Sweet 16 2015: Complete Bracket, Picks and Underrated Players to Watch

Following a brief three-day hiatus for the nation to catch its collective breath, the 2015 NCAA tournament resumes on Thursday with the Sweet 16, the round where Cinderellas and favorites collide in brilliant, often unpredictable fashion.

For some of the players at top colleges like the future NBA All-Stars at Duke or Kentucky, a trip to the Sweet 16 feels almost like a birthright. Maybe its not quite taken for granted, but it's at least expected.

For other programs like Wichita State, an appearance in the Sweet 16 may be a crowning achievement, one that will be celebrated in their respective college towns or on their overlooked campuses for quite some time. Not that that will stop the Shockers from doing their best to let the power-conference heavies know what the Missouri Valley Conference is capable of.

Here's a look at the Sweet 16 bracket, schedule and picks for each game, followed by a rundown of two of the underrated players to watch in this round—and perhaps beyond.

Bracket

Picks, Schedule

Date	Time (ET)	Matchup	Pick
March 26	7:15 PM	(7) Wichita St. vs. (3) Notre Dame	Wichita State
March 26	7:47 PM	(4) North Carolina vs. (1) Wisconsin	Wisconsin
March 26	9:45 PM	(5) West Virginia vs. (1) Kentucky	Kentucky
March 26	10:17 PM	(6) Xavier vs. (2) Arizona	Arizona
March 27	7:15 PM	(11) UCLA vs. (2) Gonzaga	Gonzaga
March 27	7:37 PM	(8) NC State vs. (4) Louisville	Louisville
March 27	9:45 PM	(5) Utah vs. (1) Duke	Duke
March 27	10:07 PM	(7) Michigan St. vs. (3) Oklahoma	Michigan State

Underrated Players to Watch

Gary Bell Jr., Gonzaga

The Zags haven't really garnered much attention in this tournament, probably owing to the fact that they played unheralded teams like North Dakota State and Iowa to start the Big Dance and beat them by 10 and 19 points, respectively.

As somewhat of a surprise No. 2 seed, Gonzaga has as good a chance as any squad in making it to the Final Four, and plenty of credit should go to guard Gary Bell Jr. if it indeed makes it that far.

Bell is a 6'2", 214-pound senior who doesn't necessarily stuff the stat sheet but makes important contributions throughout the game with his excellent perimeter defense.

ESPN.com's Myron Medcalf calls him the best perimeter defender remaining in the tournament: "I'll take Gary Bell Jr. as the best perimeter defender. Gonzaga is playing the best defense of the Mark Few era, and Bell is a big part of that. He's versatile enough to guard point guards, small forwards and even centers occasionally. He's a critical component for Gonzaga."

In addition to taking on myriad defensive duties for the Zags, Bell has also stepped up his game on offense. He put up 13 points against North Dakota State in the round of 64—although that included a 1-of-7 mark from downtown—and 10 points against Iowa to help send his team to the Sweet 16.

Against UCLA, Bell could guard anyone from Bryce Alford to Norman Powell to Isaac Hamilton and will likely do a fine job of it.

Branden Dawson, Michigan State

Nell Redmond/Associated Press

Spartans fans know all about Branden Dawson and the impact the athletic swingman often has on games, but college basketball observers outside of Michigan State's network might not know much about his vast potential.

Of course, if the NCAA tournament was the first time you saw Dawson, you're probably wondering when this guy's face is going to be plastered all over billboards in some NBA city.

Dawson put up 15 points, nine boards and four blocks in the Spartans' upset win over No. 2 Virginia in the round of 32. He was all over the court, making great defensive plays near the basket and rushing out to the perimeter to play help defense when the squad needed it. He shot 5-of-9 from the field and went one better (6-of-9) in Michigan State's tournament-opening win over Georgia. 

When Dawson is playing high-energy basketball, he's extremely fun to watch. However, he doesn't always kick into his highest gears, as CBS Sports' Seth Davis noted:

Even coach Tom Izzo has suggested Dawson isn't always playing up to his full potential.

"Branden has got some special skills that he doesn't even know he has sometimes," Izzo said, per Graham Couch of the Lansing State Journal.

While Travis Trice and and Denzel Valentine rank ahead of Dawson on the team's scoring list, Dawson's contributions in all facets of the game make him perhaps the team's most important player.

Trice may have stolen headlines with an astounding 23 points against the Cavaliers, perhaps the best defensive team in the country this season, but Dawson will likely be the key to the Spartans moving past the Oklahoma Sooners and on to the Elite Eight.