As I found out this year when I tried to write a weekly column devoted to just centers, they are becoming a mythical beast. Yes, there are a few around like Kansas' Cole Aldrich, but for the most part big guys like to be called forwards these days. In any case, this is our best guess at the rankings for the pivotmen involved in this year's NCAA tournament.
Cole Aldrich, Kansas Jayhawks
The Big 12's defensive player of the year, Cole Aldrich has shown that he doesn't have to score a ton of points to change the game. Aldrich is averaging 11.2 points and 9.9 rebounds a game. But his real value for the Jayhawks is how he changes the game on the defensive end. He blocks 3.5 shots per game and alters many more. Look for him to feast on Lehigh if they bring the ball into the paint.
Greg Monroe, Georgetown Hoyas
Monroe is one of the best all-around players in the country, and one of the more difficult players to match up in the NCAA Tournament. The lefty can take players off the dribble, pass the ball to teammates, score inside and defend at the other end. At times, he doesn't get enough touches to dominate the interior, as shown by his seven shots in the Big East final. He averaged 16.1 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
Ekpe Udoh, Baylor Bears
Udoh was a pleasant surprise to Big 12 fans after his arrival at Baylor. He started the season with the reputation as a defensive stopper, blocking shots at an amazing pace. But Udoh doesn't just play defense, he can also score and rebound. For the season, Udoh is averaging13.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game. He will be an important factor in Baylor's run during the tourney. Look for him to get out fast against Sam Houston State.
A.J. Ogilvy, Vanderbilt Commodores
Let's just get the negative out of the way first. Ogilvy has regressed in each of his three seasons in Nashville. He averaged a mere 13.4 points and 6.2 boards as a junior, has shared more minutes than expected with Festus Ezeli and is coming off a terrible two point, four rebound effort against Mississippi State. But at 6-foot-11, 250 pounds, Ogilvy has a chance to dominate a small Murray State front line. No one for the Racers who averages 20 minutes is within two inches or 20 pounds of this Aussie, and Ogilvy figures to be the calming force for the 'Dores while Murray State attempts the upset. The Commodores would be wise to look Ogilvy's way early and often in the half court.
Brian Zoubek, Duke Blue Devils
Don't look now, but the ogre that was the brunt of many ACC fans' jokes has slowly rounded into a serviceable option in the post. Scoring will never be Zoubek's forte; he averages just 5.3 points most of which come on dunks and stick backs (see his 62.1% field goal shooting.) But Zoubek is a 7-foot-1, 260 pounder who isn't afraid to be physical. He has also figured out this rebounding thing lately. In his most recent nine games, Zoubek has pulled down 10.2 boards in just 23.7 minutes of action. The Devils are perfectly content letting him clog and crash the middle while there stars rain down three point attempts. You add Zoubek to a nice draw in the South region, and you may be looking at a tournament run Duke hasn't seen in ten years!
JaJuan Johnson, Purdue Boilermakers
The Big Ten's top center continued to show improvement in his junior season. Johnson averaged 15.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks and posted eight double-doubles. He's a versatile big man who can score in the post or step out and hit face-up jumpers. Johnson routinely gets to the foul line and shoots a solid 73.1 percent from the stripe. With Robbie Hummel out, the Boilers have no one else inside, leaving Johnson to shoulder the scoring and rebounding burden. Over the final 15 games, he had seven 20-point scoring games and averaged 17.4 points, and he should be a tough matchup for Siena in round one.
Jason Love, Xavier Musketeers
Love is the one Musketeer who's season ended somewhat quietly. Not that he was a slouch by any means, but he didn't elevate his game late like some of his teammates. But Love's 6 foot 9, 265 pound frame is the anchor to a lineup that boasts three starting guards. On the season, Love put up 11.9 points, grabbed 8.6 boards and swatted 1.5 shots. He is capable of some absolutely huge games (21 points, 19 boards, five blocks against Marquette) and his presence inside openings things up outside for the likes of Terrell Holloway and Jordan Crawford. First round opponent Minnesota features Ralph Sampson and Colton Iverson - two big bodies who played pretty well in a Big Ten Tournament run. Love will be needed to offset these two.
Omar Samhan, St. Mary's Gaels
The 6-foot-11 senior worked hard to shed weight and it has shown in his numbers. He averaged 20.9 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks this year. He was able to dominate with his size in the West Coast Conference and recorded 19 double-doubles. He was held to just nine points in the Gaels upset win over Gonzaga marking the first time all season he scored less than 10 points. It will be interesting to see if his below average athleticism will keep him from scoring so well against better competition. Either way he should be an excellent source of rebounds and blocks. He will face off against Richmond in the opening round and they only have one player that averages more than five rebounds, so he could go off.
Solomon Alabi, Florida State Seminoles
Alabi continues to improve each and every season in Tallahassee, posting career-highs across the board as a junior. While consistency is a tremendous problem, Alabi averages 11.6 points, 6.2 boards and 2.4 blocks while shooting a terrific 54.0% from the floor and 79.5% from the line. That might be the most impressive stat of all for the 7-foot- 1, 251 pounder out of Nigeria. As you might expect for someone his size, Alabi doesn't run the floor particularly well, and fouls can negate his presence in a hurry. If he can stay on the court against Gonzaga, he can make a mark on a game in a hurry.
Dexter Pittman, Texas Longhorns
The big man that anchors the Longhorns is Dexter Pittman. He has averaged 10.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game on the season, but has shown flashes of brilliance when he wanted to. His biggest problem is staying on the court. If a team wants to run up and down, you will likely find Pittman on the sidelines as he can't run like the smaller players. For Texas to make a run, he will need to be on the court, throwing his weight around, and making his presence known in the paint.
Jordan Eglseder, Northern Iowa Panthers
The 7-foot Eglseder averaged 12.0 points and 7.3 rebounds despite playing just 21.8 minutes. He scored in double figures 22 times in 29 contests and posted six double-doubles. After a drunk driving arrest, Eglseder missed three games toward the end of the year but scored 43 points in the four games following his return. His size could provide issues for UNLV, whose main low-post players are 6-foot-8.
Jeff Foote, Cornell Big Red
Most mid-majors don't have effective big men, let alone an Ivy League squad with a 7-footer. Foote is a versatile offensive player who is a difficult match-up due to his skill set. He had eight double-doubles on the season, although did score in single-digits in two of his final three games after dropping at least 10 in the previous eight games. He will have his hands full with Lavoy Allen in the first round.
Keith Benson, Oakland Golden Grizzlies
Benson averaged a double-double with 17.0 points and 10.5 rebounds, and he tossed in 3.4 blocks for good measure. He had 13 20-point scoring efforts and notched a total of 18 double-doubles while barely missing a few others. Few non-Tier 1 teams boast such an accomplished big man, but Benson's slender build (220 pounds) might be troublesome in the first round matchup with Pitt. Still, the Grizzlies faced a number of top teams in the non-conference season, so Benson should know what's in store.