NCAA Tournament TV Schedule 2013: Star Players to Watch in Round of 64

The NCAA tournament offers a little something for everyone. If big finishes, shocking upsets and Cinderella sleepers don’t get your blood flowing, the Big Dance also offers a bevy of talented superstars to steal the spotlight.

Turner Sports and CBS will once again broadcast the tournament across multiple channels this year, offering the opportunity to watch every big play and college star from the first whistle to the final buzzer.

We’ll highlight four players you can’t afford to miss in the round of 64, along with where and when to watch. For the full television schedule, visit SportsMediaWatch.com.

Also be sure to follow all the action with Bleacher Report's live updated bracket and fill out one of your own for free with the printable PDF version. 

Ben McLemore: Kansas

Friday, March 22, at 9:50 p.m. ET on TNT

Redshirt freshman shooting guard Ben McLemore has emerged this season as one of the top talents in the country, and he’ll be a player to watch throughout the tournament as Kansas attempts a championship run in the South Region.

At 6’5” and 195 pounds, McLemore has the ideal size and athleticism for the shooting guard position; he’s a complete player with all the tools to be the tournament MVP.

McLemore averages 16.4 points per game, but scoring 30-plus points in a given contest isn’t out of the ordinary. Against West Virginia on March 2, the playmaking guard dropped a season-high 36 points on 5-for-6 shooting from behind the arc and 12-for-15 from the field.

With the ability to score from anywhere on the court and the poise of a much more experienced player, McLemore will be the premier player to watch in the Big Dance.

Victor Oladipo: Indiana

Friday, March 22, at 4:10 p.m. ET on TBS

Indiana’s success in the tournament hinges on junior guard Victor Oladipo. With the size (6’5”, 214 pounds) and athleticism to be a disruptive force at both ends of the floor, Oladipo will set the tone for the Hoosiers in their attempt to take down the national title.

Oladipo is an outstanding scorer who is deadly from the perimeter. He makes nearly 60 percent of his shots from the field and 44.3 percent of his attempts from behind the arc. Teams that play poor perimeter defense won’t make it past Indiana in the tournament if he gets hot.

Inconsistency plagued Indiana against Wisconsin and Ohio State late in the season, as both teams were able to hold Oladipo to 10 points or fewer. The Hoosiers can’t afford that same kind of lackluster performance in the Big Dance, and Oladipo will be the key to advancing through the East Region.

Trey Burke: Michigan

Thursday, March 21, at 7:15 p.m. ET on CBS

Another Big Ten guard worth watching in the tournament, Michigan sophomore Trey Burke has the scoring ability to wreak havoc on the South Region early in the tournament.

Burke averaged 19.2 points and 6.7 assists per game in the regular season, leading a Wolverines backcourt that ranks among the best in the nation. With the ability to take over any game, he’ll be the cornerstone for a deep tournament run.

The Big Ten Player of the Year isn’t a one-dimensional scorer, either. Burke creates scoring opportunities for everyone on the floor with his quickness and athleticism, but he also has the ability to create separation and knock down any shot from behind the arc.

Burke scored 20 or more points 13 times during the regular season, and he has the potential to do that kind of damage throughout the NCAA tournament.

Deshaun Thomas: Ohio State

Friday, March 22, at 7:15 p.m. ET on CBS

Ohio State hasn’t gotten a lot of consistent scoring this year, but junior forward Deshaun Thomas has been the exception. Averaging 19.5 points per game this season, Thomas has carried the Buckeyes at the offensive end.

The 6’7” forward has the size and athleticism to score from all over the floor, even spending some time at center in some of Thad Matta’s smaller sets. When Thomas heats up, the Buckeyes are a dangerous teams to face.

Ohio State’s second-round matchup with Iona will be an exciting game to watch. No. 15 seeds don’t typically make a lot of noise early in the tournament, but the Gaels feature an explosive up-tempo offense that will force the Buckeyes to put up a lot of points in order to reach the third round.

Iona doesn’t have a player on its roster that matches up well with Thomas, though, and he’s primed for a big game in the round of 64. If Ohio State is to make a tournament run this season, Thomas will have to continue to light up the scoreboard.

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