(Rick Scuteri / Associated Press)
We already mentioned some UCLA players, but we’ll still start with Jaquez Jr. here. He’s arguably the best player in this conference, as he has the ability to impact the game in a number of different ways offensively. Jaquez’s footwork makes him nearly impossible to guard in the mid-post, so he’s a great safety net offensively for the Bruins.
For Arizona, the players you want to know are guard Kerr Kriisa, forward Azuolas Tubelis and center Oumar Ballo. Kriisa is a floor general for the Wildcats, but he also has the ability to hit big threes. He’s a tough player that loves to compete, and he’s exactly what you want at point guard in a tournament setting. Tubelis is a versatile big man that can beat you with finesse or power. And Ballo is just a massive body in the paint, with the ability to dominate games with his brute force around the rim. Arizona has a little bit of everything, which is why the team is so special.
There are a few other players we can shine a light on here, but one last one that we’ll bring up is USC’s Drew Peterson. The senior is a 6-foot-9 wing that can really shoot the basketball, but he has also turned into quite the passer for an off-ball player. If the Trojans are going to make a run in this tournament, it will have everything to do with Peterson’s play.