NCAA Tournament 2011: The Top 15 Bracket Busting Stars in Opening Weekend

With the brackets out and official, the speculation about potential upsets in key matchups is at full throttle. There will be key players who take over the game, keeping their team afloat with nothing more than heart and clutch play.  Everyone knows about players like Kemba Walker, Jimmer Fredette and Nolan Smith, but the headliners are always in the upsets.  The names we remember come from the small schools that pull the upset in the opening rounds and carry their team on an improbable run.  We tried to select players from lower seeded teams that could be in a position to make some noise in potential close matchups.

That said, SwishScout.com presents ‘The Top 15 Bracket Busting Stars in Opening Weekend.’

Note: On most players, you can click their name or school to take you to a more detailed profile for a more extensive scouting report on the respective prospect.

15. Maalik Wayns (Villanova)

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NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 08: Maalik Wayns #2 of the Villanova Wildcats dribbles the ball against the South Florida Bulls during the first round of the 2011 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament presented by American Eagle Outfitters at Madison Square Garden o

Maalik Wayns (Villanova)

Despite a season-ending slump that has seen the Wildcats fall from grace, Wayns has been their one constant and will have to make good decisions.  If he can get his team back to midseason form during the tournament, he could lead remake Villanova into a sleeper with a deceiving seed.

14. Demontez Stitt (Clemson)

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GREENSBORO, NC - MARCH 12: Demontez Stitt #2 of the Clemson Tigers shoots against Dexter Strickland #1 of the North Carolina Tar Heels in the semifinals of the 2011 ACC men's basketball tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum on March 12, 2011 in Greensbor

Demontez Stitt (Clemson)

The senior guard had a solid second half to his season and a nice ACC Tournament outing, averaging more than 20 points against Boston College and North Carolina.  The Tigers have been slowly gathering steam and Stitt should be the powering force behind any potential Tigers upset.  

13. Nikola Vucevic (USC)

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LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 10: Nikola Vucevic #5 of the USC Trojans shoots over Harper Kamp #22 of the California Golden Bears in the second half in the quarterfinals of the 2011 Pacific Life Pac-10 Men's Basketball Tournament at Staples Center on March 10,

Nikola Vucevic (USC)

Quietly one of the better players in the nation, Vucevic is a tough post player who averaged 17 points, 10 rebounds and 1.5 blocks during the season.  USC upset Texas, Tennessee, UCLA, Washington and Arizona this season, and the Trojan’s go-to guy was a big reason why.

12. Mike Muscala (Bucknell)

Mike Muscala (Bucknell)

The Bison’s big postman has been their rock this season, putting up 14.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2 blocks in the Patriot League.  Bucknell has a history of pulling big upsets in the tournament (mot notably against No. 3 Kansas in 2006) and could be a dangerous team to pull a first-round surprise behind Muscala’s muscle.

11. Scotty Hopson (Tennessee)

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ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 11: Scotty Hopson #32 of the Tennessee Volunteers shoots over Scottie Wilbekin #5 of the Florida Gators during the quarterfinals of the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament at Georgia Dome on March 11, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by

Scotty Hopson (Tennessee)

The Volunteer’s swingman has been their primary scorer all year and despite playing uneven during a turbulent season, Hopson and UT have had some nice tournament runs in recent seasons.  Hopson has been the man for head coach Bruce Pearl this year, and the success of the team will hinge largely on his explosive scoring ability.

10. Demetri McCamey (Illinois)

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 11: Demetri McCamey #32 of the Illinois Fighting Illini runs the offense against the Michigan Wolverines during the quarterfinals of the 2011 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse on March 11, 2011 in Indianap

Demetri McCamey (Illinois)

The cagey leader of the Fighting Illini has been lights out from the three all year, shooting an incredible 45.5 percent on his 154 attempts this season.  If McCamey gets hot from deep and can get his teammates involved like he did in wins earlier this season versus Gonzaga and North Carolina, Illinois is a team to be reckoned with.

9. Tim Hardaway Jr. (Michigan)

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 11: Tim Hardaway Jr. #10 of the Michigan Wolverines drives against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the quarterfinals of the 2011 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse on March 11, 2011 in Indianapolis, Ind

Tim Hardaway Jr. (Michigan)

The son of "The Killer Crossover" has been coming on strong for Michigan as of late, averaging over 19 points per game in his last nine.  The talented freshman can get hot in a hurry, potentially taking over an early-round game with his scoring prowess.

8. Ian Clark (Belmont)

Ian Clark (Belmont)

The Bruins have been talked about nationally as a team with a chance to stir the pot this year and, Clark has been a big reason why.  The scoring-savvy sophomore is shooting 43.6 percent from the three, as his team has lost only four times all season, including two close losses to Tennessee and one to Vanderbilt.

7. Justin Harper (Richmond)

Justin Harper (Richmond)

The 6’10” forward is practically an unknown outside of the Atlantic 10 conference and NBA Draft circles, but just ask teams like Purdue and Temple what the Spiders' star is capable of.  He’s a threat from beyond the arc and can really get out in transition, and if he’s on, Richmond has a good shot of pulling an upset.

6. Steven Gray (Gonzaga)

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LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 06: Steven Gray #41 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs looks to get around Avery Johnson #33 of the San Francisco Dons during a semifinal game of the Zappos.com West Coast Conference Basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena March 6, 2011 in

Steven Gray (Gonzaga)

Gray has been uneven this season, but showed signs early in the season of being able to take over a contest with some late-game heroics.  The senior is the premier scoring threat for Gonzaga, but he will have to play at his prime in order for Zag nation to go on another magical run.

5. Kenneth Faried (Morehead State)

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DAYTON, OH - MARCH 17: Kenneth Faried #35 of Morehead State Eagles takes a shot over Chief Kickingstallionsims #42 of the Alabama State Hornets during the opening round of the Men's NCAA Tournament on March 17, 2009 at the University of Dayton Arena in Da

Kenneth Faried (Morehead State)

Faried has been an absolute stud in the OVC this year, rocking the conference for 17.6 points, 14.5 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 2 steals per game.  The modern era’s all-time leading rebounder in NCAA history will look to go out with a bang, as the senior will anchor the defensive end and hold down the boards to give his team a good shot to win early.  

4. Cam Long (George Mason)

Cam Long (George Mason)

When you hear George Mason, you think back to the immaculate run by the Patriots back in 2006, but that team never had a scorer of Long’s caliber.  Cam is a shot-taker and a shot-maker, hitting 42.6 percent of his attempts this season. You can count on the Colonial Conference first-teamer to take the last shot for Mason.  

3. Talor Battle (Penn State)

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 10: Talor Battle #12 of the Penn State Nittany Lions brings the ball up court against the Indiana Hoosiers during the first round of the 2011 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse on March 10, 2011 in Indianap

Talor Battle (Penn State)

One of the few NCAA players capable of winning a game by himself, Battle’s dreams of playing in the big dance will finally come true in his senior season.  Talor is one of the nation’s premier floor generals and a volume three-point shooter who will keep the game from getting out of hand.

2. Isaiah Thomas (Washington)

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LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 12: Isaiah Thomas #2 of the Washington Huskies makes a last-second shot in overtime over the arm of Lamont Jones #12 of the Arizona Wildcats to lead the Huskies to a 77-75 victory in the championship game of the 2011 Pacific Life

Isaiah Thomas (Washington)

While only 5’9”, Thomas has one of the biggest hearts and is one of the best clutch shooters in the tournament.  His epic performance in the Pac-10 Tournament this year solidified him as a national power player, and the Huskies won’t go down without a fight from the fiery playmaker.  

1. Keith Benson (Oakland)

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MILWAUKEE - MARCH 19: Keith Benson #34 of the Oakland Golden Grizzlies shoots the ball over Gary McGhee #52 of the Pittsburgh Panthers in the second half during the first round of the 2010 NCAA men's basketball tournament at the Bradley Center on March 1

Keith Benson (Oakland)

One of the best-kept secrets in the NCAA, Benson is a 6’11” big man with a sweet inside-out game. As the Summit League Player of the Year two seasons in a row, don’t be surprised if Benson puts up big numbers when the Golden Grizzlies make a serious attempt to knock off a highly ranked first-round foe.