He is a player that a coach does not need to approach to make the right decision. He’s someone who fills the role his team needs on a given night (scoring, rebounding, defense, playmaker, etc.). It’s a stat that won’t show up in the score, but you better believe you’ll know it when you see it.
Today’s college basketball water cooler topic: guys in glue.
Some say the glue guys of college basketball have a knack for being that Johnny-on-the-spot type of role player. Others say these players play like an extension of their coach on the field. Ultimately, the reason is the same: they are players with a high basketball IQ.
Sure, athleticism, speed, and strength are always there, but a little basketball knowledge never hurt anyone, right? As such, NCAA.com takes a look at five guys who help steer the ship for their respective teams.
Amile Jefferson – Duke
Anyone who has been in school as long as Duke’s Amile Jefferson should know how to do everything by now. And not only is he a jack of all trades for head coach Mike Krzyzewski, but he’s also been through just about every possible playoff scenario (losing in the first round to Mercer in 2014; winning the national championship against Wisconsin in 2015; losing a regional semifinal to Oregon in 2016), making his mind just as important an asset as his 6-foot-9 frame proved.
Jefferson transformed himself into a double-double machine with four in the team’s first eight games, including a huge 17-point, 15-rebound effort against then-No. 21 Rhode Island on Nov. 20 — but defense has been Jefferson’s hallmark over the years. The Philadelphia-born forward is averaging two blocks per night so far this year, which has helped hold the frontcourt together despite a slew of injuries that continue to plague the Dukies. Jefferson may not light up the stat sheet every night, but he’s the elder statesman on a team that’s loaded with underclassmen. Wherever the Duke team ends up, Jefferson will be in the middle of things.
Ishmail Wainwright—Baylor
Anyone who watched Baylor’s run during the 2016 Battle 4 Atlantis tournament couldn’t have gone more than a few minutes without hearing Wainright’s name yelled by the ESPN broadcasters working the event — primarily Dan Dakich. And for good reason, as Wainwright left his impression on the basketball faithful who showed up to participate in the Alert Tournament. Okay, Johnathan Motley’s weekend in the Bahamas trumps all, but Wainwright is still one of the reasons Baylor is up and running early in his program’s season.
There’s plenty of praise to be given to Motley and point guard Manu Lecomte (12.4 ppg, 5.3 ppg), but Wainwright’s role is a little harder to define. During his time at Baylor, his statistics rarely stood out. So how is it that a player averaging 6.6 points, six rebounds and 4.1 assists has such a big impact? First of all, he makes good, selfless decisions with basketball. Mix that with a tenacious, uncompromising defense, and it’s a hell of a recipe. Wainwright is normally first on the floor after every loose ball, he fights for rebounds, fights for extra possessions and does it all with aplomb. Baylor surely has the flashiness of a top-25 team, but this senior from Kansas City, Missouri, makes sure the Bears aren’t light on substance.
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Thomas Gallois — UCLA
The Bruins have enough wings and guards to fill out two teams, but other than freshman forward TJ Leaf, UCLA is a little thin up front. Enter junior center Thomas Welsh. For all the attention UCLA receives from college basketball pundits, few people are paying attention to the 7-foot center who is averaging a near double-double for the second straight season.
The guards may get the most attention, but the California native is happy to continue cleaning windows and protecting the edge for UCLA head coach Steve Alford.
| Thomas Welsh | Points | Rebounds | Aids | Blocks |
| 2015-16 | 11.2 | 8.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 |
| 2016-17 | 10.8 | 9.8 | 0.9 | 2.5 |
The scoring may be down for the Bruins big man, but that department won’t be a problem for this club. The leadership and toughness that Welsh brings to the table will be much more important as this UCLA team enters the thick of its schedule. But don’t let that disguise the fact that Welsh can be a legitimate scoring threat inside. He has a basketball back that is more than capable and a mid-range jump shot that will be useful to any Bruins guards operating in the open court. If all goes according to plan, Welsh could be the one to get this team operating at full capacity.
Sanjay Lumpkin – North West
If the Northwestern Wildcats want to punch the team’s first NCAA Tournament berth in school history, a lot has to fall on them. They will also need plenty of hustle plays from senior forward Sanjay Lumpkin. His numbers are basically the same as a year ago (3.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game in 2015-16; 6.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 2016-17), but the improvements in his free throw and field-goal percentages have forced head coach Chris Collins’ hand. Lumpkin has a knack for helping extend offensive plays or generating timely rebounds, and he has a reputation as an above-average defender. And an improved ability to score the ball when his number is called has put Lumpkin higher in the rotation at critical time. Lumpkin’s performance against Wake Forest — 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block in a 65-58 victory — included five of NU’s 13 offensive rebounds.
Tres Tinkle — Oregon State
It may be a bit cliché to include the son of Oregon State head coach Wayne Tinkle on this list, but the second-year forward has earned his spot in this starting five for the glue guy. The improvement from his freshman to sophomore campaign was evident, as Tinkle went from being a supporting member and second-leading scorer on an NCAA tournament team a year ago to leading the 2016-17 campaign.
Last year, he was even one of the team’s best options at the 3-point line, albeit in limited performance (29 of 80, 36.3 percent).
| Very Tinkle | Points | Rebounds | Aids | Stolen |
| 2015-16 | 13.1 | 5.4 | 1.1 | 1.2 |
| 2016-17 | 20.2 | 8.3 | 2.3 | 2.2 |
Certainly, the departure of former Beaver Gary Payton II had a lot to do with this year’s change, but Tinkle was advocating for a few extra touches even in the latter stages of last season. A foot injury kept him out of a few games in the Pac-12 Tournament and the team’s eventual loss to VCU in the NCAA Tournament, but the fire was clearly lit for the 6-foot-8 southpaw. inches. He’s been on a tear this year but will have to wait a bit before his next action on the hardwood. Last week, Tinkle broke a bone in his right hand in a loss to Fresno State, but it’s not yet known whether surgery will be needed to repair the injury. according to Danny Moran of OregonLive.com. One thing is for sure, the Beavers will miss Tinkle’s game and score, as Oregon State ranks penultimate in the conference in terms of attendance achievement (12.1 per game) and last scorer in eight games (66.4 points).
