We rank the top five players at Madison Square Garden in Saturday’s CBS Sports Classic
Getty Images / USATSI
The CBS Sports Classic kicks off Saturday with North Carolina facing No. 18 UCLA at Madison Square Garden in the first game of the doubleheader. Following the conclusion of that game, No. 4 Kentucky faces Ohio State in a matchup of two first-year coaches.
North Carolina may be off to a slow start to the 2024-25 season, but star guard RJ Davis is still playing at a high level. Davis is averaging 18.6 points and a career-best 4.0 assists heading into the weekend. Davis was a popular pick to win National Player of the Year coming into the season.
When first-year coach Mark Pope took over the Kentucky program following the exit of longtime coach John Calipari, he inherited a roster with zero returning scholarship players from last season. Pope used the transfer portal to land most of his roster, including former San Diego State guard Lamont Butler and Oklahoma guard Otega Oweh. Both players have helped the Wildcats get off to a 10-1 start.
Here are the top five players in the CBS Sports Classic this weekend.
Stats: 18.6 PPG | 4.4 RPG | 4.0 APG
Davis was voted a preseason All-American by CBS Sports coming into the season because he was projected as one of the best (if not the best) guards returning. Davis helped North Carolina win the ACC regular season title before its season ended with a loss to Alabama in the Sweet 16. North Carolina is 6-5 through its first 11 games, and Davis’ scoring may be down from last season, but he’s still a lethal threat whenever he steps onto the court. Davis is coming off a 29-point performance earlier this week in a loss to Florida.
Stats: 15.1 PPG | 4.1 APG | 3.1 RPG
College basketball fans may remember Butler from the Final Four in 2023. Butler knocked down a game-winning jumper at the buzzer to eliminate FAU and send his team to the national title game against UConn. Butler has arguably been Kentucky’s best player through the first month and a half. Butler had a perfect shooting performance against Louisville last weekend. Butler made all 10 attempts from the floor (including six 3-pointers) and finished with 33 points.
If you don’t remember his shot against FAU, here’s a throwback clip.
Stats: 15.7 PPG | 4.0 RPG | 1.4 SPG
The former Oklahoma standout is doing it at both ends of the floor. Oweh is Kentucky’s leading scorer and also one of its top defenders. Oweh is averaging a team-high 1.4 steals and is making highlight-worthy plays on the defensive end. In Kentucky’s game against Duke last month, Oweh guarded Duke star freshman Cooper Flagg in the clutch and forced a key turnover that ultimately sealed the win.
Stats: 14.8 PPG | 5.1 APG | 2.7 RPG
Thornton is averaging 14.8 points and a team-high 5.1 assists for the Buckeyes this season. Thornton has scored at least 20 points in four games thus far, which includes him recording 20 points, five assists and five rebounds in a win over Texas in Ohio State’s opening game. Thornton scored only three points in a loss to Auburn last weekend.
Stats: 7.7 PPG | 5.3 RPG | 2.3 SPG
You may look at Johnson’s offensive numbers and wonder why he’s ranked. Well, turn on the defensive tap, and you’ll see why. Johnson is one of the best on-ball defenders in the country and should be one of the frontrunners to win Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. The USC transfer has been coach Mick Cronin’s most impactful player this season because of what he does on defense. His scoring numbers are down from last season, but it doesn’t matter. He’s the head of the snake of the No. 5 scoring defense (56.8 ppg) in Division l basketball.
