NIT 2012: Breaking Down Each Remaining Team's X-Factor

When it gets down to the final stages of the NIT tournament, each team's role players can be the difference between winning and going home unhappy.

In the semifinals of the NIT tournament on Tuesday, Minnesota will try to upset No. 1 seed Washington, while Massachusetts will go after Stanford.

Here's a breakdown of each team's critical X-factor.

Washington: Abdul Gaddy, G

The Huskies have three go-to guys on offense in Tony Wroten, Terrence Ross and bench player C.J. Wilcox.

But guard Abdul Gaddy has played well in the NIT tournament. He posted 11 points and 10 assists against Oregon in the quarterfinals, proving to be an effective distributor throughout the high-scoring game. He's racked up 26 assists in three NIT games.

If Gaddy continues to swing the ball across the floor as he has been, I see no reason why Washington can't win the title.

Minnesota: Andre Hollins, G

Freshman Andre Hollins' minutes have fluctuated wildly throughout the season, but he's been a difference-maker for the Golden Gophers in the NIT tournament.

Despite shooting under 40 percent this season, Hollins has stepped up big time when it's mattered for Minnesota. In three NIT games, he's averaged 17 points while shooting 17-of-38 from the field. In effect, Minnesota has scored more than its regular season average in all three games.

In order for Minnesota to keep up with Washington's offensive attack, Hollins is going to have to be his usual NIT tournament self.

Stanford: Dwight Powell, F

Stanford used a whopping 10 players off the bench against Nevada, so finding the Cardinal's X-factor is kind of like finding a needle in a haystack.

But Powell, who's averaged just over 17 minutes this season, has played well in the NIT tournament. He's averaged 10.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in three NIT games while going 14-of-18 from the floor.

In the second round against Illinois State, Powell received 31 minutes, only the fourth time all season he'd been on the floor for 30-plus minutes.

Powell's shooting the ball well and crashing the glass, which should come in handy against a UMass team that prides itself in scoring and rebounding.

UMass: Sean Carter, F/C

Senior big man Sean Carter isn't a leading scorer for the Minutemen, but he's been known to go off on opponents, including against Mississippi State in the first round of the tournament, when he scored 20 points.

But his biggest strength is rebounding. He racked up a combined 22 rebounds against Mississippi State and No. 1 seed Seton Hall.

The biggest thing for Carter against Stanford will be staying out of foul trouble. He's averaged 3.1 personal fouls this season and racked up four fouls in each of the Minutemen's three NIT tournament games.

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