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Minnesotan to watch in NCAAs: J.P. Macura

March 14, 2016 at 3:51AM
Xavier's Edmond Sumner (4) and J.P. Macura (55) stand together on the court during a breaking in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Villanova, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016, in Cincinnati. Xavier won 90-83. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) ORG XMIT: OHJM117
Xavier's Edmond Sumner (4) and J.P. Macura (55) stand together on the court during a breaking in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Villanova, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016, in Cincinnati. Xavier won 90-83. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) ORG XMIT: OHJM117 (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Minnesotan to watch

The 68-team field is short on Minnesotans, unlike last year when the tournament featured 10 players from our state. This year, let's focus on just one: the best player on any bench in the Big East.

J.P. Macura (Lakeville North), 6-5 sophomore guard, Xavier

Macura matured from a valuable freshman to one of the MVPs of the No. 2-seeded Musketeers as a sophomore. Big East coaches recently voted him as their Sixth Man of the Year. Macura averaged 9.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists in the Musketeers' record-setting season (27-5, 14-4 Big East). On Feb. 24, he scored 19 points and added three steals in an upset of then-No. 1 Villanova. Macura averaged 11.3 points on 48.0 percent shooting over Xavier's past 13 games.

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He was one of 15 players, and the only Minnesota representative, to be honored during Big Ten media days.

Big Ten Conference Commissioner Tony Petitti speaks during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 26, 2023, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
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