March Madness Sweet 16 2016: One player to watch from each team

Mar 19, 2016; Des Moines, IA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Frank Mason III (0), forward Landen Lucas (33), guard Devonte' Graham (4), guard Wayne Selden Jr. (1) and forward Perry Ellis (34) on the court in the second half against the Connecticut Huskies during the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports /

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Mar 20, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Bronson Koenig (24) walks off the court after the game against the Xavier Musketeers in the second round in the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Scottrade Center. Wisconsin won 66-63. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /

Wisconsin – Bronson Koenig

This may seem like an easy pick considering his heroics at the end of the Wisconsin Badgers’ Second Round upset of the Xavier Musketeers, but Bronson Koenig is the player to watch without question for the Badgers as they enter the Sweet 16.

For starters, the Badgers’ biggest problem throughout much of an inconsistent season has been that their offense has a bit of a tendency to just go defunct. And while Koenig hasn’t been immune to those struggles with consistency, he’s pretty clearly their most reliable offensive force with his ability to create space for himself and his ability to knock down shots from the perimeter. Going up against a hyper-athletic and super pesky Notre Dame team in the Sweet 16, how Koenig is able to create his shot and effectively shoot is going to be a huge storyline to keep an eye on.

Perhaps more importantly for the Badgers and Koenig, though, is going to be how the junior guard handles himself defensively. He’s a quality defender, sure, but players like Demetrious Jackson for the Irish present a ridiculously tough challenge for anyone. With Wisconsin’s deficiencies on offense at times, how they contain and defend the Notre Dame playmakers could ultimately be what swings this matchup.

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