NCAA tournament: 68 players to watch

There is no shortage of reasons to watch each and every NCAA tournament game. That's kind of impossible, but the most hardcore among us will spend at least the first four days of March Madness flipping game-to-game, upset-to-upset, story-to-story.

The nature of the tournament is that the games dictate where our eyes should commit, and what looks to be a dud game on the schedule can quickly turn into Priority 1A. No matter where your dial (or web browser, or what have you) lands, there will be at least two players worth keeping an eye on. To a squad, everyone has an interesting player or two.

Here are the top 68 players to watch in the tournament, one for each team in the field of 68.

1. Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky

He's a potential No. 1 pick, a versatile and highly effective defender, and he may finally be unleashed beyond 21 minutes per game. No shot is safe.

Honorable Mention: Literally the entire rotation

He's hitting 48.4 percent from outside for a No. 1 seed. His range begins approximately where you're standing right now.

Towns' primary competition for the No. 1 spot in the NBA Draft. Few big men can score like Okafor, so pray for a Towns-Okafor showdown.

Honorable Mention: Justise Winslow, Tyus Jones, Quinn Cook

4. Darrun Hilliard II, Villanova

The Wildcats are low on star power, but Hilliard's the team's leading scorer, highest-volume 3-point shooter and nobody has Jay Wright's trust more with the game on the line.

He may be the best wing defender in the entire country, so if he draws a high-scoring wing on this list, it's going to be a blast. It's not just the defense, though.

Honorable Mention: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, T.J. McConnell

While some have moved quickly to overrate his NBA potential, there are rarely college big men who can score in so many ways. Plus, the facial expressions.

Honorable Mention: Sam Dekker

The 6-foot-10 freshman leads the Bulldogs in rebounding and averages 9.5 points on 67.7 percent shooting. Far more interesting, he's the son of Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis and could be a first-round pick in June.

Honorable Mention: Kyle Wiltjer

Already forget his 7-of-12, 20-point performance in an upset loss to Kentucky a year ago? Baker's a year more experienced and somehow even better from outside now. He's also a sweetheart.

Honorable Mention: Fred VanVleet

9. Kelly Oubre Jr., Kansas

Oubre started the year as a bit of a disappointment - albeit not on Cliff Alexander levels - and while he remains inconsistent, he's an enticing potential lottery pick and represents the Jayhawks' best chance at outperforming expectations.

Honorable Mention: Perry Ellis

Layman's taken an early injury to Dez Wells as an opportunity to expand his role, often playing a stretch-four role for the Terrapins thanks to his 38.1 percent clip from outside.

Honorable Mention: Melo Trimble

Four years in to his time with Northern Iowa, Tuttle is the Panthers, leading them in scoring, rebounding and assists. And that patience.

There's a ton to say about Grant, a likely first-round pick in June. But shhhhh:

Honorable Mention: Demetrius Jackson

13. Jakob Poeltl, Utah

There's something about 7-foot internationals and the Utes. He's no Andrew Bogut - Poeltl is only fourth on the team in scoring - but he shoots 68.9 percent and is the team's top rebounder and rim protector.

Honorable Mention: Delon Wright

14. Rico Gathers, Baylor

He's 6-foot-8 and 280 pounds. He only shoots 45.9 percent. He doesn't have range. He's also third in the country in rebounding, was an All-Defensive Team selection in the Big 12 and he might be the most terrifying man in the tournament.

15. Buddy Hield, Oklahoma

It's impossible not to think of Dave Chappelle with a guy named Buddy. "Come on, Buddy." You'll hear that in your head a lot, as Hield leads the Sooners in scoring and has the green light to shoot from anywhere, any time.

16. Montrezl Harrell, Louisville

The. King. Of. Vines. No. Seriously. The King. And those are just since Jan. 31. There may not be a more exciting player in the field.

Honorable Mention: Montrezl Harrell, Terry Rozier, Montrezl Harrell

17. Monte Morris, Iowa State

Shooter. Scorer. Distributor. Ball thief. Handshake artist.

Honorable Mention: Georges Niang

18. Bobby Portis, Arkansas

One of the top-40 scorers in the country, Portis averaged 17.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks, hit 56.3 percent from the floor and went 11-of-26 from outside. He's got help, but the Razorbacks aren't going anywhere without him beasting.

19. Justin Jackson, North Carolina

It's strange for UNC to be good at the team level without a top prospect, and Jackson may be their only player drafted in June. A 6-foot-8 freshman wing, Jackson hasn't had the best season overall but has scored in double-digits in six consecutive games, with his 3-point shot steadying.

Honorable Mention: Marcus Paige

20. Juwan Staten, West Virginia

The 6-foot-1 senior is paramount to West Virginia succeeding. Leading the team in scoring and assists, the Mountaineers dropped back-to-back games when he hit the shelf at the end of the season.

21. Kellen Dunham, Butler

The Bulldogs are 7-1 when Dunham scores 20 points this season, which has happened more and more often as the season's gone along. In other words, guarding him is a little ... tricky.

22. Nic Moore, SMU

This should have been Emmanuel Mudiay, but things happen, and Moore's stepped up in steadying the Mustangs' ship. The 5-foot-9 guard leads the team in scoring, assists and steals while hitting 42.9 percent from outside.

23. D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State

The potential top-five pick is the only thing that's kept the Buckeyes in the bracket for most of the season, and there's no individual player more important to a team in the country. I've taken to calling him Voodoo Russell, a nod to D'Angelo and Russell's magical passing ability.

24. Kris Dunn, Providence

Finally healthy as a junior, Dunn has shot into the first-round on most draft boards. He's averaging 15.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 7.4 assists and ranks fourth in the country with 85 steals. You can't take your eyes off of him.

Honorable Mention: LaDontae Henton

25. Kevon Looney, UCLA

The Bruins don't really belong in the tournament, but who's going to argue a chance to watch a potential top-five pick for at least one more game? Looney is one of the best defensive players in the country and projects as a 6-foot-9 combo-forward who may be able to develop enough range to space the floor.

26. Isaac Copeland, Georgetown

He's fifth on the team in scoring and plays fewer than 20 minutes, but he's a versatile 6-foot-10 shooter and is still just 19. Since Jan. 13, his scoring average has spiked from 3.9 points per game to 9.7.

27. Jack Gibbs and Tyler Kalinoski, Davidson

The lone duo share a spot on this list - it's impossible to separate the Wildcats' two best players. You can stop one. Stopping two may prove far more difficult.

28. Derrick Marks, Boise State

A top-20 scorer nationwide, Marks averages his 19.6 points in hyper-efficiency fashion, shooting 50.6 percent from the floor, 46 percent from outside and 80 percent at the line. More like Derrick Marksman.

29. Joseph Young, Oregon

He shoots 91.8 percent from the line, the fourth-best mark in the country. Considering how often the ball is in his hands - he averages 19.8 points and 3.7 assists - opponents basically need to ensure they have a lead to beat the Ducks, because late-game fouling just isn't going to work.

30. Octavius Ellis, Cincinnati

Ellis leads the team in scoring with 10 points per game and averages only 6.1 field goal attempts. That seems weird for a tournament team, but the Bearcats are built on their top-15 defense, where Ellis helps by pulling in 7.2 rebounds and blocking 2.1 shots.

31. Sir'Dominic Pointer, St. John's

Aside from having maybe the best name in the tournament, Pointer is all over the stat sheet, averaging 13.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, two steals and 2.5 blocks.

32. Aaron White, Iowa

The Hawkeyes' leading scorer and rebounder, he's apparently so good it was cause for creating a whole new team - the 1st Team All White Big team.

33. Branden Dawson, Michigan St.

One of the dozen or so best dunkers in college ball, Dawson also ranks among the country's best rebounders, averaging 11.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. Did we mention the dunks?

34. Ralston Turner, NC State

Only 25 players took as many 3-point attempts as Turner this season, so even at a somewhat modest 36.8-percent clip, he warrants a ton of attention off the ball. Don't expect him to dish once he gets it, either - he has 63 assists over the last two seasons compared to 653 field foal attempts and 70 turnovers.

35. Tyler Harvey, Eastern Washington

The nation's leading scorer at 22.9 points per game, there is no spot on the floor from which Harvey isn't a threat to fire. He also has a terrific story, having gone without a scholarship offer, with his referee father ultimately using an on-flight connection to score Harvey a walk-on spot with the Eagles.

36. R.J. Hunter, Georgia State

A fringe lottery pick this June, Hunter has the size to get his shot off over most college defenders, but his accuracy has waned a great deal this season. If his 30.8-percent 3-point clip can rebound, his 20.1 point-per-game average would somehow undersell his potential to take over a game.

37. Malik Pope, San Diego St.

Pope's pushed himself from fringe first-round pick to fringe lottery pick this season, even if he's not quite ready for the jump. You'll see bursts of that potential in the tournament. You'll probably also see him jump out of the gym.

38. A.J. Hammons, Purdue

The 7-foot, 280-pound center will probably find himself a second-round pick whenever he declares based on size alone, and he buoys the Boilermakers inside with 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game.

39. James Blackmon Jr., Indiana

The home-grown freshman can fill it up in a hurry, averaging 15.8 points in 30.1 minutes and hitting 38.7 percent of his threes. With three capable scorers sharing a heavy load, the Hoosiers and their No. 10 offense could be a tough out.

Honorable Mention: Yogi Ferrell, Troy Williams

40. Myles Turner, Texas

The likely top-10 pick doesn't fill up the highlight reel, but as a 7-foot power forward with developing range, he doesn't have to in order to catch your attention. His two-way impact is a big reason the Longhorns are considered under-seeded by some advanced metrics.

41. Jarell Martin, LSU

It's not really fair when even your misses are just designed to set up your makes. That's the case for Martin, an incredibly springy combo-forward who could find himself taken in the first round with a good tournament.

42. J.J. Frazier, Georgia

At 5-foot-10, it's easy to root for Frazier, a local product for the Bulldogs. He averages 9.8 points, 3.3 assists and 1.2 steals, all impressive rates, but it's his range that really amazes.

43. Scoochie Smith, Dayton

Look, Jordan Sibert is the team's best player and a terrific scorer and Dyshawn Pierre is a likable, versatile Canadian, but you never pass up the chance to write Scoochie.

44. Le'Bryan Nash, Oklahoma State

The fourth-year senior wing will be looking to rebound from a disappointing showing against Gonzaga from a year ago, the second time in his career the Cowboys have been one-and-done. Averaging 17.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, two assists and one block, few do as much individually for their team as Nash does.

45. Tyler Haws, BYU

The nation's fourth-leading scorer is the engine for one of the tournament's fastest-paced attacks, and he makes the Cougars an exciting watch and a trendy upset pick. This is his third consecutive season of averaging at least 21.7 points, shooting at least 46.3 percent from the floor and hitting at least 87.6 percent from the stripe.

46. Stefan Moody, Ole Miss

The Rebels' leading scorer stands just 5-foot-10. He also happens to be a terror as a cheater on the defensive end, averaging 1.8 steals.

47. Treveon Graham, VCU

One of the best rebounding wings around, Graham also hits at a 38.1 percent clip from outside, leading the Rams in both scoring and work on the glass. It's really too bad that Briante Weber, just 12 steals from becoming the NCAA's all-time career leader, has been rendered a sideline supporter only thanks to a torn ACL and MCL.

48. Larry Nance Jr., Wyoming

The son of former NBA Slam Dunk Contest winner Larry Nance, let's just say Junior has this kind of thing in his genes.

49. Jalen Reynolds, Xavier

The Musketeers have three players scoring in double-figures - make your own Three Musketeers joke here - but it's Reynolds, averaging 9.6 points in 19.7 minutes, who catches your attention.

50. Craig Bradshaw, Belmont

He's averaging 18.1 points, shooting 49 percent overall and hitting 41.6 percent from outside. He's also fearless, even if the results aren't always there.

51. Shivaughn Wiggins, Coastal Carolina

He's 5-foot-11, gets to the free throw line a ton and is the team's assist leader. He'll disappear for games but has a pair of 20-point games on the season and can really pick up the offense when it stalls.

52. Emmy Andujar, Manhattan

He's the Jaspers' top scorer, rebounder and passer, averages more than two steals and had an impressive 13-5-4 showing against Louisville in the tournament a year ago.

53. David Walker, Northeastern

The Huskies play through Walker on the wing, and while he's a capable distributor, he's hardly shy about letting it fly from outside.

54. Lawrence Alexander, North Dakota St.

Ranking in the top-40 in the nation in scoring with 18.9 points per fame, Alexander relies heavily on his outside shot - he averages 7.1 long-range attempts - to lead the Bison.

55. Ozzie Osprey, North Florida

Seriously, this thing is nightmare fuel.

Honorable Mention: Dallas Moore

56. Lucky Jones, Robert Morris

Dude's name is Lucky, so there's absolutely no conscience when it comes to his 34.5-percent 3-point stroke or that he rebounds better than almost any guard out there. And he sees you, girl.

57. Vashil Fernandez, Valparaiso

The nearly-7-foot Jamaican is already 23 years old as a junior, taking him off the prospect radar. But his three blocks per game are a big reason the Crusaders have the No. 34-ranked adjusted defense in the country.

58. Karl Cochran, Wofford

He leads the Terriers in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and threes. He's important.

59. Nick Lindner, Lafayette

Dan Trist is the toughest matchup problem but Lindner is the Leopards' engine, averaging 5.4 assists and dropping 25 points in the Patriot League final.

60. Evan Singletary, Albany

The Great Danes split their scoring load among Singletary, Peter Hooley and Sam Rowley, but it's Singletary who will have the ball in his hands with the game on the line.

61. Justin Moss, Buffalo

The Bulls use a two-headed attack on offense, and it's their interior presence that will be interesting to watch match up against some of the taller frontcourt players in the tournament. Moss averages 17.7 points and 9.2 rebounds while shooting 52.1 percent but will be smaller than a lot of the players he matches up against inside.

62. Brian Darden, Hampton

The Pirates' biggest weakness is from beyond the arc, where they rank among the bottom-40 teams in the country. Darden's their only volume shooter hitting better than 35 percent, so look for him if Hampton finds itself down late.

63. Wesley Saunders, Harvard

It's Saunders and then everyone else for the Crimson. He leads the team in scoring by a mile, ranks second in rebounding and assists and is the team's best outside threat

64. Tanveer Bhullar, New Mexico St.

He rarely plays, but the 7-foot-3, 335-pound Canadian and brother of D-Leaguer Sim Bhullar is a must-watch whenever he takes the court.

65. Stone Cold Steve Austin, Stephen F. Austin

Sure, Thomas Walkup is really good, but the Lumberjacks present the easiest joke in the tournament. Again. Gimme an "Oh hell yeah."

Honorable Mention: Thomas Walkup

66. Nick Shepherd, Texas Southern

Shepherd's numbers don't jump out at all - he averages 2.6 points and 2.6 rebounds - and at 6-foot-9 he doesn't seem too imposing a presence. But the Tiger's big man averages a block every 10.5 minutes, giving him a top-40 block percentage in the country.

67. Robert Brown, UAB

Brown isn't particularly effective, shooting 39.8 percent on the season, but he's taken nearly twice as many field goal attempts (399) as his closest Blazers teammate (215).

68. Mamadou Ndiaye, UC Irvine

The 7-foot-6, 300-pound Senegal native is not to be confused with former Toronto Raptor Mamadou N'Diaye, also 7-feet and of Senegalese decent. The Anteaters sophomore averages 10.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks and you don't care, because he's 7-foot-6.