Video: 25 Players To Watch in This Year's NCAA Tournament

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Last week, Complex and ESPN collaborated to bring you the NCAA's best ankle-breakers and best dunks from the 2012 men's college basketball season. Now that the conference tournaments have passed and teams have been shipped off to the NIT, the 64 best teams in the country will begin their quest for immortality on Thursday. As we all know, any team and any player could shock the world and go off in the tournament. Those stories we can't predict. We can, however, steer you towards players that have consistently proven throughout this season that they are the most exciting top talent. From a freshman hitting buzzer-beaters to a redshirt senior making his final tour, we present to you 25 Players to Watch in This Year's NCAA Tournament

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Kendall Marshall, North Carolina

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Position: Guard
Year: Sophomore
Stats: 7.8 PPG, 9.7 APG, 2.6 RPG, 1.2 SPG
We could've picked any number of players off the Tar Heels' roster (Harrison Barnes, Tyler Zeller, and John Henson are all likely high picks whenever they decide to go to the NBA), but Marshall is the player to keep your eye on when Carolina plays. The 6-foot-4 point guard was an All-ACC third teamer last year as a freshman, and this year set the conference's single-season assists record. If dimes are your thing, there's no more exciting player to watch than Marshall.

Dion Waiters, Syracuse

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Position: Guard
Year: Sophomore
Stats: 12.6 PPG, 2.6 APG, 1.9 SPG
The Big East Sixth Man of the Year is so valuable to this Syracuse team that he actually averages the second-most points on the team. With Fab Melo now out of the equation, they'll need him to step up even bigger. We saw what he did in the Big East tourney, destroying UConn with a season-high 28 points, so we see him doing big things in the real deal.

Tu Holloway, Xavier

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Position: Guard
Year: Senior
Stats: 17.0 PPG, 5.1 APG, 3.7 RPG, 1.5 SPG
Even if this dude weren't a baller, we'd want to watch him based on the G status he achieved by calling his teammates gangstas, claiming the Musketeers motto was "Zip 'em up," and barking at the Bearcats that Cincinnati was his city in the aftermath of Xavier's brawl with their crosstown rivals earlier this year. His toughness as a senior leader is what makes him so much fun to watch. He's constantly pushing his team, and in his final chance in the tourney, it's now or never for Mr. Holloway.

Matthew Dellavedova, Saint Mary's

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Position: Guard
Year: Junior
Stats: 15.6 PPG, 6.4 APG, 3.3 RPG
He's got one of the most fun names of any player in the tournament, often looks like he just rolled up out of bed after a crazy weekend out drinking, and is from Maryborough, Australia. He's also the West Coast Conference Player of the Year. Dellavedova has led this team all season with his scrappy play, always finding ways to cut through defenses and facilitate scoring situations. He could do damage against Purdue.

Jae Crowder, Marquette

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Position: Small Forward
Year: Senior
Stats: 17.4 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 2.5 SPG, 2.1 APG, 1 BPG
A simple reason to watch Crowder would be because he is the Big East Player of the Year, but there's more to this kid than that. He was recruited by Marquette for two years of eligibility after he was named National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Player of the Year and led Howard College to its first men's basketball title. An athletic 6'6", Crowder presents all sorts of matchup issues with his versatile defensive prowess and his ability to drain threes. In addition to his impressive points and rebound averages, Crowder is a turnover-producing machine with 2.4 steals and 1.0 block per game. Plus, as you can see in the video, he's already proven how clutch he can be.

Elias Harris, Gonzaga

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Position: Forward
Year: Junior
Stats: 13.1 PPG, 8.7 RPG
Pronounced Eleeyus, not Ehleyeus, Harris was recruited all the way from Speyer, Germany. And yes, the trip was worth it. The 6-foot-7 forward gets his skills from his mom and dad, who both played basketball competitively. He's playing the best ball of his career right now, as he pulled in six double-doubles in the final nine games, including a 22-point, 13-rebound display in the Gonzaga's overtime loss to Saint Mary's. The nasty dunks and clutch shots we've seen from him this year are just a few more reasons why he's deserving of a spot on this list.

Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette

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Position: Guard
Year: Senior
Stats: 18.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1 SPG
When you lead a Big East team in scoring and your teammate, who is the Big East POY Jae Crowder, thanks you for making him the player he is, you're obviously doing something right. Darius can cross you over, stop on a dime with a quick dribble, drain a three in your face, and finish strong at the rim. That's what happens when you've been in one of the nation's top conferences for four years.

Kevin Jones, West Virginia

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Position: Small Forward
Year: Senior
Stats: 20.1 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 1 BPG
Although West Virginia hasn't gotten a lot of attention in the extremely deep Big East, Kevin Jones has stood out all season long. Jones decided to skip the NBA draft and further develop his skills with another season, a choice that has paid great dividends. Jones is the only double-double guy on the list who is also averaging 20 points, and ESPN took notice, naming him the No. 1 player to watch in the East region of the NCAA bracket.

Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut

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Position: Guard
Year: Sophomore
Stats: 17.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.2 SPG
Jeremy Lamb and the UConn Huskies received a crazy amount of hype before the season. All of that has died down a bit now but Lamb is still regarded as one of the best guards in the country and has the ability to make the crowd H.A.M. at any moment. Don't believe us? Peep the video evidence above.

Perry Jones III, Baylor

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Position: Power Forward
Year: Sophomore
Stats: 14.0 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 0.9 SPG
During the football season, Baylor's campus and the rest of the nation was entranced by top NFL prospect Robert Griffin III, but once basketball fever hit, a different "the third" took over. Already a top NBA prospect after last year's impressive season, Jones III cemented his name in lottery team's scouting reports by surprisingly returning to college for another big season. And unlike last year's postseason, when he was suspended for receiving benefits, Jones III dominated in the Big 12 tournament and is ready to take on the South division of the bracket. He has shot 57%, put in 65 points, and swiped 29 boards over the Bears' past three games. He stayed in school for the purpose of making the NCAA tournament. Now that he's here, other teams better watch out.

Robbie Hummel, Purdue

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Position: Small Forward
Year: Senior
Stats: 16.3 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.2 SPG
It finally happened: Hummel made it through an entire season without getting injured, and guess what? Purdue is not nearly as good as they have been the past couple seasons. With JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun off in the NBA playing for the Boston Celtics, the Boilermakers have sputtered this year to a decent, but not great, 21-12 record. If it weren't for the redshirt senior, things would be much worse, as he has carried this team all year. He is averaging career highs in points, rebounds, blocks, and three-pointers. Just make sure to catch him during round one. It might be Purdue's only game.

Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas

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Position: Guard
Year: Senior
Stats: 17.3 PPG, 4.8 APG, 1.2 SPG
The three previous seasons of Taylor's career at Kansas, he'd never hit the double-digit mark for points per game. That changed drastically this year, as he's shooting a career-high 43.5 percent from three and nearly doubled his scoring from last year. Taylor has been a key to Kansas' offense all year, including two clutch free throws to complete a 16-point comeback against Mizzou, and we don't expect that to change in the tournament.

John Jenkins, Vanderbilt

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Position: Guard
Year: Junior
Stats: 19.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG
John Jenkins Jingleheimer Scm... oh, sorry. We swear this guy isn't on the list just because that song's been stuck in our head. He's on the list because he's one of the top pure scorers in the country and is fresh off an SEC tournament-winning victory over No. 1 Kentucky. Jenkins has developed a loving relationship with the three-point line this season, making at least four triples in 20 of 34 games and shooting 44.8 percent from beyond the arc. The SEC tourney MVP is sure to excite us this month (pause).

Thomas Robinson, Kansas

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Position: Power Forward
Year: Junior
Stats: 17.9 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1 BPG
Robinson is basically the only other player that is in the same conversation as Anthony Davis for player of the year. His stats speak for themselves and have resulted in the Jayhawks snagging a No. 2 seed in this year's tourney. Really, the only thing dude is missing is the 'brow.

Draymond Green, Michigan State

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Position: Forward
Year: Senior
Stats: 16.1 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1 BPG
In a way, Michigan State has flown under the radar for a majority of this season. Everybody was so focused on Kentucky, Syracuse, Mizzou, Kansas, Ohio State, and North Carolina that the Spartans just laid low all year then swooped in for a No. 1 seed in the final week. Green has played under Tom Izzo all four years of his college career and has gotten better every season. He's no stranger to Final Four country.

Andre Drummond, Connecticut

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Position: Center
Year: Freshman
Stats: 10.2 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 2.7 BPG
In high school Drummond was a be-all, do-all player. Even though he's just under seven feet tall, he'd bring the ball up the court, even run plays sometimes. This season has been all about honing his skill set to be specifically tailored for the post. As the season has gone by, his play has improved, although he has yet to prove to be a consistent scorer. His nine double-doubles are more than any UConn freshman ever, and we imagine he'll get one or two more in the tourney.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky

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Position: Forward
Year: Freshman
Stats: 11.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2 APG 1.1 SPG, 1 BPG
The No. 1 team in the country is obviously going to have more than one exciting player to keep your eye on. If you don't know this guy by now, then you probably still think Peyton Manning is going to lead the Colts to a Super Bowl this year and that Ricky Rubio is still stuck in Spain. As impressive as Anthony Davis has been this season, he still needs a wingman like Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. He says that he's going to stay at Kentucky and even graduate a Wildcat. We'll see if he keeps singing the same tune once those first-round projection talks start heating up.

Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

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Position: Power Forward
Year: Sophomore
Stats: 17.6 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.9 BPG
Jared Sullinger is hungry. After watching Ohio State big men Greg Oden, Kosta Koufof, and B.J. Mullens dip after just one season, Sullinger could have taken his double-double average right into an NBA contract. But he didn't. He stayed purely because reaching the Elite Eight wasn't good enough for him. He wanted more. His stats have been nearly identical this year, but he is determined to force a different finish. Yeah this dude has the Hunger For More. Sidebar: Where there hell is Lloyd Banks?

Michael Snaer, Florida State

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Position: Guard
Year: Junior
Stats: 14.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2 APG, 1.2 SPG
Michael Snaer is about as emotional of a guy as you can find on the basketball court. According to his teammate Luke Loucks, he despises losing so much more than he enjoys winning. He just doesn't want other people to get satisfaction from his mistakes. At 6'5" Snaer is a guard with ridiculous quickness and he has the ability to give opponents fits as a defender. His scoring is a plus too, as he helped the Seminoles roll through the ACC by earning tournament MVP honors. As long as he keeps his emotions in check and doesn't pull an Adam Morrison then he should be good to go.

Doug McDermott, Creighton

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Position: Small Forward
Year: Sophomore
Stats: 23.2 PPG, 8.2 RPG
That's right, out of all the top players in the country, the kid out of Creighton is the leading scorer on this list. McDermott has been a game-changer for the Bluejays all year with performances like his 44 points against Bradley or his 36 points and eleven rebounds against Long Beach State. Not that he needs any extra motivation, but McDermott could potentially face his old high school teammate Harrison Barnes if the Jays make it to play UNC in the third round. How's that for must-see TV?

Austin Rivers, Duke

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Position: Guard
Year: Freshman
Stats: 15.4 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1 SPG
He's the son of Celtics coach Doc Rivers and he's the kid that drained a cold-blooded game-winner against North Carolina as a freshman. What's been the most fun about watching Rivers has been his development. You could tell when he first came into college play that he wasn't 100 percent ready to go like Kyrie Irving was. He needed to get himself up to college speed. It didn't take long. His play has only increased as the season has gone, so there's no reason not to expect him to take the next big step forward in the tournament. This is the same young'n who said he wanted to "destroy" LeBron, so yeah, we think he's ready for the big stage.

Kyle Kuric, Louisville

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Position: Guard
Year: Senior
Stats: 13.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.3 SPG
As a freshman, Kuric was only on the court for a total of 93 minutes. This season he logged 1,199, averaging 36.3 minutes per game. When you play that much for the Big East tournament champs and No. 6 team in the country, it shows your importance. Progression, FTW.

Anthony Davis, Kentucky

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Position: Center
Year: Freshman
Stats: 14.3 PPG, 10 RPG, 4.6 BPG
Sorry, Thomas Robinson, there is nobody in the country playing on the level of Anthony Davis. As a freshman he led a young team to a 30-win season for the 13th time in school history. Here's a bit of perspective for you about just how good he is: Before Davis came to Kentucky, the school's record for blocks in a season was set by Melvin Turpin and Andre Riddick at 83. Through 34 games this year, Davis has 157. That total puts him only three blocks behind Perry Stevenson at No. 5 on the Kentucky career block total list. With the exception of Sam Bowie, who played three seasons and 96 games, the players above him played all four seasons and at least 123 games. Need more reason to watch? Oddly enough, that unibrow is kind of entrancing.

Yancy Gates, Cincinnati

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Position: Power Forward
Year: Senior
Stats: 12.4 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 0.9 BPG
Gates has been a little less consistent than some of these other players and has struggled a bit as of late, but as a senior, he knows what's on the line. Cincy closed out the season 9-3 and beat every top team in the Big East during that span. He's averaged double digits in scoring every year of his career for the Bearcats, and the offense will be running through him like usual.

Marcus Denmon, Missouri

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Position: Guard
Year: Senior
Stats: 17.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.6 SPG
Mizzou is stuffed to the brim with talented guards, but Marcus Denmon stands out with the most scoring-burst potential. He shoots an average of seven three-pointers per game and when he sees a shot go through, he'll start hitting it from deep. Ayo!

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