NCAA Tournament 2013: Key Players to Watch in Sweet 16

The Sweet 16 is the round of the NCAA tourney that separates the great teams from the elite ones, and a small handful of players always shine bright at this point. Be they defensive studs or top scorers, fans love watching these men play and get excited for each one's next move, be it on or off the court.

This year's Sweet 16 is no exception, as some great teams have some equally great players representing them. The Michigan Wolverines have Trey Burke, while other teams have men who were flying under the radar up until recently.

This round is just another stage on which these players can continue to perform, and a strong performance means two things: a possible trip to the Elite Eight, and a bright future on the professional level.

With both of those one the line, expect this small handful of players to step up and set themselves apart from the rest of the pack.

Trey Burke, PG, Michigan

Michigan rode its way to a No. 4 seed on the back of a strong season from guards Tim Hardaway Jr. and Trey Burke, the latter of whom posted 18.8 points and 6.7 assists on the season. Even at just 6'0", 190 pounds, Burke played with the tenacity of someone much bigger and did all he could to be both a scorer and distributor for the Wolverines.

Against a tough Kansas team, expect him to be nothing less. He scored 18 points with seven assists and two steals against the tough havoc defense of VCU in the round of 32, and the fact that he was able to put those types of numbers up is admirable in itself.

This young man is a natural leader on the hardwood and when it comes time to face the Jayhawks, expect him to bring nothing but his best and thus shine bright.

DeShaun Thomas, F, Ohio State

After big man Jared Sullinger departed for the NBA after last season, it was unclear just how well the Buckeyes would do without him. Fortunately, DeShaun Thomas was ready to assume the role of the team's main go-to guy.

The junior led the team with 19.7 points and 6.1 assists per game, shooting 44.5 percent from the field and 35 percent from long range.

In the tournament, however, Thomas has left the rebounding to his teammates and has focused on being the best scorer he can be for the Buckeyes. Through Ohio State's two games, he is averaging 23 points per contest while shooting an amazing 61.5 percent from the field and 71 percent from long range.

The man just refuses to give up under any circumstances and has been great at both driving the lane as well as creating off the dribble. Against a Kansas team that has struggled against smaller lineups, expect him to be a factor.

Arsalan Kazemi, F, Oregon

Every winning team needs a pure hustle player, and this young senior from Iran has been just that for the Ducks. He only posted 9.3 points per game on the season, but his 9.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals made him quite a defensive threat. For someone just 6'7", 226 pounds, Kazemi played like someone much bigger.

Such has been the case in the tourney. Over Oregon's first two games, Kazemi has averaged 16.5 rebounds per game. He has an extra bounce in his step, and it's clear that he wants to make his last year in college ball count.

With a game against Louisville coming up, he's going to need to continue his hot streak if he doesn't want to leave the tourney early.

Shane Larkin, PG, Miami

Larkin isn't the biggest of players at 5'11", 173 pounds, but he has been the spark of the Hurricanes all season long. On the year, he led the team with 14.5 points per game and shot 41 percent from long range.

In the tournament, he has been more willing to let his scoring take a back seat. He has posted 13.5 points, but also dished out seven assists per game. That's up from the 4.6 he averaged on the regular season.

It also helps that Larkin has shown a clear leadership presence on the floor. Just in the way he and his teammates move, it's clear that they trust him to carry them to a win. With Marquette on the horizon, Larkin's going to need to be in top form so that Miami can once again become an elite basketball program.

Victor Oladipo, G/F, Indiana

Oladipo only averaged 13.6 points and 6.4 boards on the season, but those numbers don't do his talent justice. His jump shot is constantly showing improvement, and he is also a fine slasher who plays incredible on-ball defense. This, of course, led to his shooting 59 percent from the field.

In the tournament, Oladipo has essentially been par for the course. He is averaging 13.5 points and seven rebounds per game, and his motor has been running at more than its regular speed.

The fact is that his Indiana Hoosiers are in a prime position to go far this tourney, but they have to beat Syracuse first. So long as he can keep on doing what he's been doing all season long, be it dunking with authority or playing stingy defense, he's going to be instrumental in his team taking the next step forward.

Russ Smith, G, Louisville

Russ Smith averaged 18.4 points and 2.2 steals on the season, but his percentages weren't necessarily anything to write home about. He shot just 42 percent from the field and 34 percent from long range.

Then the tournament began, and Smith was like a different player altogether. Not only was he scoring and playing defense, but he was doing so on a whole new level.

Over the Cardinals' two games, the Brooklyn native is averaging 25 points and five steals per contest, and his percentages have been highly respectable. He has made 55 percent of his shots from the field, plus 45 percent of his threes.

Louisville is going to have its hands full with an upset-minded Oregon Ducks team in the Sweet 16, but just watch for Smith to put the team on his back and carry the offense from the get-go. This young man is on a hot streak, and it's certainly not looking like it's going to end any time soon.