Who has been most Manning-esque?

It's been 20 years since Danny Manning and the Miracles shocked the University of Oklahoma and, well, pretty much the entire college basketball world.

That's right, two decades since the Jayhawks won the 1988 NCAA Tournament, almost entirely on the strength of Danny Manning's individual greatness.

Which got me thinking about which players — at least so far — were the most Manning-esque through the first week of this year's tourney.

That being said, there weren't a ton of individual stars that carried their teams over the first weekend. Sure, Ty Rogers hit the huge shot in the first round to knock off Drake, but it was his Western Kentucky teammate, Courtney Lee, who did most of the damage in the second-round victory against San Diego.

Miami's Jack McClinton lit up Saint Mary's, but the Hurricanes were knocked out by Texas. Jerel McNeal did his best to put Marquette into the Sweet 16, but his 30 points in the second round weren't enough.

And unlike that Kansas team from '88, this year's version of the Jayhawks got their usual balanced scoring and didn't really have anyone stand out.

Even so, we'll give you a rundown of who shined through the first two rounds — and who could join them with stellar performances in the Sweet 16 and beyond:

They've shined so far

1. Stephen Curry, Davidson: He's pretty slight of build to begin with, so his back has to be pretty sore from carrying the Wildcats through the first two rounds. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound baby-faced sophomore shooting guard scored 40 points against Gonzaga and then overcame a slow start to put 30 on Georgetown in what's been the biggest upset of the tournament thus far.

2. Kevin Love, UCLA: The Bruins freshman put up a fairly meaningless 20 points and nine boards in a first-round rout against Mississippi Valley State, but then had the huge shot of the game against Texas A&M in the second round. He put up 19 points, 11 rebounds and 7 blocks against the Aggies to help Ben Howland's club avoid the upset. Love has been a double-double machine all season.

3. Brook Lopez, Stanford: The more skilled of the Lopez twins didn't do much against Cornell, but it was a rout from the outset. However, like the other guys on this list, he stepped up when it mattered most and hit the game-winner in overtime against Marquette. He finished with 30 points in the victory and should be a matchup problem for Texas in the Sweet 16.

4. Tyler Smith, Tennessee: The athletic Vols forward may not dominate in the same manner, but he does it with his versatility. He's a stat-stuffer and has been Bruce Pearl's MVP virtually all season long. He averaged 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds in the first two wins and had six assists against American.

5. Joe Alexander, West Virginia: He didn't shoot a high percentage, but the athletic Mountaineers forward made plays when it counted. He played all 40 minutes against Duke and finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds, two days after putting up 14 points and eight boards in a first-round win over Arizona.

6. Josh Duncan, Xavier: He may not look the part, but the Musketeers' senior big man is a matchup nightmare because of his ability — at his size — to step out and make shots from the perimeter. Duncan averaged 18 points and 6.5 rebounds for a team that has had six guys in double-figures virtually all season.

7. Scottie Reynolds, Villanova: The sophomore guard has been nearly flawless in the first two rounds — and the major reason why the Wildcats advanced to the Sweet 16. He scored 21 points against Clemson and had a terrific all-around game in the victory against Siena with 25 points, eight rebounds, five assists and just two turnovers.

8. Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis: John Calipari's club got numerous contributions, but CDR was the most consistent in both games. He scored the ball, averaging 20 points, and also did a nice job on the glass and distributing to his teammates.

Primed to step up now

1. D.J. Augustin, Texas: He's struggled with his shot in the two tournament games, making just 6-of-22 from the field and averaging nine points per game. However, a matchup against the Stanford backcourt could be just what he needs to get back on track.

2. Russell Westbrook, UCLA: The athletic sophomore guard has been solid thus far, but hasn't broken out with a scoring outburst yet. He's averaging seven points per game in the two wins, but look for him to get it going this week.

3. Darnell Jackson, Kansas:He's been kind of quiet in wins against Portland State and UNLV, but expect him to overpower the Villanova frontcourt.

4. Terrence Williams, Louisville: The way that Tennessee will want to play should provide a platform for the strong and athletic wing to shine. He's shot the ball poorly, but if he limits his long-range attempts, look for him to have a breakout performance against the Vols.

5. Shawn Taggert, Memphis: The Tigers are going to need a lot more from the long and athletic big man than they've received so far.

6. Danny Green, North Carolina: He's one of the few players who hasn't done all that much despite the Tar Heels putting up astronomical numbers in the first two games. He's capable of hurting opponents though and that could be the case against Washington State.

7. Brian Butch, Wisconsin: The Badgers' big man had a difficult time against the athleticism of Kansas State, but the matchup against Davidson should allow him to utilize his skill and post moves with more effectiveness.

8. Robin Lopez, Stanford: He's already been plenty steady over the first week of the tournament, but look for it to continue against Texas.

Jeff Goodman is a senior college basketball writer for FOXSports.com. He can be reached at or check out his blog, Good 'N Plenty.