Unsung heroes of March Madness so far

March Madness is known for its Cinderella stories, and although this specific March Madness lacks those types of teams, there is no questioning the unsung heroes who have stepped up in their roles for their teams, leading them to the Sweet 16.

Let’s name some players in this tournament who have shone the brightest in my eyes.

5: Sean Pedulla

The Ole Miss Rebels were counted out after the result of the First Four game between North Carolina and San Diego State. UNC was favored due to its performance in the previous game. Many felt the Tarheels could potentially go on a run.

The Rebels quickly erased those chances as they have now gone on a Sweet 16 run themselves, beating both No. 11 North Carolina and No. 3 Iowa State, rather convincingly.

Senior Virginia Tech transfer Sean Pedulla averaged 15 points on 39% shooting from beyond the arc this season. Padulla has led the way for Ole Miss, elevating his performance while posting 20 points on great efficiency in its first two games.

Pedulla has helped shape and contribute to their winning culture within the SEC this season and we are seeing it on full display in this tournament.

4: Trevin Knell

BYU’s entire roster has been stepping up throughout the first two games, whether it’s freshman Egor Demin’s surprising three-point efficiency or Richie Saunders’ clutch buckets and rebounding in pivotal situations.

However, I won’t be talking about those players, who are the clear stars of this Cougars team. How about Trevin Knell? When BYU has needed a bucket, he has been the guy. Just ask Wisconsin what happens when Knell is open from deep. Straight cash.

Knell cashed in four 3-pointers in the round of 32 game against Wisconsin, and his final bucket helped negate any comeback the Badgers were trying to make.

A fast-paced, high-scoring slugfest against No. 2 Alabama may give him more opportunities to stay hot, as his 44% three-point efficiency suggests.

3: Jonas Aidoo

Arkansas is the only double-digit seed left in the tournament, and Tennessee transfer Jonas Aidoo has been a key reason. Although he didn’t play much throughout the regular season, head coach John Calipari has recently carved out a perfect role for his skill set.

During the regular season finale vs Mississippi State, he burst onto the scene for the Razorbacks, scoring 21 points, and there’s been no looking back since.

He dominated in the first round of the tournament as No. 7 Kansas had no answer for his dominance on both sides, where he had 22 points, three blocks, and three steals each.

The Sweet 16 matchup of Arkansas vs Texas Tech will give us a fun matchup between him and JT Toppin.

2: Koby Brea

While talking about great shooters, let’s talk about one of the best sharpshooters in the entire nation.

Five-year senior Dayton transfer Koby Brea has been on fire all season long from three, shooting 43%, but in March, he has truly expanded his game and shown his all-around ability on the offensive end of the floor.

Specifically in the Illinois game, in the second half, there was a stretch where he scored eight straight Kentucky Wildcat points and expanded their lead to 15 points. He couldn’t be stopped, and Kentucky cruised the rest of the way.

Kentucky, a team labeled as fraudulent, has proven in this year’s tournament that fresh coaching with first-year head coach Mark Pope and an elite offseason in the portal can create the perfect amount of change.

1: Tyrese Proctor

There was no way I was leaving Proctor off this list. The Duke guard hit 13 3-pointers in the tournament and 19 3-pointers in his last three games. Thirteen of his 15 made shots in the tournament are 3-pointers. It is just unbelievable to think about.

Who needs Cooper Flagg when you have Tyrese Proctor? All jokes aside, this version of Proctor is what many thought he could be coming out of Australia in his freshman season. He is finally living up to expectations with consistency at this level.

He is single-handedly making me afraid that the Blue Devils will trample through every team on route to a national championship.

The tournament is ramping up, so we will find out if these players will continue to rise to the occasion, and we will see if any other players start to shine bright in the biggest moments.

Owen Daszko is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email opd5073@psu.edu.