5 players to watch in Saturday’s CBS Sports Classic

Some of the nation’s top college basketball talent descends on Las Vegas on Saturday when three of the top 10 teams in the country visit T-Mobile Arena for the CBS Sports Classic.

Ohio State (8-2) and No. 2 UCLA (11-0) will play at noon, followed by No. 6 Kentucky (9-1) facing No. 7 North Carolina (10-1). Here’s a look at five players to watch in the doubleheader:

JUSTIN JACKSON, JUNIOR, FORWARD, NORTH CAROLINA

Jackson struggled the last time out, shooting 3-for-15 as North Carolina edged Tennessee. But in the Tar Heels’ game just before that, he made seven 3-pointers and scored 27 points.

Jackson averages a team-leading 15.5 points and 29.7 minutes per game. He will be aided by the return of No. 2 scorer Joel Berry, who missed two games because of a sprained left ankle. Berry averages 14.8 points and a team-high 4.7 assists.

LONZO BALL, FRESHMAN, GUARD, UCLA

Ball has transformed UCLA’s offense since arriving on campus. With him running the point, the Bruins are the second-highest scoring team in the country at 97.9 points per game.

Ball is averaging 15 points, and his 8.8 assists per game rank in the top five in the nation. He’s shooting 56 percent from the field, including 45.3 percent on 3-pointers, while averaging a team-high 34.2 minutes.

JAE’SEAN TATE, JUNIOR, FORWARD, OHIO STATE

Tate has improved significantly from last season when he was honorable mention All-Big Ten. He averaged 11.7 points and a team-best 6.4 rebounds last season, and has boosted those averages this season to 13.9 points and 7.3 rebounds.

MALIK MONK, FRESHMAN, GUARD, KENTUCKY

Like Ball, Monk is a high-profile freshman who is quickly climbing NBA Draft boards. CBS Sports projected him as an “electric combo guard capable of scoring big and competing for dunk contest trophies.”

The shooting guard leads the Wildcats with 19.4 points per game and is one of Kentucky’s best 3-point threats, shooting 38.5 percent.

DE’AARON FOX, FRESHMAN, GUARD, KENTUCKY

Monk and Fox knew each other well before they hit the court in Lexington, and their chemistry has helped quickly form a dynamic backcourt.

Fox, the sixth-ranked player in the 2016 recruiting class, is averaging 15.1 points. He also leads the team with 6.9 assists per game and adds 5.4 rebounds a game.

Contact Betsy Helfand at bhelfand@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BetsyHelfand on Twitter.