College basketball's most underrated stars

We know about Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield, but Bone is the guy who makes the nation's top-ranked team motor. The junior is amid a special season, entering the week averaging career highs of 13.3 points and 6.6 assists. He's also posted three double-doubles this season.  

It's not like Booth is an unknown commodity. After all, he leads the defending national champs in scoring with a career-high 18.3 points. Booth, though, is rarely mentioned in the national Player of the Year conversations. That's too bad because he's Kansas' top defender and one of the most complete players in the country.

Some of the best players in the country reside in the Big 12, and Brown might be one most don't know a lot about. They should, considering he's been getting it done for Kansas State for four seasons now. Brown might not be the flashiest player in the nation, but he's certainly one of the more dependable and the true heart and soul of the current Big 12 leaders.

Rui Hachimura is Gonzaga's most dominating player, but Clarke deserves some love. The San Jose State transfer has found a nice rhythm in his first season with the Zags. He ranks among the national leaders while shooting 68.8 percent from the field. Clarke has averaged 19.8 points and 9.8 boards in the last four games.

Cook has been giving Big Ten opponents fits for three seasons while continuing to progress. Averaging team highs of 16.5 points and 8.2 rebounds, Cook should be drawing more attention for Big Ten Player of the Year. Then again, helping the Hawkeyes continue their return to prominence is all that matters.

Tucked away in Pierre, SD, Daum continues to do his thing for the Jackrabbits, who take a nine-game winning streak into Thursday's matchup with Omaha. Though his future as a pro is uncertain, the 6-foot-9 Daum remains an unheralded star in the college game. He's averaged 30.6 points, shot 55.2 percent and pulled down 14.7 rebounds in the last seven games. 

The key to Virginia's success in recent years has been about balance, but in terms of consistent overall play, Jerome is a nice player. Kyle Guy might be a better overall shooter and De'Andre Hunter appears to have more next-level upside, but Jerome is the glue who holds the Cavaliers together.

Luke Maye generally garners a lot of attention on and off the court, while Nassir Little is slated to be a lottery pick, but that seems OK with Johnson. The mild-mannered senior has been plagued by inconsistency this season, but he's still one of the best in the college game and should be the key to the Tar Heels' success come March.

Jones doesn't get the all-world attention like fellow freshman teammates Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett, but there is no denying just how valuable the point guard is to the Blue Devils' cause. Jones was injured early in last month's game with Syracuse, and Duke went on to lose. He knows how to get the team's superstars involved and is clutch enough to come through with a big shot if needed.

Arguably the best player in the Mid-American Conference, Massinburg is the reason why Buffalo could be a bracket-buster come March. The senior's scoring average has increased each season for the Bison, and his playmaking and on-the-ball defensive skills have improved in 2018-19.

Freshman Ignas Brazdeikis has blossomed into Michigan's top offensive threat this season, but Matthews really is the team's heart. The senior was a major reason for the Wolverines' postseason run in 2018, and though his numbers might be down from last season, there's a good chance he'll be needed to come through again when it matters most. 

Expect the Irish to be a force as early as next season, but the junior is laying the foundation for the program's pending resurgence. In his first season as a full-time starter, Mooney is averaging a double-double and has pulled down 13.2 rebounds per contest in Notre Dame's five games against ranked opponents this season.

Another double-double machine, Murphy's scoring average is actually down from last season but his assists are up, and he remains one of the top players in the Big Ten. Minnesota is struggling at the moment, so Murphy has fallen off the radar in terms of national exposure. But that shouldn't take away from the fact the senior has had a stellar collegiate career.

The 6-foot-4 Nowell can be a matchup nightmare for most opponents because of his overall athletic ability. Stanford's KZ Okpala is receiving plenty of NBA lottery love, but Nowell is the best player on what's currently the top team in the Pac-12. However, no team in that conference is ranked, so maybe that's why Nowell doesn't get consistent publicity.  

Louisville is again a major player on the national scene, and the sophomore is a big reason why. The versatile 6-foot-7 Buffalo native has done a little bit of everything during his breakout campaign. Nwora can be a streaky shooter, especially from distance, but the Cardinals wouldn't be in the ACC title hunt without him.

Experienced is the proper way to describe Perkins. A four-year starter who earned an extra season after an injury limited him to five games as a freshman, Perkins has a true love for the game. He's active, pesky and the emotional leader on a team filled with elite talent. His 6.8 assists average is a career high.

The Pirates junior is the Big East's second-leading scorer, opening the week at 21.7 points per contest. The Big East is filled with talented scorers like Markus Howard (Marquette) and Shamorie Ponds (St. John's), but Powell has taken his game to that level as well. He also has one more season of eligibility to consider.

Reddish is a lottery pick; we know that. He's on this list because he doesn't get the attention that teammates Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett garner. Reddish would be the superstar on just about any other team in America, but for the Blue Devils he's a solid presence who goes about his business as maybe the best two-player in the nation.

Just how important is Robinson to the Hokies' cause? Since he suffered a foot injury Jan. 30 against Miami that has him out indefinitely, Virginia Tech is 1-2 minus its point guard. The Hokies are filled with talent, but the senior Robinson keeps it all together. He's the school's all-time leader in assists, and he's averaging a career-high 14.4 points. The Hokies can't get Robinson back quick enough.

Coming over from Virginia, most knew Shayok was a serious talent. However, maybe not to the point he's shown. He ranks among the Big 12 leaders in scoring, beginning the week at 19.3 points. It's tough to think that the Cyclones would be ranked and in the mix for a league title if Shayok and his 50 percent shooting touch were not around. 

Tyree is a special player, and he's shown it this season for the Rebels. The junior recently topped the 1,000-point mark for his career while recording a career-high 31 in a rout of Georgia. Tyree is the guy the rest of the Rebels feed off, and he is a major reason they could be headed to their first NCAA Tournament since 2015.

Cassius Winston is a Big Ten Player of the Year candidate, and Joshua Langford would have been had he not been injured, but Ward is a grinder. He does the dirty work and does it well. He's the kind of guy who seems invaluable come March. Then again, Ward has been that type of player most of his three seasons for the Spartans.

Another team filled with blue-chip talent and solid balance, Kentucky has a number of options for success. Washington, though, might be the most complete and dependable of the bunch. The Wildcats' top scorer and rebounder will get some SEC Player of the Year attention, but that dominating duo at Tennessee stands in the way. Heading into Tuesday's clash with LSU, Washington averaged 20.8 in the previous six contests.   

Waters truly is Mr. Everything for the Tigers. One of the nation's top ball-handlers, Waters has been inconsistent in terms of shooting but his motor never stops. Pretty much everything LSU does goes through Waters, and he seems to thrive on having that responsibility. He also remains one of the best on-ball defensive guards in the SEC.

Among the nation's top scorers, JWF is an extremely talented offensive player who has led Hofstra to its third 20-win season in the last five. He entered this week averaging 26.0 points and shooting 52.0 percent. He knocked down a career-high 48 points in last Saturday's win over William & Mary, going 16 of 24 from the floor and making seven of 12 three-pointers.