Ranking the Top 10 Players to Watch in the 2018 Final Four

A team can win a game or two in the NCAA tournament with a little luck, but to reach the Final Four requires so much more. Individual players must be capable of working within a system but also operating outside of it to take over when it's most needed.

This year's Final Four is made up of three established power-conference programs in Kansas, Michigan and Villanova along with a bona fide Cinderella in Loyola-Chicago. And one thing they all have in common are standout players whose ability to lead and perform have made it possible for their teams to get this far.

We've ranked the top 10 players remaining in the 2018 NCAA tournament based on what they have done to this point in March Madness. Some of these players were among the best in the country throughout the year as well, but it's what they have done in the tourney that matters most.

One thing this list is lacking are any high-profile freshmen, the kind that are apt to spend just a season in college before turning pro. No projected one-and-done player remains in the field, with Kansas forward Silvio De Sousa, at No. 32, the highest-ranked player from the 2018 recruiting class still alive.

10. Aundre Jackson, Loyola-Chicago

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What he's done: No player in the NCAA tournament has scored more without starting a game this year than Aundre Jackson, who in 74 total minutes off the bench has 49 points on 20-of-33 shooting. The 6'5" senior forward has shot 65.5 percent on two-pointers in the tourney, consistent with his 63.1 percent shooting inside the arc for the season.

Why he's here: Jackson began the season as starter but has been a reserve in all but one game for Loyola-Chicago since late December. Two of his best performances off the bench have come in the NCAA tourney, scoring 16 in the second round against Tennessee and adding 15 in the Sweet 16 win over Nevada.

What to expect: With so many strong perimeter shooters on Loyola, Jackson often gets forgotten inside and he's been able to exploit that. Michigan has kept opponents' reserves from doing major damage in the tourney, but Jackson is like a sixth starter.

9. Clayton Custer, Loyola-Chicago

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What he's done: On a team that's had a different leading scorer in each NCAA tourney game, Clayton Custer has been the most consistent performer among its starters. The 6'0" junior guard has averaged 11.5 points and 4.0 assists while shooting 56.3 percent overall and 57.1 percent from three.

Why he's here: Custer is the engine that has driven the Ramblers' stunning run through the tournament, scoring 10 or more in each of the three one-possession victories to get to the Elite Eight. He was just 2-of-8 from the field against Kansas State, though, only the sixth time all season he's failed to score in double digits.

What to expect: Custer's the main ball-handler and distributor for Loyola, finding himself feeding an open teammate or working off a screen to get a layup on most possessions. He has a great knack for drawing defenders on some possessions and getting them to forget about him on others.

8. Mikal Bridges, Villanova

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What he's done: Only Kansas' Malik Newman has made more three-pointers among Final Four participants than Mikal Bridges, who is 11-of-24 from outside in four games. The 6'7" junior guard is averaging 16 points in the NCAA tourney, highlighted by 23 (including five three-pointers) against Alabama in the second round.

Why he's here: Had Bridges not been ice-cold in the Elite Eight, missing all five threes and going 3-of-10 overall, he might be ranked higher. It was only the fourth time all season he failed to connect from deep, averaging 10 points in those games compared to 17.8 for the season.

What to expect: Bridges doesn't stay cold from outside for long, not when he's shooting 43.6 percent overall. Look for fellow junior guard Jalen Brunson to find him early when open to get his confidence back up, and then Bridges will take care of the rest.

7. Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Kansas

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What he's done: A 44.7 percent three-point shooter on the season, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk has gone 8-of-21 from deep in the NCAA tournament. None was bigger than his triple with 27 seconds left in regulation in the Elite Eight against Duke, forcing the game into overtime where Kansas came out on top.

Why he's here: The 6'8" senior guard has averaged 11.5 points and 3.8 assists per game in the tourney, showing a greater willingness to drive to the rim and not just settle for outside shots. But his 114 threes, tied for 10th most in Division I, are what he's best known for.

What to expect: Villanova will look to push Mykhailiuk off the three-point line and force him into mid-range jumpers or to drive into the defense. Kansas won't mind, as it is 10-1 when Mykhailiuk attempts more twos than threes in a game.

6. Moritz Wagner, Michigan

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What he's done: Michigan's leading scorer during the regular season, Moritz Wagner has seen his production drop a bit with opponents collapsing the defense on him inside. The 6'10" junior forward is averaging 12.5 points and 5.5 rebounds on 47.4 percent shooting, compared to 14.3 points (52.4 percent shooting) and 6.9 rebounds for the year.

Why he's here: Wagner has still been integral to the Wolverines' run to the Final Four, particularly on the defensive end, as Michigan has held its foes to 59 points per game and 37.9 percent shooting. He's blocked just one shot, but opponents have made only 42.6 percent of their two-pointers and many of those makes came when Wagner wasn't on the court.

What to expect: Wagner will need to avoid the foul trouble that has plagued him in the tournament, having committed 15 fouls in 110 minutes. Loyola doesn't have anyone to match up with him inside, though, so as long as he defends cleanly he'll be a major player.

5. Omari Spellman, Villanova

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What he's done: Omari Spellman has taken his inside-out game to another level in the NCAA tournament, averaging 11.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks while going 9-of-19 from the three-point line. For the season, the 6'9" redshirt freshman forward has made 44.6 percent of his threes, the top rate on a Villanova team that makes 40 percent of its outside shots.

Why he's here: Spellman had 18 points, eight rebounds, three blocks and two steals in the Sweet 16 win over West Virginia, contributing on both ends of the court (including on the same play when he blocked a shot to start a transition possession and then slammed home a missed shot).

What to expect: Villanova isn't very big on the inside, leaving Spellman as the main rim-protector against Kansas' Udoka Azubuike and others. But where he'll have the most value is on offense, forcing the Jayhawks to guard him.

4. Charles Matthews, Michigan

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What he's done: Charles Matthews is Michigan's top scorer and rebounder in the NCAA tournament, averaging 16.5 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 52 percent from the floor. The 6'6" junior guard came in averaging 12.6 points and 5.4 rebounds on 49.3 percent shooting.

Why he's here: A transfer from Kentucky, Matthews sat out the 2016-17 season and spent most of his first year with the Wolverines as their third option on offense. With Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman struggling and Moritz Wagner getting double-teamed regularly, Matthews has taken advantage of his newfound opportunities.

What to expect: A Chicago native, Matthews will have a size advantage over whichever Loyola guard defends him. That might prompt him to try more three-pointers despite going 3-of-15 from outside in the tourney and shooting a pedestrian 32 percent from long range for the season, though he'll also look for separation when inside the perimeter.

3. Devonte' Graham, Kansas

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What he's done: From a production standpoint, Devonte' Graham has been off during the NCAA tournament. He's 18-of-53 from the field and averaged just 11.7 points per game over the last three contests. But no one has dished out more assists (25) in the tourney than the 6'2" senior guard, who has found ways to contribute even when his shot isn't falling.

Why he's here: Graham's raw numbers don't always tell the whole story, as he shot only 38.0 percent in Big 12 play yet still won the conference's Player of the Year award thanks to 7.0 assists per game. If he can't score himself, he'll make sure others will.

What to expect: This will be Graham's 15th NCAA tourney game but his first in the Final Four, as Kansas fell in the Elite Eight the previous two seasons. He's due for a big performance, and with Villanova likely to be heavily focused on hot-shooting Jayhawks guard Malik Newman, it could open things up for some strong numbers.

2. Malik Newman, Kansas

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What he's done: Malik Newman has used the NCAA tourney as a personal coming-out party, scoring a tournament-best 87 points in four games, including a career-high 32 in the Elite Eight win over Duke. The 6'3" redshirt sophomore guard has averaged 22.7 points per game since the start of the Big 12 tournament, making 24 of 45 three-pointers.

Why he's here: Newman has become Kansas' main offensive weapon, supplanting Devonte' Graham thanks to his ability to turn the smallest bit of space into an invitation to launch a jumper. He's also been clutch at the foul line, making 20 of 22 free throws in the past three games.

What to expect: Newman has momentum and will continue to stay aggressive, but Villanova will try to blanket him on the perimeter and make him drive rather than take open jumpers.

1. Jalen Brunson, Villanova

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What he's done: Jalen Brunson has followed up a regular season that earned him a spot on the Wooden Award finalist list with a stellar run through the NCAA tournament. The 6'3" junior guard has averaged 17.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game and shot 42.1 percent from three-point range. An 81.1 percent free-throw shooter for the year, Brunson is 18-of-20 from the line in the tourney.

Why he's here: Brunson is the only player still alive in the NCAA tourney to have started in the Final Four, logging 43 minutes over two games when Villanova won the national title in 2016. That playing time came as a member of the Wildcats' supporting cast, but now he's the focal point and has lived up to expectations in the postseason.

What to expect: Brunson figures to go toe-to-toe with Kansas senior guard Devonte' Graham, which might mean his offensive numbers will suffer because of the effort exerted on defense. But the ball will end up in his hands almost every possession, and he won't hesitate to head to the rim if given a lane.

All statistics courtesy of Sports Reference unless otherwise noted. Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.