Ohio State’s 5 Most Important Players in the 2014 NCAA Tournament

Shannon Scott is possibly the Buckeyes most dangerous player off the bench. In their semifinal loss to Michigan, Scott dropped 18 points in 32 minutes. If he can continue to give quality minutes off the bench, the Buckeyes can make some noise.

Amir Williams will need to be a monster in the paint. The big man was inconsistent, but Ohio State will need him playing his best basketball if they want to even get out of the first round. The Dayton Flyers average a very solid 35 rebounds per game.

The high flying Sam Thompson is the x-factor in this bunch of Buckeyes. He’s an electric player that can make amazing athletic plays, but they’ll need that play consistently. Thompson can provide a spark with an electric play, but Ohio State will need lots of that electricity.

LaQuinton Ross is supposed to this team’s premier scorer. However, he’s been too inconsistent to garner that title. Ross is their best player on offensive weapon, but he’ll to starting scoring the basketball consistently to help this team move on.

Aaron Craft is the both the Buckeyes’ greatest asset and liability. He can play solid defense and is a good leader, but he can’t score. His inability to score is one major reason they lost against the Wolverines. Since his playing time likely won’t get cut, unlike what I’ve previously written, can he rebound offensively and score some points?