3 players that disappointed in the NCAA tournament
When a team makes a surprise exit from the NCAA tournament, it's usually because of a poor performance from a key contributor. In a win-or-go-home showdown, you need your best player to be at the top of their game if you hope to survive and advance.
Here are three players who didn't rise to the occasion in decisive games:
Luke Kennard - Duke
Kennard was stellar for the Blue Devils this season and arguably their most consistent player, but he had a very underwhelming NCAA tournament. The Duke guard scored just eight points in an opening-round win over Troy and 11 in the stunning loss to South Carolina, both down from his average of nearly 20 points during the season.
To make matters worse, Kennard fouled out after going 1-of-6 from the field against the Gamecocks and gave the internet a meme in the process.
When your professor won't round your 45.9% to a 95% @LukeKennard5 pic.twitter.com/yxQTev0MJI
— Brenda Johnson (@Bjohnson2315) March 20, 2017
V.J. Beachem - Notre Dame
Notre Dame's hopes of reaching a third straight Elite Eight were dashed after a loss to West Virginia in which V.J. Beachem wasn't up to par. Things didn't look good in the first round against Princeton, when Beachem posted just two points, and things didn't get much better. The senior was a dismal 2-of-14 from the field against the Mountaineers, including 1-of-9 from 3-point range. He also pulled in just two rebounds. That's not what the Irish were counting on from a player who averaged 14.5 points per game this season.
There was no way Mike Brey and Co. were going to overcome the Mountaineers with that type of performance from Beachem.
Devonte' Graham - Kansas
Kansas made it all the way to the Elite Eight, though some would consider it a disappointment that the Jayhawks didn't go further after a strong regular season.
Part of the blame falls to Devonte' Graham, who crumbled against Oregon after having an excellent tournament up to that point. The guard only mustered three points against the Ducks and went 0-for-7 from the field after scoring at least 16 points in each of Kansas' three prior tournament games. Graham was a consistent scorer all season for Bill Self, averaging 13.4 points per game, but he was M.I.A. when it mattered most.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)