NCAA Tournament 2011: The Sweetest Player From Each Sweet 16 Team
The 2011 NCAA Tournament has already been full of upsets, incredible games and big time performances from some of the country’s best players.
In order to get this far you have to play as a team, but it would be naive to think that every team doesn’t have a game-changing player that they can go to in clutch situations.
Now that we have sorted out the top 16 teams of the tournament, it’s time to take a look at the sweetest player from each of these Sweet 16 teams.
Ohio State: David Lighty
1 of 16
Ohio State came out looking rather lethargic against George Mason, but they changed pace right away, thanks in large part to senior leader, David Lighty.
Lighty went 9-for-10 from the field on the same day that he received his diploma from OSU. He also played a huge role in helping the Buckeyes move onto the Sweet 16.
There has been a lot of talk about Jared Sullinger, but Lighty is going to have to keep up his hot shooting if the Buckeyes want to beat Kentucky.
Kentucky: Brandon Knight
2 of 16
Knight is obviously one of the best young players in college basketball, and he was definitely somebody to keep an eye on going into the tournament.
He has not disappointed so far.
He made the game deciding bucket in the first round, and then bounced back from a dismal performance to put up 30 points (3-for- 8 from downtown) on the Mountaineers.
He’s going to have to duplicate that performance in order to have success against the Buckeyes.
Marquette: Darius Johnson-Odom
3 of 16
Johnson-Odom came up clutch when Marquette beat Syracuse. He hit the go-ahead three with 27 ticks on the clock, and will have to keep up his clutch shooting for Marquette to keep advancing.
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North Carolina: Harrison Barnes
4 of 16
Barnes is the Tar Heels biggest offensive threat, and he can really stretch a defense thin. He has scored 46 points in North Carolina’s two tournament games.
He is starting to find his shooting touch beyond the arc, and if he can stay hot it’s going to be hard for anybody to stop him.
Duke: Nolan Smith
5 of 16
Nolan Smith could make his case for tournament MVP if the Blue Devils can continue to advance.
He may have beat Michigan on his own with a surge of offensive beauty in the second half. He also almost broke Tim Hardaway Jr’s ankles in half, and definitely got a stir from the crowd.
Smith can get hot very quick, and he can put away a team by himself.
He makes Duke scary.
Arizona: Derrick Williams
6 of 16
Williams was potentially having his worst game of the season against Texas. Nonetheless Arizona went to him in the final seconds of the game, and he converted a lay-up, got fouled and made the free throw that put Arizona up one.
9.6 seconds later they won the game.
Williams won’t have the luxury of having a bad game against Duke, so he’ll have to be spot on.
Connecticut: Kemba Walker
7 of 16
Kemba Walker is not only just the best player on UConn’s team; he is most likely one of the best players in the NCAA.
UConn relies heavily on Walker to provide them with the offensive spark that they need, and he is more than willing to be their go-to guy.
He’s clutch and he’s a great player.
San Diego State: Billy White
8 of 16
Billy White could be a constant double-double machine. He is averaging about 13 points over his past five games, and many of his rebounds come on the offensive glass.
He can be a game changer. Not flashy, but integral.
Kansas: Marcus Morris
9 of 16
Morris is the undisputed leader of the team, and he has taken the responsibility of carrying the scoring load on his shoulders.
He’s explosive and can beat you inside and out.
I don’t think this round presents an upset for Kansas, so Morris won’t have to be a superstar, but he is going to have to remain the best on his team.
Richmond: Kevin Anderson
10 of 16
Anderson had 14 points against Morehead State and is undoubtedly the guy that makes this team go.
He is second on the school’s all-time scoring list.
He is going to have to score more than 14 to beat KU, but he has the potential and ability to easily do so.
Virginia Commonwealth: Bradford Burgess
11 of 16
VCU has the making of a Cinderella team for the 2011 tournament, and they do it by playing some great defense.
That being said, Burgess posted up 25 points and 8 rebounds against Purdue.
He’s going to have to continue his big time play if he wants his team to keep moving forward.
Florida State: Chris Singleton
12 of 16
Florida State’s calling card is defense, and Singleton is the leader of that D.
He can add some offense to the mix as well, and will have to have to play excellent on both ends of the court for FSU to continue their run.
Butler: Matt Howard
13 of 16
Howard has some big game experience, and he is the guy that Butler goes to for leadership and big plays.
He tipped in the winning basket to beat Old Dominion and hit the game-winning free throw to beat Pitt.
He knows what he is doing and is confident in his game.
Wisconsin: Jon Leuer
14 of 16
Leuer has scored in double figures 40 games in a row, which should tell you a lot about the guy.
He had 19 points and 7 rebounds against K-State, even after getting stitched up during the first half to fix a gash on his head.
This guy's a baller.
Brigham Young: Jimmer Fredette
15 of 16
Fredette is the nation’s premier scorer, and he is obviously BYU’s go to guy.
He put up 34 points against Gonzaga, which is almost a bad day for him, and I expect him to easily top that as BYU moves through the tournament.
Florida is no easy task, but Fredette can outscore anybody.
Florida: Erving Walker
16 of 16
Walker is shooting 64 percent from three-point range and is averaging 19.5 points per game in the tournament.
He can distribute, shoot the ball, and is a high impact player.
Florida likes to score on the run, and Walker’s the guy who can make that happen.
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