NCAA Tournament 2013: Talented freshmen making big impact in March

Last year around this time, the top recruits from the Class of 2012 were dreaming of being in the Final Four and possibly the National Championship.

Now that Final Four weekend is upon us, some of those dreams are now a reality.

With a year of college basketball now required before heading to the NBA, the impact of freshmen has become much more significant when it comes to the NCAA Tournament.

This year is far from what we saw last year with the Kentucky team that earned a National Championship led by nearly all freshmen, but that doesn't mean first-year players aren't prevalent in Atlanta this weekend.

This year's Final Four contains 14 true freshmen, five of which were ranked in the MaxPreps Top 100 for the Class of 2012.

For Michigan, the impact of first-year players has been noticeable since the start of the season, with three of their five freshmen in the starting lineup. The three starters were all members of the MaxPreps Class of 2012 Top 100 just a year ago. Glenn Robinson III (No. 39) and Nik Stauskas (No. 99) both notched double-digit scoring averages throughout the season. Mitch McGary (No. 15), led the team in rebounding throughout the season, and has put up impressive numbers in the NCAA Tournament.

It has been different for the other three teams, however. Louisville and Wichita State have seen their runs anchored by experience and veteran leadership. Syracuse has received nice contributions from both of their Class of 2012 MaxPreps Top 100 players, DaJuan Coleman (No. 8) and Jerami Grant (No. 38), but have also been led by a veteran core.

See the entire Class of 2012 MaxPreps Top 100 list

In addition to the freshman in this year's Final Four, some of the most exciting players in college basketball this year were also playing in a high school gym just a short while ago. A number of freshmen led their teams to the "Dance" but suffered and early exit.

While the stay in the tournament may not have lasted as long as some would have wished, a number of true freshmen still made their presence known.

Here's a look at the tournament impact of some of the true freshmen that, just a year ago, were juggling which program best fit their skill set.

High School to March Madness

Anthony Bennett, UNLV, Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), No. 11 in Class of 2012
Just a year ago Bennett was patrolling the key on both ends of the floor for a Findlay Prep squad that only suffered one loss while winning the National High School Invitational postseason tournament. He averaged a double-double, 16.3 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, in his final campaign at the high school level.

A year removed from high school, Bennett seemed to play a similar role for UNLV. He led the team in scoring (16.1 per game) as well as rebounding (8.1 per game) while leading his team to a No. 5 seed in the tournament. After an impressive freshman year at the collegiate level, Bennett is in contention for National Freshman of the Year, as well as being projected as a top prospect for the NBA draft.

Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State, Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas), No. 6 in Class of 2012
Smart ended his senior season at Marcus with a state championship. Although Oklahoma State didn't enjoy the same teams success, Smart's performance did not stray much from what we saw last year.

As a high school senior Smart nearly averaged a double-double, giving Marcus 15.1 points and 9.2 rebound per game. The No. 6 ranked player in the nation, Smart wasted no time getting acclimated at the next level. He led Oklahoma State in points per game (15.4) and set up his teammates for a score 139 times, also a team high. Smart led his team to the NCAA Tournament, although they were bounced by an early loss.

Similar to Bennett, Smart has been widely considered for National Freshman of the Year and has been projected as a top prospect for the upcoming NBA draft.

Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), No. 2 in Class of 2012
Considered the best high school basketball player in the nation by many publications, Muhammad had lofty expectations after ending his high school career with a Nevada State Championship. Muhammad put up an impressive 29.4 points per game while adding 10.1 rebound per game in his final year at Bishop Gorman.

For a UCLA team that was loaded with freshman talent, Muhammad started all but two games in which he played. In an up-and-down season for the Bruins, Muhammad highlighted a team that played its way into the 2013 NCAA Tournament. His 21-point effort in their first game was not enough, and the Bruins saw an early exit.

National Freshman of the Year discussions have included Muhammad's name. A large contributing factor to that, his 17.9 points per game that led all true freshman at the Division I level.

Who's Next?

So who will follow in Bennett's footsteps and average nearly a double-double in his freshman year? Whose offensive skill set will allow him to become the next freshman scoring leader?

Michigan commit Zak Irvin, who nearly averaged a double-double in his senior campaign at Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.), looks like he could have an immediate impact.

MaxPreps national basketball editor Jason Hickman had this to say about the No. 29 recruit in the nation: "A long 6-foot-6, Irvin can handle, create and defend. Assuming there isn't a mass exodus of Wolverine players to the NBA, he has the potential to step in right away and give John Beilein another great option."

New Hampton School's Noah Vonleh, a 6-foot-8 Hoosier commit and the No. 7-ranked player in the nation, is also an intriguing prospect.

"I think Vonleh could step in and have a huge impact for Indiana," said Hickman. "The Hoosier backcourt should be in great shape. But assuming Cody Zeller leaves along with Christian Watford, Indiana will have a need for someone that can do some damage closer to the basket and Vonleh can fill that need."

Whether it's Irvin, Vonleh or another Class of 2013 standout, a freshman will likely steal the spotlight in next year's NCAA Tournament.