NCAA Tournament 2012: 10 Biggest Surprise Players of the Big Dance

Out of those 52 games played in the 2012 NCAA tournament, there haven't been any buzzer-beaters, but to say this tournament lacks the unexpected would be ludicrous. 

The first few games turned out to be all chalk, but the tournament heated up soon after. No region was immune to upsets. 

While some players have exceeded expectations under the tournament microscope, others have crumbled under the magnitude that is the Big Dance. While some stars flickered, others burned brighter than ever.

For better or for worse, here are the surprise players of the 2012 NCAA tournament.

Seth Curry, Duke

Stephen Curry played his best in the NCAA tournament.

His brother, not so much—at least not this year.

Seth Curry isn't the only reason for Duke losing to Lehigh in the NCAA tournament, but his 1-of-9 performance doesn't help his cause. 

For a 39.4 percent shooter from three-point range, shooting 1-of-7 from beyond the arc is a surprise. For a team that relies on the three ball, going 6-of-26 from deep is a recipe for disaster.

Duke losing in their first game is a surprise, especially to a No. 15 seed.

Kim English, Missouri

Kim English and Seth Curry are in the same boat.

They both failed to show up in the NCAA tournament, shocking the nation with abysmal performances en route to a quick exit from the Big Dance. Both were the second-leading scorers for their respective teams.

English dropped a whopping two points against Norfolk State. He played 37 minutes, shot seven times and made only one. 

That's hardly something you expect from a senior who averages over 14 points per game.

D.J. Cooper, Ohio

Ohio is the highest seed left in the NCAA tournament. As a No. 13 seed, they have taken out Temple and South Florida.

No player has been more instrumental in those two upsets than D.J. Cooper. The junior guard has a combined 40 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds. 

His most important statistic, however, is his 52.2 percent shooting from the field. That's a drastic increase from his 35.7 percent shooting on the year, and that increase is what has the Ohio Bobcats in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1964.

Draymond Green, Michigan State

What can't this guy do?

It may not be a surprise for Michigan State or Big Ten fans, but Draymond Green has taken the NCAA tournament by storm. 

In the second round (Michigan State's first game against LIU-Brooklyn), Green recorded just the 12th triple-double in tournament history. 

Green has solidified himself as one of the best players in all of college basketball, and his tournament performance reflects that. In two games, he has 40 points, 25 rebounds, 16 assists and only three turnovers. 

Brady Heslip, Baylor

Brady Heslip hasn't made a two-point basket in the NCAA tournament, and yet he has scored 44 points.

When you think of the Baylor Bears, you think of NBA prospects like Quincy Acy, Perry Jones III and Quincy Miller. The player who has led Baylor to the Sweet 16, however, has been Heslip.

Heslip is an incredible 14-of-22 from beyond the arc (64 percent). His mastery of the three ball has him as one of the surprise players of the 2012 NCAA tournament.

Tu Holloway, Xavier

Xavier is yet another surprise team still remaining in the tournament field.

The Musketeers backed into the NCAA tournament, losing in the Atlantic-10 championship, capping an unimpressive regular season that started off with so much promise.

But Tu Holloway has led Xavier to yet another Sweet 16 appearance with 25- and 21-point games. Many critics wrote off Xavier in the middle of the season after their brawl with rival Cincinnati.

Holloway's hot shooting is exactly what Xavier needs to win, and they could continue their surprising run with another win over Baylor on March 23.

C.J. McCollum, Lehigh

When Lehigh played Duke on March 16, no one expected C.J. McCollum to be the best guard on the floor, but there was no doubt that McCollum captivated broadcasters and viewers alike.

He dropped 30 points, six rebounds and six assists in a monumental 15-over-2 upset. He scored more points than Seth Curry and Austin Rivers combined. 

Their run was short lived, but the Lehigh Mountain Hawks and C.J. McCollum won't be forgotten any time soon.

Kyle O'Quinn, Norfolk State

Like C.J. McCollum, Kyle O'Quinn had a short but historic run in the 2012 NCAA tournament. 

In another 15-over-2 upset, O'Quinn led Norfolk State over Missouri with 26 points and 14 rebounds. No player, for either team, matched that output.

To the surprise and dismay of Duke and Missouri fans, both McCollum and O'Quinn could not match their superb production in the round of 32. 

Marquis Teague, Kentucky

Marquis Teague had a terrible SEC tournament. He scored 17 points through three games, not scoring in the championship game against Vanderbilt and only scoring two against LSU.

But something changed against Iowa State on March 17. Teague produced his best scoring performance of his career, notching 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the floor. He also added seven assists to only two turnovers.

Being the best player on a stacked Kentucky Wildcats team means something, and Teague was just that. If he continues to shoot this well, Kentucky will be a tough team to beat in the NCAA tournament. 

Royce White, Iowa State

Marquis Teague might have been the best player for Kentucky on March 17, but Royce White was arguably the best player on the floor.

White showcased his multi-faceted game against the Wildcats, occasionally going coast-to-coast for a slam, and at other times scoring at will on the low block.

He went for 23 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals before fouling out in the second half. Unfortunately for Cyclones fans, White was the only thing working for the Iowa State offense.

And this wasn't just a one-game outburst for White. Against Connecticut, White was also very efficient from the field (6-of-9), scoring 15 points and adding 13 rebounds against a very strong frontcourt.

White played two of the best frontcourts in college basketball and finished with 38 points (15-of-21 shooting) and 22 rebounds.