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16 Glue Guys to monitor during the 2024-25 season

This is ONLY October!

Check out our list below of 16 Glue Guys to monitor during the 2024-25 college basketball season.

In no particular order:

Hassan Diarra, UConn: The reigning Big East Sixth Man of the Year knows what he’s good at and is good at what he knows. Now back for a fifth season in Storrs, the 6-2 Diarra will play a pivotal role at point guard as the Huskies chase a third straight national title.

Stevie Mitchell, Marquette: An elite perimeter defender, the reliable Mitchell had a total of seven steals in three NCAA Tournament games last March. He also filled in admirably for the Golden Eagles in the 2024 Big East Tournament when Tyler Kolek was out of the lineup, averaging 11 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in three games at Madison Square Garden. Mitchell’s intangibles have quietly had a major hand in Marquette’s resurgence under Shaka Smart.

Jerome Hunter, Xavier: Hunter didn’t play a single minute last season due to injuries, but was a key member of the Musketeers’ run to the Sweet 16 in 2023. If healthy, he’ll be one of the top utility players in the sport. The 6-8 Hunter averaged 13.7 points and 5.7 rebounds in three games in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

J’Wan Roberts, Houston: Kelvin Sampson has built the Cougars’ program by consistently winning 50/50 plays. Roberts has had a hand in many of those. Undersized yet effective at 6-7, Roberts always seems to get his work done against bigger opponents. He had eight or more rebounds on 16 separate occasions last season.

Jahmai Mashack, Tennessee: Rick Barnes calls Mashack a “fix it” guy. It’s easy to see why after you watch him play. A fierce perimeter defender who will often guard the opponent’s best offensive player, the 6-4 Mashack will be a key ingredient for the Vols in 2024-25.

Mason Gillis, Duke: Gillis was a key utility player for Purdue last season when the Boilers advanced all the way to the national title game and he’ll hope to have a similar role this season in Durham. Capable of stretching the defense on offense or guarding the low post on defense, the 6-6 Gillis is as comfortable in his own skin as any player in college basketball.

Adou Thiero, Arkansas: Thiero averaged 10.3 points and 6.8 rebounds in games last season at Kentucky where he logged 25 minutes or more. At Arkansas, he’ll be a key utility guy for John Calipari. The true hoops junkies love the 6-8 Thiero as a small-ball power forward — I’m one of them!

Ian Schieffelin, Clemson: The unsung presence of the Tigers’ run to the Elite Eight last March, the 6-8 Schieffelin had 11 double-doubles last season and averaged 14.8 points and 9.0 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament. This guy truly fills the mortar in between the bricks.

Richie Saunders, BYU: Saunders won the heart of former BYU and now Kentucky head coach Mark Pope and it says here that he’ll quickly do the same with Kevin Young. A versatile piece who does all the little things, the 6-5 Saunders regularly dethrones his opponents with nothing except sheer will. The Cougars’ ability to retain Saunders augmented their chances of returning to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.

Cam Matthews, Mississippi State: Like a Queen on a chessboard, Matthews can be moved all over the floor and put in different spots. Capable of guarding five positions defensively, the 6-7 forward has had a major hand in back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the Bulldogs under Chris Jans.

Juwan Gary, Nebraska: Fred Hoiberg’s decision two seasons ago to play bigger and make Gary his primary small forward altered the course of his tenure in Lincoln. Nebraska is 21-4 over the last two years in games where the 6-6 Gary scores in double figures.

Matthew Nicholson, Northwestern: It’s a shame a that a leg injury forced Nicholson to miss the end of last season because without him, there’s absolutely no way that the Wildcats would have been a part of March Madness in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history. This 7-foot center has been an interior anchor for Northwestern in each of the past two years and does all the little things that don’t show up in a box score.

Michael O’Connell, NC State: Kevin Keatts’ decision to expand O’Connell’s role prior to the ACC Tournament is a major reason why the Wolfpack advanced all the way to the Final Four. This kid has gotten every single ounce out of himself as a basketball player and should again be a key factor for NC State in 2024-25 as a fifth-year point guard.

Chad Baker-Mazara, Auburn: Bruce Pearl always plays a deep and balanced rotation, but Baker-Mazara is a special piece to the Tigers’ puzzle. Versatile and skilled at 6-7, Baker-Mazara is capable of playing multiple positions on the floor and flourishing in every single one of them. He averaged 10.7 points last March when Auburn won the SEC Tournament.

Latrell Wrightsell, Alabama: The Crimson Tide were 10-0 last season when Wrightsell scored in double figures and his timely shot making was a major reason why Alabama advanced to the Final Four for the first time in program history. Remember the name.

Andersson Garcia, Texas A&M: Garcia doesn’t start for the Aggies, but he’s undoubtedly one of their most important players. One of the top rebounders in college basketball despite only being 6-7, Garcia had 16 games last season with 10 or more rebounds and two games with 17 or more rebounds.

Leftovers