It's that wonderful time of the year again. That nail-biting, upsetting, bracket-busting time of the year when sports fans and anime fans have an equally likely chance of winning the local March Madness bracket pool. While some vigorously study each team, breaking them down in into a sabermetric headache, others choose the team with the prettiest uniforms and the coolest names - trust me, my girlfriend has Chattanooga in the championship game.
And while it's hard enough keeping track of 64 teams, it's nearly impossible to keep track of the players that stand out on each team. After all, we're set to encounter at least 700 players throughout the tournament. Thankfully, I've funneled it down to seven players that will make the biggest impact on the tournament.
These aren't the the guys that ESPN has been highlighting since November; these are the guys that have flown under the radar all winter, just waiting for their time to shine. The players that make the tournament worth watching, and the players that will most likely destroy your chances of winning the bracket pool. Here they are, ranked in no particular order.
1. Kris Dunn, Providence
Projected as the fifth overall pick in this years NBA draft, Kris Dunn is easily one of the best guards in the country. However, many people don't know about him because he plays for the nine-seeded Providence. Watch out for Dunn to make some noise this year.
2. Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga
The 6-10 transfer from Kentucky is in his last season with Zags, and ready to go out with a bang. There's nothing more lethal than a big man who can shoot, and that's exactly what Wiltjer is. Leading his team, Wiltjer sunk nearly half of his three-point attempts with a .466 three-point percentage.
3. Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin
Coming off last year's difficult loss in the championship game, Nigel Hayes is fueled to strike again. Although his team is a seven-seed this year, Hayes is the same ecstatic, high energy player that he was last year, only now he's even better from behind the arc.
4. Jarrod Uthoff, Iowa
Jarrod Uthoff is exactly what you'd expect from the corn capital of America: He's big and he's scary. Uthoff is a double-double machine, collecting points, rebounds, and blocks alike. The recent transfer from Wisconsin is ready to make one final shot at glory.
5. Gary Payton II, Oregon State
If the name gives you deja vu, it should. As the son of Gary Payton, Hall of Fame NBA point guard for the Seattle SuperSonics, Payton II is displaying much of the tenacity seen in his old man. Although he's a scoring machine on offense, he separates himself on defense, averaging 3 steals per game and earning himself the nickname "the thief" among his teammates.
6. Fred VanVleet, Wichita State
From one point guard to the next, VanVleet made a name for himself in 2014 when he led his Shockers to the final four. Coming off of a hamstring injury that limited him in the first half the season, VanVleet is more than ready to make noise in the tournament, especially with his sidekick Ron Baker at hand.
7. Wesley Washpun, Northern Iowa
Expect a lot of energy from this Northern Iowa point guard. Washpun sent the Panthers to the tournament in style, nailing a last second shot to win the Missouri Valley Conference championship. While the big dance is nothing new for the Panthers, who have been notorious for upsetting big names in the first few rounds (Kansas in 2010), Washpun should add just the extra spark they need to do the same moving forward.
CBB at Sports Reference. College Basketball at sports-reference.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.
