Final Four unsung heroes for each team

The Final Four will be highlighted by the sheer star power reflected by the nation's best teams. 

But through the wear and tear of March Madness, some lesser-known players have stolen the spotlight. Here are a four players to watch out for in the biggest games of the season.

Branden Dawson, Michigan State

Remember the guy who drove to the lane and dished to Bryn Forbes in the Elite Eight against Louisville in overtime? That guy who, on the same play scored the one-handed, falling rebound to put his team up by four?

When he's on the court, Branden Dawson flies under the radar. When he's off the court, it's noticeable. Dawson's numbers as a senior are the best of his four-year career, averaging more points per game (11.9), more rebounds (9.1) and more minutes (30.1).

While Michigan State doesn't own the star-studded roster of the other three teams in the Final Four, they rely on players like Travis Trice to score. But Dawson is the janitor who cleans up in the backcourt (eight defensive rebounds, four blocks versus Louisville). 

Simply put, Dawson is that guy, and Michigan State would not be in Indianapolis if it weren't for him.

Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin

When Nigel Hayes got into foul trouble early in the Elite Eight, some doubt crept into the mind of the Wisconsin faithful.

That says a lot, given Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker were still on the floor. But the sophomore forward is the third part of the Badgers' big three. Kaminsky and Dekker are great, but they're that much better when Hayes is with them.

Hayes is a double-double machine waiting to happen. His long arms allow him the opportunity to rip down boards while scoring in the paint when no one else is. He also has a knack for finding the open man, averaging 2.1 assists per game this season.

Trey Lyles, Kentucky

This is a tough choice because the entire Kentucky bench could probably start anywhere else and still rank in the Top 25. Nevertheless, Trey Lyles it is. 

Lyles isn't close to being the best player Kentucky has, yet he averages more minutes than Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker.

So why is he the X-factor? Because he's more than meets the eye. Beyond his high-flying tendencies, he also has a habit of doing damage quietly. 

The freshman knows how to position himself on the court and with a consistent mid-range jumper, he uses fundamentals to beat his man.

Matt Jones, Duke

Matt Jones has the ability to come up big when it matters. 

Jones appeared in 37 games this season, averaging a modest 3.1 points per game and 2.3 rebounds. But if the Elite Eight was the first time anyone saw Jones play, they would never have guessed he wasn't the star. 

The sophomore was the reason Duke was able to upend Gonzaga to the tune of a game-high 16 points to go with three boards and three assists. 

So if opponents didn't already have their hands full with Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow, Tyus Jones or Quinn Cook, they also have to worry about the sleeper in all of this.