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NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Preview: Wisconsin Goes For Back-to-Back Final Fours

By Nathan Giese

Mar 22, 2015; Omaha, NE, USA; Wisconsin Badgers players and cheerleaders and mascot Bucky celebrate after defeating the Oregon Ducks in the third round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at CenturyLink Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 22, 2015; Omaha, NE, USA; Wisconsin Badgers players and cheerleaders and mascot Bucky celebrate after defeating the Oregon Ducks in the third round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at CenturyLink Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 21, 2015; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Xavier Musketeers center Matt Stainbrook (40) puts up a shot as Georgia State Panthers forward Curtis Washington (42) defends in the first half of a game in the third round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 21, 2015; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Xavier Musketeers center Matt Stainbrook (40) puts up a shot as Georgia State Panthers forward Curtis Washington (42) defends in the first half of a game in the third round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports /

Players to Watch

Wisconsin: Probably the most obvious answer would be the Badgers’ National Player of the Year candidate Frank Kaminsky. However, the play of Sam Dekker in the first two games of the NCAA tournament may be what gets Wisconsin back to the Final Four.

Through the first two games, Dekker has compiled 35 points and seven rebounds while shooting 14-for-27 overall from the field and 7-for-16 from three. His play opens up Kaminsky and allows the offense to flow more freely.

X-Factor: Quietly, Nigel Hayes has had a fantastic season and is playing some of his best basketball down the stretch. Hayes is looking for his shot more, asserting himself in the offense more and more. He’s coming into his own for the Badgers this season and gives them another option to go to whenever they need him.

North Carolina: Marcus Paige‘s play determines how far North Carolina can go, but it’s Brice Johnson that helps take the pressure off of the do-everything guard. Averaging a career-high in points at 12.9 per game and 7.9 rebounds per game, Johnson has had five games this season where he’s scored 20 points or more this season and the Tar Heels are 4-1 in those games.

Getting Johnson going early gives UNC another go-to option in case Paige is heavily guarded or can’t seem to find his shot.

X-Factor: Justin Jackson has gotten it going lately, scoring in double figures in 10 of the last 11 games and shooting 50 percent or better in seven games during that stretch. His ability to score, much like with Johnson, gives more from the backcourt for North Carolina than most nights, which is something the Tar Heels will desperately need to move on.

Arizona: Even with two, maybe three, future NBA players, it’s T.J. McConnell that gets the motor running for the Wildcats. Though he only averages 10.1 points per game, McConnell has scored in double figures in each of the last six games, the longest stretch of the season for the senior point guard. He’s also record five or more assists in 12 of the last 13.

His play predetermines Arizona’s team success.

X-Factor: Gabe York‘s three-point shooting ability gives the Wildcats’ another dimension, as he showed int he win over Ohio State. York shoots the best percentage from three for Arizona at 39.6 percent and went 5-for-9 from the outside and scored 19 points against the Buckeyes.

Xavier: The offense and the defense for Xavier runs through Matt Stainbrook. Stainbrook leads the team in points (12.0), rebounds (6.8) and is second in assists (2.4) per game. Going through the 6-foot-10 senior allows for the plethora of Musketeer guards to operate with much of the defense’s attention focused on Stainbrook.

X-Factor: Remy Abell, the transfer from Indiana, is a pest on defense and shoots the best percentage from three on the team. He’s mostly stuck guarding the opponent’s best player while also leading the offense. Abell’s ability to shoot and defend makes him lethal to go against and makes for a great compliment to Stainbrook’s low post ability.

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