Big East Tournament 2012: Each Remaining Team's Most Important Player

While the remaining Big East field is wide open, if any of these players don't play to their abilities, it won't be. Every one of these teams needs big performances from one player. Without it, they're just Big East tournament also-rans. With big performances from these players, these teams are threats to win at Madison Square Garden and beyond. 

Syracuse: Kris Joseph

While he is the leading scorer for the Orange, the rebounding concerns me a lot more.

For one, Syracuse is one of the top scoring teams in the country, so it has plenty of other options if Joseph is having a problem filling the basket up. Secondly, Big East tournament games tend to be absolute-low scoring grinds, where dominating in the paint is the most important thing. 

That is where Joseph needs to perform. He's the team's third-leading rebounder, bringing down five a night. If that continues, this team is going to be awfully hard to beat. 

But if for whatever reason Joseph is overwhelmed in the paint, Syracuse is going to have a real problem against its Big East foes and in the NCAA tournament. 

Cincinnati: Yancy Gates

Gates is a 6'9", 260-pound senior, and if he avoids trouble, very few players in the country have the makeup to hang with him in the paint. He plays with a toughness that is unmatched and has the frame to go along with it. 

In terms of points, the Bearcats won't need more than about 10 a night from Gates. They'll also need that in the way of rebounds. 

If Gates dominates in the paint, opponents will need to bring in extra big men to handle him. That will create openings for the rest of the Cincinnati team. 

The only problem for Gates could be foul trouble, as his style of play could easily lead to some whistles being blown. But if Gates is on the floor, this team has a man in the middle few teams can stop.

Notre Dame: Jack Cooley

Take a look at Cooley's line against South Florida: nine points and a rebound. 

That is not going to get it done for the Irish if they're going to get to and win the conference finals or have a substantial NCAA run. He was the team's leading rebounder this season and needs to continue that against the tougher opponents. 

Points-wise, Cooley is fine hanging around the 9-13 range. This isn't a player who needs to go out and score 20 or more a night. But against the kind of players we've already looked at, he does need to be more of a force on the boards. 

The Fighting Irish's scoring offense barely ranks in the top 200 in the country. They need to be more efficient inside, which means that the 6'9" Cooley has to be more of a factor. 

Louisville: Kyle Kuric

Someone always has to be different, and that's exactly what Kuric is for the Cardinals. Louisville doesn't have a problem on the glass, as it is one of the country's top 25 rebounding teams. In terms of scoring, it is out of the top 100, and that has to change. 

Kuric is the team's leading scorer, but at marginally over 13 a game, he's hardly a threat  defenses need to sweat over. That needs to change, or this team will not score enough points to win. 

If the Cardinals can get around 20 from Kuric, the rest of the offense looks a lot more daunting. As a swingman, he creates the classic "too big for a guard, too quick for a forward to defend" problem that give defenses fits. 

That needs to take over from here on out. If it doesn't, Louisville isn't going to do well in the rest of the Big East tournament and won't fare terribly well in the NCAAs.

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