NCAA Tournament 2023: Top 10 biggest x-factor players to watch for

#8- Jack Nunge – Xavier

Xavier is another team with exceptional guard play. But what has separated them from a team like Baylor is their interior presence. Jack Nunge and Zach Freemantle were one of the best frontcourt duos in all of college hoops until Freemantle went down with a season-ending injury that required surgery.

Nunge has had to step up and take over a bigger role on this team, specifically in the scoring department. His 23 points saved them from a disastrous upset against DePaul in the Big East Tournament and his 17 points against Creighton helped the Musketeers pull away.

Fremantle has been out for awhile now so the adjustments that needed to be made have been made. But on a team with great scoring guards like Souley Boum and Colby Jones and with a solid shooter like Adam Kunkel, Nunge is going to have to be a reliable bucket inside as well as on the perimeter to stretch opposing defenses and open up driving lanes. This is something he can do considering he is shooting over 42% from beyond the arc this season on 92 attempts.

The Musketeers face a pesky Kennesaw State team and will need Nunge to fend them off as well as get past an Iowa State or Pitt in round two.