NCAA Tournament 2019: Biggest x-factors on each remaining Sweet 16 team

West Region

Gonzaga: Zach Norvell Jr.

My man Zach Norvell has no filter when it comes to jacking threes. No matter the game, score, situation, his current shooting status, he is taking his shots. Norvell launches seven threes per game and hits on 37% of them–not bad. But when he’s cold (like against St. Mary’s), the Zags perimeter attack is handicapped. The Bulldogs’ offense is their sanctuary–where they practice what can be considered basketball religion as the college level. With a spotty defense, Gonzaga must shine on offense, where they’ll need Norvell’s three-point stroke. If Zach catches fire in the next few rounds of the tournament, Mark Few may finally capture his long lost treasure: a piece of that precious championship nylon.

Florida State: Christ Koumadje

If Christ truly resurrected, and this was the outcome, then he really did RISE from the dead. 7-foot-4 is no joke (as Seminole foes know well), and Koumadje, like his FALLen behemoth brethren Tacko, impacts the game immensely by merely standing underneath the basket. I haven’t checked my notes but it’s probably safe to assume Gonzaga, Michigan and Texas Tech haven’t battled a giant of Christ’s nature. By simply trotting Koumadje out on the court, Leonard Hamilton has a Joker in his pocket that can’t be replicated in lead-up practices.

We saw last weekend a 7’6 dude fluster Zion freaking Williamson. There’s an old saying in basketball that “height matters” (probably, I’ll do some research to confirm). Having a titan to occupy the lane and swat pitiful layup attempts from measly 6’5 players is one heck of an advantage in an NCAA Tournament game.

A quick aside: did James Naismith write in some ancient 1800’s papyrus that every freakishly tall basketball player must have an outlandish name? Just this year we have Tacko Fall and Christ Koumadje. Forget 7-footers, these two might have the two wildest names in the country. Bol Bol as well. Forget about trusting someone with two first names, what about two last names? Or even better: the SAME last name twice. BOL BOL.

Back to the Tall Dude Theory: I haven’t even mentioned Mamadou Ndiaye from UC Irvine a few years back (he might be as long as an anteater’s tongue), Yao Ming, Gheorge Murešan, or current 7’3 guys Kristaps Porzingis and Boban Marjonovic. Any way we can gather these colossi and have an exclusively 7’3 or taller pickup game (now, there’s an idea for NBA All-Star weekend)? And a bevy of questions come with that. Maybe I’ll write a column about it in the offseason (stay tuned). For now, though, let’s move on from Christ (sorry, I’ll repent later).

Texas Tech: Davide Moretti

Picking a team’s second-leading scorer as their “X-factor” generally isn’t considered bold or in concurrence with the hot-take-devoted college basketball media. I know the idea of an X factor is supposed to feature me coming up with some end-of-the-bench nobody that I think is going to pop off for a big game in the tournament. Well, I’m here with facts instead. And here’s a fact for you, you knowledge-needing ingrates (just kidding, I love my readers): Moretti has to play well for Texas Tech to advance any further. Period.

Since conference play, the Italian Rapscallion (he’s Italian but he ain’t built like Rocky Balboa) averaged 13.2 points per game and shot the three at a sweltering 53.5% clip. Keep those numbers up, and Tech should be in good shape. With the name Davide, he sounds romantic (in the platonic sense). Someone who enjoys the finer things in life, like the okay voice of Jim Nantz calling his name during the Final Four. Just a hunch.

Michigan: Literally Anyone

I know, this is some real top-tier basketball analysis. But c’mon, you’ve watched this Michigan team play; the designation of “best” player pivots from game to game. Jordan Poole can turn into “Swaggy” Poole, Jon Teske, given the matchup, can act as a game-changing presence on either end of the court, Zavier Simpson’s army of running baby-hooks can save doomed offensive possessions, and Iggy Brazdeikis has a beautiful shooting stroke and reliable offensive game.

John Beilein is clueless in what he’ll get from an individual from game to game, which makes this Wolverine squad vulnerable and horrifying at the same time. If Michigan were to make a run, expect one of the aforementioned guys to emerge and embark on a season-sensationalizing run for the Wolverines. Or, maybe they’ll take turns producing their own feats of individual brilliance from game to game like they’re playing Uno instead of basketball.