Big East Tournament 2012: Power-Ranking Best Player on Each Semifinal Team

The 2012 Big East tournament has given fans quite a thrill, and the elite players left will ensure that close games continue to happen. 

Each team is striving to win it all, and they don't care what happened in the regular season. This has been a fresh start for all, and some of the underdogs have made it their personal mission to rise up and above everyone else.

It remains to be seen who will win it all, but one thing's for sure: the best player on each team will do his part to make sure his team is in the running. 

That being said, here are the best players on each remaining team in the 2012 Big East tournament. 

Kris Joseph, Syracuse

Picking the top player for Syracuse is difficult because the team excels as a whole. I give the honor to Joseph, though, because he leads the team in scoring and consistently dominates for the Orange. 

Joseph averaged 14 points on the year, but he's capable of putting up a monster performance on any given night. 

The senior forward is the leader of the team, and he'll continue to do his part to ensure the Orange go far. 

Yancy Gates, Cincinnati 

He may not average the most points on the team, but Gates is a well-rounded player that thrives for the Bearcats. 

This is something he proved in the double overtime win against Georgetown that helped Cincinnati advance. He scored 23 points, showing that his big frame is tough to stop. 

Gates averaged 12 points and nine rebounds on the year, but as we've recently seen, he can dominate the stat sheet. He's a senior leader for the Bearcats, and he'll make sure they reach great success this March. 

Kyle Kuric, Louisville

Kuric is a great senior leader for the Cardinals. He puts the team on his back and is one of the main reasons they're still in the tournament. 

After cruising past Seton Hall, it was believed Louisville would have a tough test against Marquette. Kuric stepped up and made sure that the Golden Eagles would be no challenge, and now he'll try to do the same against Notre Dame.

He averaged just 13 points during the year, but he has the skills to perform at an elite level, which will be needed to reach the finals. 

Jack Cooley, Notre Dame

Cooley doesn't lead the team in scoring, but he is the best overall player for the Fighting Irish. 

He averaged 12.4 points and 8.9 rebounds on the year. The junior forward can score at will, and he is very consistent down low. 

From the field, Cooley shoots 61 percent, which is in the top 25 in the country. While he may have had some off-nights, Cooley typically makes up for it later with an impressive showing.