X-factors for each Final Four team

The schools in the NCAA's Final Four aren't there by mistake. The stars may do the heavy lifting, but the four teams also have unsung heroes who are difference-makers.

Here are four players who could improve their team's national championship hopes.

Aaron Henry, Michigan State

Head coach Tom Izzo called out Aaron Henry during the second half of Michigan State's first-round win over Bradley, citing a lack of effort from the freshman. Henry has responded since then, averaging 11 points, 6.7 boards, and 4.3 assists per contest over the Spartans' next three games.

The 6-foot-6 forward recorded a career-high 20 points, eight boards, and six assists in Michigan State's Sweet 16 win over LSU, becoming the fifth Spartan to post a 20-5-5 game in the NCAA Tournament, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

Any offensive production will be welcomed against Texas Tech's top-ranked defense during the Final Four. But Henry's value will come on the defensive end, where he'll potentially draw the assignment of containing Jarrett Culver. Henry's length and athleticism could disrupt the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year and tilt the matchup in Michigan State's favor.

Kihei Clark, Virginia

Don't be so quick to judge Kihei Clark. While his 5-foot-9 stature doesn't strike fear, the freshman guard can impose his will on a game.

With a spot in the Final Four on the line, head coach Tony Bennett turned to Clark late in the second half against Purdue to slow down a red-hot Carsen Edwards. The Boilermakers star was knocked off his rhythm, shooting 4-of-11 and coughing up two turnovers in overtime with Clark as the primary defender, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Clark will likely be asked to do the same against Auburn's Jared Harper.

No moment has been too big for Clark throughout the Cavaliers' run. During Virginia's Sweet 16 win he drilled a triple to tie the game with 5:21 remaining, and later Clark found guard Ty Jerome for a late go-ahead three. He then saved Virginia's season in the Elite Eight with a spectacular one-handed halfcourt assist with under two seconds remaining in regulation.

Tariq Owens, Texas Tech

Tariq Owens anchors the Red Raiders' top-ranked defense. The graduate transfer joined Texas Tech with a reputation as one of college basketball's most feared rim-protectors. He's living up to the hype after ranking 12th in the country with 2.44 blocks per contest during the regular season.

But Owens' impact goes beyond the box score, as he can defend all five positions with his athleticism. The 23-year-old can also energize his team with blocks or rim-rocking dunks. The Maryland native finds ways to put his fingerprints on a game, and he elevates the Red Raiders to another level.

"When me and Norense (Odiase) can get going, it provides a different kind of spark for our team and allows our guards to put more pressure up top," Owens said following Texas Tech's Sweet 16 win, according to Quinton Martinez of the Corpus Christi Caller Times.

Austin Wiley, Auburn

With Chuma Okeke out, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl used a replacement-by-committee approach in the Elite Eight, spreading minutes among his big men, including Austin Wiley. The junior center can't replicate everything Okeke does, but he helps to offset some of the rebounding and shot-blocking lost.

Wiley is a traditional back-to-the-basket big man. If the 20-year-old gets going in the post against Virginia, he'll provide some spacing for Harper and Bryce Brown to fire away from the perimeter. No team plays at a slower pace than Virginia, which could further draw Wiley into the game if the Cavaliers take control of the tempo.

The Alabama native hasn't blown anyone away with his performance during the tournament, but he's shown flashes of the skills that made him a five-star recruit. Wiley has recorded eight double-digit scoring games this season, and at least two blocks on 10 occasions.