March Madness 2015: Updated Bracket and Hottest Players Remaining in Big Dance

The Elite Eight concluded Sunday with two highly entertaining contests.

In an evenly matched bout, No. 4 Louisville and No. 7 Michigan State were neck and neck throughout regulation before the Spartans finally pulled away in overtime thanks to some great defense and perimeter shooting. No. 1 Duke cooled off red-hot No. 2 Gonzaga, giving up just 52 points to the Bulldogs in a decisive victory.

Just like that, the Final Four came to fruition.

With No. 1 Kentucky and No. 1 Wisconsin also in the mix, we're fortunate to have such a star-studded cast on college basketball's biggest stage. So, before the NCAA tournament resumes after a short break, let's take a look at the updated bracket and pinpoint the hottest players remaining in the Big Dance.

Updated Bracket

The full tournament bracket can be viewed at NCAA.com.

Hottest Remaining Players by Team

Kentucky

Arguably the nation's most talented team, the Wildcats aren't short on highly skilled players. Although, based on the team's most recent showing against Notre Dame, we'll have to start with 6'11" forward Karl-Anthony Towns.

He may not be the team's most consistent player, but Towns is incredibly difficult to contain once he gets going. Not only does he have phenomenal size, but he's highly athletic and accurate down low. Against the Fighting Irish, he notched 25 points following a 10-of-13 shooting performance from the floor, adding five rebounds and four assists. When he gets hot, interior domination is usually the end result.

With Towns on the inside, guard Aaron Harrison gets it done from the perimeter. He has good size for his position at 6'6" and uses his athletic ability to drive to the basket when an open lane presents itself. With nerves of steel, Harrison has the ability to knock down cold-blooded threes in high-pressure situations for the Wildcats.

Wisconsin

The Badgers may have the tournament's most impressive and versatile frontcourt duo in Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker. Both players have been absolutely tearing up the Big Dance, and Wisconsin's enormous 85-78 win over Arizona may be the best example of that.

Kaminsky was the team's offensive catalyst, scoring a game-high 29 points and adding six rebounds. He flourished in the paint despite an athletic Wildcats team trying desperately to contain him, and he was stellar from the line when fouled, hitting 10 of 12 attempts. Solid on the defensive end of the court as well, Kaminsky is no stranger to racking up boards and blocks against strong opposition.

Dekker has been a huge weapon and perfect complement to Kaminsky. He's a shooting threat from anywhere on the court, and that was well on display against Arizona. The forward finished with 27 points after hitting 8-of-11 from the floor and going 5-of-6 from downtown, with a pair of those threes coming late in the game to help the Badgers pull away. He has momentum right now, and that only makes him deadlier.

Duke

It's difficult to talk about Duke without mentioning star freshman center Jahlil Okafor. While the entire Blue Devils squad has been solid throughout regular-season and postseason action, the 6'11", 270-pound playmaker has been brilliant.

Okafor began the NCAA tournament on fire, putting up 21 points against Robert Morris and 26 against San Diego State. Since then, teams have been focusing on taking him away, but that doesn't stop him from producing. A very athletic player, Okafor's presence is always felt on the interior of both ends of the court, as he's accumulated at least eight rebounds and a block in each of his last two games.

With Okafor drawing the attention of opposing defenses, guard Tyus Jones has flourished on the perimeter. A great free-throw and three-point shooter, Jones has made life difficult for recent opponents, putting up 15 points in both of his last two contests. Not only is he a fantastic shooter, but he has great vision and facilitates well, accumulating at least six assists in three of his four NCAA tournament games.

Michigan State

Tom Izzo's Spartans are on a postseason roll once again, and much of the team's success is due to guard Travis Trice, who continues to deliver big performances in each and every game.

Trice was Michigan State's go-to guy against Louisville, as he finished with 17 points despite a down shooting day by his standards. He added five rebounds and five assists to those numbers while playing some stout perimeter defense against some talented Louisville guards. Trice's ability to make an impact on both ends of the court is one big reason why the Spartans are still alive and kicking.

Another fantastic Michigan State guard is Denzel Valentine. An experienced player, the junior has really come into his own this season and is at his best in the NCAA tournament. Valentine has scored at least 15 points in three of his four tournament contests while utilizing his great vision to facilitate and generate assists. A good defender, Valentine is no stranger to accumulating rebounds and steals on a regular basis.