Three Guards to Watch For in 2012-2013 College Hoops Season

The 2012-2013 college hoops season is just around the corner which means quite a few things.  First off, it means that it's time to look at potential National Championship contenders.  It also means that we have to take a look at which players are going to be the up and comers and are going to help lead their teams to the promised land next season.  This year's draft class was one of the most impressive in recent memory, and there is a ton of talent out there on the board.  What that means is that quite a few teams lost a lot of talented players, and it's time for other players to step up.  With that being said, let's take a look at three guards that we should watch out for in the 2012-2013 college basketball season.

Lorenzo Brown – NC State

The NC State Wolfpack come into the season as a top 10 team, and have a ton of hype surrounding them.  So much so that they are actually the favorites to take down the ACC this season, and a huge part of their success will have to come from Lorenzo Brown.  The team has a ton of talent across the board, but Brown fuels this squad.  His pace and ability to score the ball can't be undervalued, and he's also become a very strong passer as well.  Look for Brown to have a massive year for the Wolfpack.

Dez Wells – Xavier

Wells is going to have a big task next season for the Musketeers.  While he's been a solid player, expect his scoring numbers to go up quite a bit as he'll be the go-to scoring option for this team.  Overall Wells can do a little bit of everything on the floor as he's a great athlete, and has the ability to take the ball to the hole or pull up for the jumper if needed.  Wells is going to need to step up in order for Xavier to succeed, and I think that he'll do just that.

Keith Appling- Michigan State

Appling is a junior for the Spartans, and he is actually the only player from last year's team that averaged double figures in the scoring department.  After losing Draymond Green, the Spartans are going to look to Appling to make some big plays at times when they are needed the most.  His defense has been consistently strong, but the team is going to need him to step up on the offensive end.  His percentages dropped quite a bit from his freshman to his junior year in terms of long range shooting.  If he can get the long range jumper back and turn into a serious scorer once again, then he could be the spark that this Spartans team needs.