In the world of college basketball, or any level of basketball, one star player may be good — but two stars are definitely better. The five combinations listed below, in no particular order, have shouldered the load for their respective teams, and almost always serve as a barometer for how their teams will perform in any given matchup. There might be a five-on-five game occurring on the court, but these five teams are extremely reliant on the chemistry between their heralded duos.
Le’Bryan Nash (17.2 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.9 APG) & Phil Forte (16.6 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 1.7 APG) – Oklahoma State Cowboys – OSU would simply be lost without Nash and Forte. Their combined average of 33.8 points per game usually comprises more than half their team’s point total in any given game, and the two routinely take turns in leading their team in points. Nash is a bit undersized for post play, but he has proven to be an effective down-low scorer, whenever he’s not hitting his usual pull-up jumpers from mid-range. Phil Forte is a mere 5-foot-11, but doesn’t play like it. He is extremely dangerous from the beyond the arc, where he is averaging 40 percent off of 6.0 attempts per game, and is automatic with his own mid-range game. Forte’s height doesn’t stop him from driving the lane, which affords him several trips to the free-throw line, where he is averaging 84 percent on 5.3 attempts per game. Offensively gifted as he is, Forte competes hard on the defensive end as well, and he leads the Big 12 in steals with 2.1 per game.
Frank Kaminsky (17.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.5 APG) & Bronson Koenig (7.2 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 2.1 APG) – Wisconsin Badgers – Had Badgers point guard Traevon Jackson not gone down with an injury in mid-January, he’d likely occupy the second half of this duo rather than Koenig. Fortunately for Wisconsin, Koening has been much more than a suitable replacement since taking over the starting job. Since Jackson succumbed to a foot injury, Koening has averaged 13.0 points and 2.2 assists per game, while minimizing turnovers and being patient in his shot selection. Koenig’s offensive production has kept opposing defenses honest, allowing for Kaminsky to continue his methodical and efficient work in the low-post. Although Kaminsky is fully capable of Naismith award-winning play regardless of who is playing in the back court, it’s safe to say that Koenig’s play has been a huge benefit to both Kaminsky and the Badgers’ win/loss record — the team is 8-0 since Koenig became the starter.
T.J. McConnell (9.7 PPG, 5.9 APG, 4.0 RPG) & Stanley Johnson (14.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.8 APG) – Arizona Wildcats – The Wildcats owe much of their success to these two, who combine to provide a serious inside/outside threat. Stanley Johnson is one of the best freshman in the country, and a good portion of his impressive offensive production comes via McConnell, who ranks third in the Pac-12 with 5.8 assists per game. Although Johnson does benefit from McConnell’s stellar passing skills, he is fully capable of creating his own shot, and does so often scoring off the dribble and from the wing. Johnson’s production has been growing as the Pac-12 season has worn on, and he has taken over the role of the team’s leading scorer. He is also an effective rebounder on the defensive end, and doesn’t skimp on his defense. Johnson and McConnell lead the team on both ends of the floor, as evidenced by their combined average of 3.7 steals per contest.
Georges Niang (14.7 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 3.4 APG) & Monte Morris (11.0 PPG, 5.5 APG, 3.6 RPG) – Iowa State Cyclones – Georges Niang has received the most attention on this Cylcones team this year, but Monte Morris might be the heart of the team. His 5.5 assists per game is tops in the Big 12, and his assist-to-turnover ratio is a very high 4.7, one of the best in the country. Morris’ command of the game allows space for Niang to operate, and Morris gets him the ball at nearly the precise moment every time. Aside from his passing, his 11.0 points per game comes on an extremely efficient 50 percent field goal shooting. Niang’s production is down a little somewhat from 2014, but there is no doubt that he is playing his best overall basketball in his three seasons in Ames, and much of that success comes as a result of Morris’ nearly flawless command of the floor.
Tyler Haws (22.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.4 APG) & Kyle Collinsworth (13.1 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 5.8 APG) – BYU Cougars – It comes as no surprise that these two combine for the highest point total of the five duos, as they play for the highest scoring team in the country. Tyler Haws, who hasn’t averaged less than 20+ points per game in his entire college career, is also the nation’s leading scorer, and defenses simply have no answer for him. Even with opposing team’s entire game plans focused on stopping him, he scores at will, doing so in a variety of ways. Haws is excellent at driving and drawing fouls, but his specialty is pulling up from 10-15 feet away from the basket off a dish from Collinsworth, who commands much of the defense’s attention himself. Collinsworth recently set the NCAA record with his fifth triple-double of the season on Feb. 7, and came one assist shy of his sixth against Pacific on Saturday. Aside from his solid 13.1 points per game on 48 percent shooting, Collinsworth leads the team in rebounds, assists, and steals per game. The Cougars play with the 11th fastest tempo in the country, and the extra possessions that result are maximized by the efficiency of Haws and Collinsworth. BYU might suffer on the defensive end from their fast-paced offensive approach, but the two players certainly make up for it on the other end, and there is no other tandem in the country that can hang with their offensive production.
