Sweet 16 2012: 4 Players That'll Struggle Mightily Under Pressure

The NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16 makes heroes out of those who rise to the occasion. On the other hand, the players who fail to live up to expectations will not fulfill their promise for a Final Four berth.

Many of these athletes are playing under enormous stress from fanbases to send their squad to New Orleans. 

Here are four players that will give in to that pressure this weekend.

Stilman White, North Carolina

Head coach Roy Williams has indicated that his team will prepare for their Sweet 16 matchup assuming they will be without starting point guard Kendall Marshall.

That’s good news for the Ohio Bobcats. Bad news for Stilman White.

North Carolina’s backup point guard has a similar playing resume to a McDonald's All-American. He has seen limited minutes in ACC play this season, posting more personal fouls than points or assists.

Now he's going to get thrown into the fire: starting in a Sweet 16 NCAA tournament game.

To make matters worse, White will have to guard Ohio’s dynamic guard D.J. Cooper. Cooper has been ready for the national spotlight, with some clutch plays in the final minutes in wins over South Florida and Michigan last weekend.

It’s a lose-lose situation for Heels Nation. White better be a quick learner or his team will fall short of the Final Four for the fourth straight year.

Even if the Tar Heels manage to defeat the lowest-seeded team in the Sweet 16, Tyshawn Taylor and Kansas await the point guard-less Tar Heels.

Could North Carolina pass Go and trade 200 dollars for a point guard?

Perry Jones III, Baylor

In one play, Perry Jones makes a move that makes him look like the best player on the floor. Then you’ll wonder where he went for the rest of the game.

That has been Jones’s recurring narrative ever since he entered Waco two years ago. The potential of the 6’11” forward could blow off the roof of a basketball arena. He plays like a guard and can use his length and athleticism to bully taller opponents.

That is, if he decides to show up. He’s currently averaging a mere 4.5 points on 29 percent shooting in two tournament games.

Jones left a lot of money on the table in the NBA to play in the NCAA tournament. He has yet to show that he really wants to be there.

In their Sweet 16 matchup with Xavier on Thursday, Jones will most likely have to defend the 7’0” big man Kenny Frease. The Bears will need a conscious defensive effort from Jones to keep the Xavier center in check.

Unlike Jones, Frease is playing up to expectations, scoring 25 points and grabbing 10 boards in the Round of 32.

At this point, if he can contribute double digits on the offensive end, that will be a bonus. Scott Drew will have to rely on more reliable scorers Pierre Jackson and Brady Heslip to carry the scoring load. Jones has been too mercurial this postseason to run the offense through him.

Hopefully Jones will respond positively to the pressure and finally have his breakout NCAA tournament game.

At this point, though, it may be wishful thinking.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette

The last time Darius Johnson-Odom faced off against a pressure defense, the Marquette senior looked like a freshman.

The Golden Eagles' leading scorer had trouble adjusting to Louisville’s full-court press, giving up six turnovers in their 84-71 loss in the Big East Tournament semifinals. The defense also affected his usually knockdown three-point shooting, going 2-of-7 from long range.

He was not the only Marquette player to struggle with the Cardinals’ defensive pressure. The Golden Eagles had 25 turnovers, their largest total by far this season.

Somewhere, Billy Donovan is smiling. His Florida Gators has been using a full-court press all season.

Expect him to unleash the hounds against Marquette and defend full court when Johnson-Odom is on the floor.

Look for the Gators to blanket Johnson-Odom with Scottie Wilbekin, Florida’s lock-down defender off the bench. Wilbekin is not a volume scorer, so he will focus on shutting down Johnson-Odom for the duration of his minutes. 

He may still get his points, but if the Gators can give Johnson-Odom fits, they'll fluster a dynamic part of Marquette's offense. Complementary scorers Davante Gardner and Vander Blue will be called on to pick up the scoring load, but neither averages double-digit scoring.

In four of Marquette’s six losses this season, Johnson-Odom has had more turnovers than his average 2.8 giveaways. Florida will try to make that trend hold true.

Cashmere Wright, Cincinnati

Cashmere Wright has been gaining national popularity during this NCAA tournament, and not just for his fantastic name.

Don’t expect the announcers to be calling his name for stellar play on Friday night. Not being defended by Aaron Craft, anyway.

If there was an NCAA All-Defensive Team, Craft would surely be on it. His on-ball defense is well known throughout the college ranks. The Ohio State point guard is one of the main reasons why his team has the highest defensive efficiency rating in the Sweet 16.

Wright has not faced such a solid on-ball defender playing him man-to-man since Peyton Siva, who outplayed him in the Big East Tournament.

With Craft draped on him all night, this may be Wright's toughest matchup yet. The Bearcats may have an athletic advantage over the Buckeyes in some respects, but with their point guard flustered, it may spell doom for Cincinnati’s Elite Eight hopes.