There's no shortage of star power in the NCAA men's tournament Final Four. But who could be the unsung hero that steps up to help his team win a national championship?
With all four No. 1 seeds in San Antonio, Texas, it's hard to ignore the big names that will be taking the court. Duke's Cooper Flagg, Florida's Walter Clayton or Auburn's Johni Broome could very well lead their teams toward cutting down the nets at the Alamodome on Monday. But playing against the best of the best, they can't do it all on their own. More than likely, a role player will emerge and provide the critical lift toward success on the sport's biggest stage.
Here is one player on each Final Four team that could be the key person for each squad to advance to the national championship game and perhaps win it all.
Thomas Haugh, Florida
Walter Clayton Jr. provided the heroics in the comeback win over Texas Tech, but it wouldn't have been possible without the contributions from Thomas Haugh. The sophomore tied career-highs with 20 points and 11 rebounds in the win over the Red Raiders.
Haugh has become one of the best players coming off the bench in the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 9.4 prior to the tournament started, but he's been in double figures in three of the last four games. At 6-foot-9-inches, Haugh is also keep to why Florida is one of the best rebounding teams in the country. He's gotten at least three offensive rebounds in every tournament game this season, allowing the Gators to capitalize on second-chance opportunities.
He showed off his 3-point shooting skills when he went 4-for-6 from deep against Texas Tech, and if he stays hot, Auburn will have its hands full trying to guard all of Florida's shot makers. He put up 16 points and nine rebounds in the first meeting against the Tigers earlier this season, and he could have another productive night against the SEC foe.
Dylan Cardwell, Auburn
All eyes will be on whether Broome will be healthy enough for Auburn, but regardless of his status, there will be pressure on Cardwell to deliver for the Tigers.
Cardwell won't ...
