NCAA Tournament 2012: Players in March Madness with the Coolest Names

The NCAA Tournament is always a great opportunity for college basketball fans to learn more about teams and players across the country.

This includes familiarizing ourselves with some of the niftiest names in the sport.

Some of these players are already household names, like Scoop Jardine and Victor Oladipo, but others are guys we've never heard of. Some names roll right off the tongue, and others are awesome because they're so zany.

Check out this list of players in March Madness with the coolest names.

Honorable Mention

Dezmine Wells, Xavier

Mackey McKnight, Lehigh

Jamal Olasewere, Long Island

Wesley Witherspoon, Memphis

Casper Ware, Long Beach State

Myck Kabongo, Texas

Deividas Dulkys, Florida State

Gregory Echenique, Creighton

Khalif Wyatt, Temple

Ivo Baltic, Ohio Bobcats

Ivan Aska, Murray State Racers

Ivan Aska is a catchy name, and it became a household name in Murray, Kentucky as he provided a presence for the Murray State Racers in the paint.

The 6'7" forward rebounded the ball well in the NCAA tourney, but his squad still fell to Marquette in the round of 32. Aska amassed more than 1,200 points throughout his career at Murray State.

Nigel Snipes, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Nigel Snipes only played four minutes in Western Kentucky's first-round loss to the Kentucky Wildcats, but he had the best name in the game.

Nigel is an awesome English name that you don't see too often in the United States. Let's hope we hear his name more often as his WKU career progresses.

Festus Ezeli, Vanderbilt Commodores

His full name is "Ifeanyi Festus Ezeli-Ndelue," but the Vanderbilt forward is known as Festus Ezeli in the college hoops world.

Ezeli had a down year in 2011-2012, but he brought his best stuff to the postseason, including the SEC Tournament title game against Kentucky.

He'll be bringing his name and his game to the NBA after an impressive career with the Commodores.

Victor Oladipo, Indiana Hoosiers

"Oladipo" is a fun word to say, and Victor Oladipo of the Indiana Hoosiers was a fun highlight-reel player to watch throughout this season.

He stepped up his game as the tournament went on, playing especially well against Virginia Commonwealth and Kentucky.

His nine-point, six-assist effort helped the Hoosiers beat the Rams, but his 15-point showing against the Wildcats wasn't enough for Indiana to win their shootout against Kentucky.

Sandro Carissimo, Vermont Catamounts

The Vermont Catamounts didn't stand much of a chance to topple the North Carolina Tar Heels in the big dance, but it doesn't make Sandro Carissimo's name less stylish.

His name rolls off the tongue, and I wouldn't be surprised if there's a brand of wine already named after him.

Scoop Jardine, Syracuse Orange

His real name is "Antonio," but he's been nicknamed Scoop for years. Syracuse fans relished bellowing "Scoooop" whenever Scoop Jardine scored for the Orange.

Jardine had a memorable five-year career at Syracuse that stopped just short of the Final Four. His flair on the court and penchant for entertaining matched his fun nickname.

Quasim Pugh, Norfolk State Spartans

He's a reserve guard for the Norfolk State Spartans, but if he was living in the middle ages, Quasim Pugh might have been Arabic nobility, as Quasim was a name of many Arabic leaders centuries ago.

At least for one night, Quasim and his teammates ruled the college basketball world with their upset over Missouri.

Cashmere Wright, Cincinnati Bearcats

Cincinnati Bearcats guard Cashmere Wright has a name that's as smooth as his game.

Cashmere is a soft goat's wool, one of the most stylish fabrics around, and Wright is one of the smoothest and creative basketball players in the Big East.

Jordair Jett, Saint Louis Billikens

Jordair Jett's name is nifty because it sounds like it's Michael Jordan's private jet, and the Saint Louis guard was appropriately named because he can fly on the basketball court.

The 6'1" Billikens sophomore averaged just 6 points per game, but he was a terror on the defensive end as he forced dozens of turnovers.

Deniz Kilicli, West Virginia Mountaineers

Deniz Kilicli's name is actually spelled "Deniz Kılıçlı" in the Turkish alphabet, but guarding the West Virginia center on the court is more intimidating that trying to spell his name.

The 6'9" bruiser gave Big East opponents fits all season as he teamed with Kevin Jones to form one of the best front courts in the country.

Hugh Greenwood, New Mexico Lobos

Hugh Greenwood sounds like the name of a famous British novelist, but in reality he's an Australian guard for Steve Alford's New Mexico Lobos.

The freshman guard played a huge role in New Mexico's win over Long Beach State in the opening round of the big dance. Greenwood notched 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and two blocks against the 49ers.

Vander Blue, Marquette Golden Eagles

Marquette Golden Eagles forward Vander Blue didn't have a great tournament, but there's consolation in knowing that he has one of the coolest names in the world.

It's simple, yet it has a Hollywood-type flair, much like former MLB pitcher Vida Blue.

Tshilidzi Nephawe, New Mexico State Aggies

Tshilidzi Nephawe might be the most unique name I've ever heard.

The New Mexico State center hails from Johannesburg, South Africa, which explains the unconventional name.

Nephawe's time in the tournament was short lived, as Cody Zeller and Indiana dispatched the Aggies in the opening round.

Matthew Dellavedova, St. Mary's Gaels

Another Australian makes the list, as St. Mary's guard Matthew Dellavedova possesses a melodious name that's popular among avid college basketball fans.

Dellavedova is the poster boy for small, scrappy underdog point guards on mid-major teams.

His floor general skills and knack for playmaking helped the Gaels win the WCC Conference Tournament twice in the last three years.

Jawanza Poland, South Florida Bulls

Not only does South Florida's Jawanza Poland have a funky first name, his last name is a country.

Unfortunately, his name was cooler than his game in the NCAA tournament, where he averaged 4.3 points per game, half of his season average.

He hopes to bounce back next year to finish off his USF career on a high note.

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