CBB's Biggest Star 'Sidekicks' Who Will Make or Break March Madness Runs

It's hard to win the NCAA tournament simply by leaning on the contributions of your star player.

Point guard Jalen Brunson was the consensus National Player of the Year for Villanova last season, and Mikal Bridges was a star in his own right and a clear NBA talent.

However, Villanova probably doesn't win a title without the March performance of Donte DiVincenzo.

Which "sidekicks" could have a profound impact on their teams' March Madness performances this year?

We've highlighted seven guys playing in the shadows of college basketball superstars who could make or break their teams' tournament runs.

Brandon Clarke, Gonzaga

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Potential lottery pick Rui Hachimura is the star of a stacked Gonzaga team, and many predicted sophomore Zach Norvell Jr. would be the Bulldogs player to turn in a breakout season.

While Norvell has been solid and senior Josh Perkins is an integral part of the lineup as well, the clear-cut No. 2 guy on the roster is Brandon Clarke.

Any time a player puts up big numbers at a small school and then transfers up, there's a question of how well his skills will translate. For Clarke, the transition has been seamless.

After tallying 17.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game as a sophomore at San Jose State, he sat out last year, only to log remarkably similar numbers this season.

He's the team's leading rebounder (8.5 RPG) and ranks second in scoring (16.6) behind Hachimura (20.6 PPG). He's scored in double figures in each of Gonzaga's 31 games and has 11 double-doubles.

As important as his offensive contributions have been, it's his tenacious presence on the defensive end that makes him so important to the team's success. The 6'8" forward ranks second in the nation in blocked shots (96) and 12th in the conference in steals (37).

For fans of advanced metrics, his player efficiency rating (PER) of 37.4 is second only to Duke star Zion Williamson (42.3).

Kyle Guy, Virginia

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Sophomore De'Andre Hunter is the face of a Virginia team that could be headed for its fourth No. 1 seed in the past six years.

The potential lottery pick leads the team in scoring (15.2 PPG). At 6'7", 225 pounds, and with the shooting touch to knock down 46 percent of his three-point attempts, he's a matchup nightmare.

He can't do it alone, though.

Sharpshooter Kyle Guy is the clear No. 2 option offensively. The junior guard led the Cavaliers in scoring a year ago (14.1 PPG), knocking down 83 three-pointers in the process, but he's become a more efficient player this season.

Not only does he rank second on the team in scoring (15.1 PPG) thanks to an ACC-leading 86 threes, but he's also made marked improvements in his field-goal percentage (41.5 to 45.6) and his three-point percentage (39.2 to 43.9).

He's also come through when needed most.

In a big game on the road against Virginia Tech last month, Hunter was limited to 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting. Guy picked up the slack with a team-high 23 points on 6-of-13 from beyond the arc to pull out a 64-58 victory.

That's the kind of performance Virginia might need in March as opposing teams continue to game-plan for Hunter.

Sam Hauser, Marquette

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Markus Howard has been one of college basketball's brightest stars this season.

The junior guard ranks fifth in the nation in scoring (25.5 PPG). That gaudy number includes a 53-point game against Creighton and a pair of 45-point outings against tournament-bound teams Kansas State and Buffalo.

Marquette is 18-2 when he scores 20 or more points. It's just 5-4 when he's held under 20.

Keeping Howard under wraps will be the No. 1 priority for opposing teams during the NCAA tournament. Someone else will need to keep the defense honest, and for much of the year, that someone has been Sam Hauser.

The junior forward ranks second on the team and 12th in the Big East with 14.7 points per game, and he's also Marquette's leading rebounder with 7.0 boards per contest.

At 6'8" and with a 40.1 percent touch from beyond the arc, Hauser is a tough matchup.

He's scored in double figures in 12 of the Golden Eagles' last 14 games, including a 31-point outburst against Georgetown on Jan. 15 where he connected on four of nine three-point attempts.

There are other weapons on this Marquette team, but if it's going to make a deep run, Hauser will need to provide a consistent second scoring option.

Talen Horton-Tucker, Iowa State

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Most expected Lindell Wigginton to be the star for Iowa State this season.

As a freshman, he averaged 16.7 points per game and hit 69 threes. After testing the NBA draft waters, he decided to return for his sophomore season.

However, a foot injury cost him the bulk of the nonconference schedule. When he returned, his spot in the starting lineup had been seized by freshman Tyrese Haliburton.

Virginia transfer Marial Shayok has paced the Cyclones attack.

After averaging 8.9 points during his junior season at Virginia, Shayok sat out last season before bursting onto the scene this year to rank second in the Big 12 in scoring (18.7 PPG).

Both players will be key to an Iowa State tournament run, but it's Talen Horton-Tucker who looks like the X-factor. After a slow start to the conference schedule, he's picked up his production, averaging 11.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in his last 10 conference games.

When he disappears offensively, the Cyclones often find themselves in trouble.

He scored four points against TCU on Feb. 9, and they lost by nine at home. He scored seven points against Baylor on Feb. 19, and they lost by four at home. He scored five points against Texas on Saturday, and they were blow out by 17 on the road.

If Iowa State is going to play up to its potential, Horton-Tucker has to contribute at a high level.

Cameron Jackson, Wofford

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Every year, one or two mid-major players become household names during March Madness.

This year, Wofford star Fletcher Magee is a prime candidate.

The senior sniper is averaging 20.7 points per game and leads the nation with 139 made three-pointers while shooting a blistering 42.8 percent from beyond the arc.

He needs just 15 more three-pointers to become the NCAA's all-time leader.

The Terriers are 26-4 on the year and a lock for an at-large bid even if they don't win the Southern Conference Tournament.

While Magee will be the star of the show, big man Cameron Jackson might be the most important player on the roster. Remember earlier when we said Gonzaga's Brandon Clarke (37.4) was second only to Duke star Zion Williamson (42.3) in PER?

Jackson (35.6) is third on that list.

The 6'8", 250-pound fifth-year senior averages 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks per game.

It's also telling that Jackson has played well in some of the team's toughest games.

He had 15 points and 10 rebounds against Kansas and tallied 20 points and six rebounds against Mississippi State.

Cam Reddish, Duke

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Whether he's deferring to RJ Barrett or a healthy Zion Williamson, fellow freshman Cam Reddish was always going to play a secondary role on a Duke team that's loaded with star power.

That said, there's a reason he was the No. 2 recruit in the country and is a virtual lock to be a lottery pick.

On almost any other team, Reddish would be the focal point.

He's averaging 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 steals, and he's hit 74 threes at a 33.6 percent rate.

The 6'8" forward scored a season-high 27 points in the game against rival North Carolina where Williamson suffered a knee injury. Including that game, he's averaged 17.0 points and 5.8 rebounds in four contests without Williamson.

He's proved he's capable in big moments. During a 22-point performance against Louisville on Feb. 12, he hit the game-tying three and the game-winning free throws.

That led ESPN analyst Jay Williams to say (via 247Sports): "Cam Reddish has the potential to be the best pro prospect in this class because of the things like that—6-foot-9, 7-foot-1 wingspan, can shoot the ball well from the outside. But people have not seen it as much as he showed it in that game against Louisville."

After a season playing in the shadows of his more hyped teammates, Reddish could carve out his legacy at Duke in March.

Coby White, North Carolina

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Senior Cameron Johnson is North Carolina's leading scorer at 16.8 points per game, and he's been lethal from beyond the arc all season, shooting 48.1 percent.

Luke Maye is probably the team's best all-around player, averaging 14.8 points and 9.9 rebounds on the heels of his breakout junior season.

Freshman Nassir Little was the No. 3 recruit in the nation and a projected lottery pick before he stepped foot on campus.

Yet it's fellow freshman Coby White who could determine how far the Tar Heels advance in the NCAA tournament.

A 5-star recruit in his own right who ranked No. 25 in the class, White is averaging 16.4 points and leading the team with 4.2 assists per game.

He's shown an ability to take over with three games of more than 30 points this season. He's gone off for 34 points against Syracuse and 28 points against Clemson on the road his last two times out, burying six of 11 three-point attempts in both games.

If he can keep the momentum rolling in March, North Carolina could be on course for the national title game.

All stats courtesy of Sports Reference unless otherwise noted, and accurate through Feb. 3. Recruit rankings come via 247Sports composite.