 minutes against Belmont. He made the most of them too, with a season high 19 points on 7-from-10 from the field.

Josh Dent - 14pts, 6ast, 3reb, 2blk vs Virginia Tech

Dent continues to find form with the Gaels, putting up another well rounded stat-line against a big program in Virginia Tech. His ability as a floor general has made him a key piece for Saint Mary’s so far this season.

About the Author

Michael Houben is an Australian basketball writer and scout based in Melbourne, Victoria. As well as covering the game as a journalist, Michael supports US colleges to identify and recruit Australian talent as the owner of Airtime Scouting, and supports grassroots athletes through Airtime Basketball.