Players To Watch on Day 2 of the NCAA Tournament

A look at all the draft prospects suiting up on Friday - and a listing of when (and where) to watch them.

With one day of tournament action in the books, I'll follow the same script as yesterday - listing the game time and channel for players projected to be first or second-round picks in the 2022 NBA draft.

Game: No. 7 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Loyola Chicago
Time: 12:15 p.m.
Channel: CBS
Players to watch: E.J. Liddell, Malaki Branham (Ohio State)
Liddell averaged 19.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 2.5 assists for the Buckeyes this season en route to being named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press. He's the first player to post at least those averages in each of those statistical categories in a single season since Wake Forest's Tim Duncan in 1997… Branham enters the Tourney on fire. Over Ohio State's final eight games, he averaged 20.6 points while 56.3% from the floor and 85.14% from the charity stripe. Both are legit first-round prospects.

Game: No. 2 Auburn vs. No. 15 Jacksonville State
Time: 12:40 p.m.
Channel: truTV
Players to watch: Jabari Smith, Walker Kessler (Auburn)
Smith is considered by many the odds-on favorite to be the first player to shake Adam Silver's hand as the first overall pick in June's draft. At 6-10", 220, there is a lot to like about Smith's overall game, but what makes scouts drool is his incredible accuracy from downtown. Jabari's jumper is a work of art, and its high relapse point makes it nearly unblockable. On the season, he is 68-of-160 from behind the arc (42.8%) and is averaging over 17 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.3 treys, 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks. Over the Tigers' last seven games, he averaged 23.7 points while shooting 51% (!) from downtown and 85%... Kessler, a 7-footer with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, is the country's most intimidating interior presence, averaging a whopping 4.5 blocks per game this season. He has a chance to crack the top half of the draft.

Game: No. 3 Purdue vs. No. 14 Yale
Time: 2 p.m.
Channel: TBS
Players to watch: Jaden Ivey, Trevion Williams, Zach Edey (Purdue)
Ivey is arguably the most college explosive player in the land. And at 6'4", his combination of size and athleticism makes him almost unguardable in space on the NCAA level. Scouts know he can score, but can he make his presence felt on the defensive end as well? A strong showing this weekend should help him lock up a spot in the top-five overall… Williams and Edey are projected to land in the second round.