NCAA Tournament 2019: Biggest x-factors on each remaining Sweet 16 team
By Alex Weber
South Region
Virginia: Kyle Guy
Ty Jerome and De’Andre Hunter are fine-tuned incubated pieces of the molasses Tony Bennett offense. Jerome is a big-bodied lead guard with lethal multi-phase shooting ability and the necessary passing acumen to run a top-10 offense in the country. He’s reliable. Hunter is a college version of Kawhi Leonard who just happens to play in a sluggish system which waters down scoring output. Kyle Guy, on the other hand, could be Virginia’s best player. But he’s far from their most stable. Guy is the ultimate hot/cold shooter, and that trait is accented at Virginia. When he clanks iron, UMBC situations occur. When he lets the net catch the ball, Guy is unguardable. I can totally envision a world where Kyle Guy rolls off a 12/19 shooting yield in the Final Four and is named MOP.
Oregon: Louis King
Louis Queen, as the anteaters consider him, has been underwhelming in his lone season in Eugene considering his 5-star moniker. But as of late, the lanky smooth-shooting forward is cashing in on his primal Kevin Durant comparisons. Sunday, he splashed 4-7 threes and finished with 16 points against UC Irvine. If he can develop into what Troy Brown Jr. never was for the Ducks in the postseason, Oregon causes issues. Really, though, a terrific defense with mobile and deadly shooting 6’8 forward and Payton Pritchard on offense is a formula for a nasty matchup with Virginia–which is the ideal scenario for an Oregon victory. Muck it up and let the threes fly.
Purdue: Nojel Eastern
Eastern is the most athletic and defensively versatile player on the Boilermaker roster. Aside from him, Purdue’s roster comprises of Carsen Edwards (a sub-six-foot dynamo) and a host of slow-footed shooting specialists. Painter’s done an excellent job taking this team to the sweet sixteen with the talent–or obvious lack thereof–on campus. Eastern, though, is counter-cultural to the vast majority of his teammates. He’s a 6’6 wing with a blend of skills and no stand-out trait, which is a good thing. He can’t shoot, but Nojel is a crafty passer, overqualified secondary ball handler and someone who can guard the gamut of positions. Purdue will need his tenacity attacking the rim and stand-out defensive prowess to have a chance even against Tennessee in the upcoming round.
Tennessee: Jordan Bowden
As a Kentucky fan who’s watched the Rick Barnes revolution whip our tails four out six times the last two seasons, I can comfortably say that Jordan Bowden is a difference-maker. When he shoots well from the field, Tennessee thrives. When he’s not, the Vols are very susceptible. Admiral Schofield, Grant Williams, and Jordan Bone are near-guarantees every game and can be counted on to produce when the lights shine brightest. Bowden is a different animal.
His shooting (like most 19-year-olds in any walk of life) is inconsistent–but still vital for Tennessee success. If Bowden’s flaming from the outside against Purdue, get the banjos out, because Rocky Top is going to serenade the streets of Louisville (yuck). If he’s 0-7, the engineers in West Lafayette (where Purdue is located) can grab their toolbox, because the Boilermakers are going to hammer the Vols five feet into the Yum! Center floor.