Sweet 16 Bracket: Power Ranking the Best Point Guards Remaining

It is tough to win in college basketball without a talented point guard leading the show. As we get to the later rounds of the NCAA tournament, that will become much more obvious.

Point guards are usually known as an extension of the coach on the floor. The best ones are able to not only create opportunities for themselves, but also find shots for teammates. This disqualifies a player like Michigan State's Keith Appling, who has only nine assists to go with nine turnovers in the last six games.

The same goes for Mark Lyons of Arizona, who plays more like a 2-guard despite his size.

However, a bunch of teams in the Sweet 16 have only reached this stage thanks to great point guard play. If they continue to play well, it would not be surprising to see an extended run to the Final Four and beyond.

Here are the best point guards left in the tournament.

Honorable Mention: Brett Comer, Florida Gulf Coast

Brett Comer cannot crack the list, but he still deserves a mention after some incredible performances this postseason. In two games, the sophomore has 24 assists while leading the No. 15 seeded Florida Gulf Coast to the Sweet 16.

While this is his first time in the spotlight, it is important to note that Comer has been doing this all year. He led the nation in assists per 40 minutes with 9.4 (minimum 150 assists) and is the main reason the Eagles are in this stage to begin with.

He has incredible vision on the court and will likely be on this stage a few more times in the future.

5. Aaron Craft, Ohio State

Above everything else he does, Aaron Craft gets high marks for his defensive ability. He is one of the best on-ball defenders in the nation and he can slow down any opposing guard.

He has averaged over two steals per game in each year of his career and is always around the ball.

In addition, he showed his ability to make plays on the offensive end in the last game against Iowa State. He finished with 18 points, including the game-winning three-pointer.

However, he is not enough of a consistent offensive force to be higher on the list. He only made 30.1 percent of his three-point shots and has more games scoring in single digits than double digits this year.

Still, his veteran leadership will help Ohio State go far in this tournament. 

4. Peyton Siva, Louisville

Like Craft, Peyton Siva is an excellent defender. Louisville's backcourt lacks height, but the combination of Siva and Russ Smith make it difficult for any opponent to get into the lane.

When the senior is playing well, he uses his quickness to get to the basket and either finish with a layup or find one of his teammates for an open shot. 

However, there is still some inconsistency on both ends of the ball. He still does not shoot well, and there are times when his turnovers become a problem. In addition, he has gotten into foul trouble a few times, leaving his team with few options offensively. 

Louisville is one of the most complete teams in the Big Dance, but Siva will play a huge role on the rest of the season, either in a good way or bad.

3. Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse

Finishing third in the nation in assists per game is a good way to see your name near the top of a list like this. Michael Carter-Williams averaged 7.6 per game as he was able to spread the ball all over the court.

At 6'6", he uses his height to get himself into the lane, making it easier to find open teammates. On defense, this size allows him to close up passing lanes while he totaled 2.7 steals per game. 

Unfortunately, not everything about Carter-Williams helps the team. The point guard really struggles at shooting, hitting only 27.9 percent of his shots from three-point range and 39.2 percent overall.

Still, that has not slowed him down from trying as he averages almost 10 field goal attempts per game. 

Until he improves his efficiency, though, he will continue to hold back his team's offense. 

2. Shane Larkin, Miami

Not a lot was expected out of Miami this season, but the Hurricanes won both the ACC regular season and tournament titles. While the veteran leadership helps, Shane Larkin deserves a lot of the credit for the team's success.

Whenever Miami needed a big play this year, Larkin was the player who came through. He is a very good outside shooter at 40.6 percent on the year, and he can blow by defenders when they are too aggressive on the perimeter. 

In addition, he makes everyone around him better as Durand Scott and Kenny Kadji were able to work with open looks all season. 

While he has a small stature, he is also a solid defender who can stick with other quick guards.

Miami is deep enough to handle a loss at virtually any other position, but taking Larkin off the roster would be devastating. 

1. Trey Burke, Michigan

It is not surprising that the best point guard in the country has his team still alive at this point of the season. 

Trey Burke has had an incredible sophomore campaign, leading the Big Ten with 6.7 assists per game and finishing second with 19.2 points per game. He has made big plays all season, especially late in games on both ends of the court.

Many believed Michigan would struggle against VCU's "havoc" defense in the third round. However, Burke and the Wolverines destroyed the full-court press and won the game by 25 points.

The squad will have a hard time scoring against Kansas in the Sweet 16, but if Michigan is able to advance, Burke will have a big role in the upset. 

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