FRESH FIVE

A season after Kevin Durant was the national player of the year and another freshman, Greg Oden, became the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, a new group is making an impact. A weekly look at how UCLA’s Kevin Love and USC’s O.J. Mayo stack up against the best of the freshman class:

Michael Beasley, Kansas State

* Season stats: 26.3 ppg, 14.9 rpg.

* What he has done lately: With a career-high 40 points and 15 rebounds in a victory over Winston-Salem State, Beasley continued to stake his claim as nation’s top freshman, at least statistically. He also had 24 points and 10 rebounds against Florida A&M.;

* What’s ahead: Saturday vs. Wagner, Monday vs. Xavier at Cincinnati.

Eric Gordon, Indiana

* Season stats: 23.5 ppg, 45.3 3-pt FG%.

* What he has done lately: Gordon went an uncharacteristic one for nine from three-point range and made only two of 13 shots overall in a 15-point performance against Coppin State.

* What’s ahead: Saturday vs. Chicago State.

Kevin Love, UCLA

* Season stats: 16.7 ppg, 10 rpg.

* What he has done lately: Love took only eight shots against Michigan but finished with 17 points and 16 rebounds.

* What’s ahead: Saturday vs. UC Davis.

O.J. Mayo, USC

* Season stats: 19.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg.

* What he has done lately: The Trojans guard had a season-high six assists against Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and scored 18 points while shooting a solid six for 10.

* What’s ahead: Saturday vs. UC Riverside.

Derrick Rose, Memphis

* Season stats: 15.9 points, 4.3 apg.

* What he has done lately: After a stretch that included several subpar games, Rose scored 26 points against Cincinnati and had 18 points and six assists in a victory over then-No. 5 Georgetown.

* What’s ahead: Saturday vs. Arizona.

-- Robyn Norwood