SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' Lindsay Schnell and Scott Gleeson discuss why predicting this year's tournament favorites is harder than ever. USA TODAY Sports
It's rare for a player to have a disastrous 12-turnover performance in his team's upset loss to an unranked Big 12 foe and then still be considered the front-runner for national player of the year.
But that's how far ahead Oklahoma point guard Trae Young was from the competition, with his nation-leading averages in points (29.5) and assists (9.8). His two outburst performances against TCU were snapshots of one of the most impressive college basketball seasons on display in over a decade — 39 points and a game-winner the first time against the Horned Frogs and 43 points in an overtime victory the next.
All that said, it's January and much of a team's fate will be determined in February and March. While Young's numbers have been jaw-dropping, his ability to make his teammates better and catapult a seemingly unworthy Oklahoma team into the national equation is what makes the spark plug floor general so impressive and a clear-cut No. 1 on USA TODAY Sports' first Wooden Watch top 10 list. But can he keep OU in the Big 12 title hunt and position the Sooners to reach the Final Four in the NCAAs?
Make no mistake, Young is the favorite right now. But as Tuesday's loss to Kansas State illustrated, there's plenty of unexpectedness that can shift things up. That, and don't expect the challengers — namely Duke's super freshman Marvin Bagley III and top-ranked Villanova's veteran guard Jalen Brunson — to not put up a serious fight.
► Here's USA TODAY Sports' first top 10 players list for the 2017-18 season, determined by college basketball writers Lindsay Schnell and Scott Gleeson:
1. Trae Young, Oklahoma
2. Marvin Bagley III, Duke
3. Jalen Brunson, Villanova
4. Deandre Ayton, Arizona
5. Trevon Bluiett, Xavier
6. Devonte’ Graham, Kansas
7. Landry Shamet, Wichita State
8. Jevon Carter, West Virginia
9. Tra Holder, Arizona State
10. Keita Bates-Diop, Ohio State
Honorable Mentions: Miles Bridges (Michigan State), Luke Maye (North Carolina), Grayson Allen (Duke), Allonzo Trier (Arizona), Mikal Bridges (Villanova), Vince Edwards (Purdue), Kyle Guy (Virginia), Collin Sexton (Alabama), Aaron Holiday (UCLA), Joel Berry (North Carolina), Angel Delgado (Seton Hall), Jock Landale (Saint Mary’s), Jordan Murphy (Minnesota), Brandon McCoy (UNLV), Kevin Knox (Kentucky), Keenan Evans (Texas Tech).
HIGHLIGHTS FROM COLLEGE BASKETBALL THIS WEEK
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8 of 46![Oklahoma Sooners forward Brady Manek (35) dunks against]()
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11 of 46![Oklahoma Sooners guard Trae Young (11) drives to the]()
12 of 46![Kansas State Wildcats forward Xavier Sneed (20) dunks]()
13 of 46![South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Frank Martin and]()
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15 of 46![Kentucky Wildcats forward Sacha Killeya-Jones (1) and]()
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21 of 46![Wisconsin Badgers guard Brad Davison (34) drives on]()
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24 of 46![Purdue Boilermakers forward Matt Haarms (32) celebrates]()
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34 of 46![Duke Blue Devils guard Gary Trent Jr (2) reacts against]()
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36 of 46![Miami Hurricanes forward Dewan Huell (20) dunks the]()
37 of 46![Miami Hurricanes guard Ja'Quan Newton (0) trips over]()
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40 of 46![Duke Blue Devils guard Trevon Duval (1) shoots the]()
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42 of 46![Michigan Wolverines forward Moritz Wagner (13) celebrates]()
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