NCAA Bracket 2012: Power Ranking Most Important Players in East Region

There are plenty of talented plays in the East region of the NCAA Tournament, but a few select stand out as the most important. 

For example, Jared Sullinger of Ohio State and John Jenkins of Vanderbilt are both incredibly talented, but they have a lot of help around them, so they aren't necessarily the most important players in the region.

Here's a look at the players who are.

4. Rakeem Christmas, Syracuse Orange

The Orange are incredibly deep, there's arguing that. But the loss of Fab Melo really hurts them, especially defensively on the interior.

That's a place where Syracuse doesn't have much depth.

The likely candidates to get most of Melo's minutes are freshman Rakeem Christmas and sophomore Baye Keita. Christmas won't have to worry about scoring, but he needs to step up on defense if the Orange want to get past the Sweet 16.

3. Michael Snaer, Florida State Seminoles

Florida State thrives on the defensive end, and Snaer is arguably the Seminoles' best on-ball defender, but that's not what makes him so important.

During the FSU's ACC Tourney run, Snaer picked it up on offense, hitting big shot after big shot. He averaged 18 points and was a big reason FSU was able to average over 76 points per contest.

When the Seminoles are scoring at a high rate, they are a Final Four team. Snaer must score 18-20 points per game and hit from deep for that to happen.

2. J'Covan Brown, Texas Longhorns

If Texas is going get a win or two in this tournament, point guard J'Covan Brown is going to have to put them on his back.

The dynamic guard is averaging 20.1 points on the season while the next highest scorer is Sheldon McClellan, who averages just 11.3.

Brown can score in a variety of ways. He hits over two three-pointers per game and has the ability to get to the hoop. But if he isn't scoring at a high rate, Texas will lose.

1. Kevin Jones, West Virginia Mountaineers

The walking double-double isn't the most exciting player in the country, but he's about as consistent as it gets.

Jones is averaging 20.1 points per game, but he's scored under 14 just once and 30 or more just once. The senior is also averaging 11.1 rebounds, lots of which come from the offensive glass.

If he doesn't go for 20 and 10, West Virginia doesn't have enough help around him to win.  

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