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Patrick O'Bryant, Bradley.
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Updated: March 22, 2006
These five have helped shake up the bracketBy Andy Katz
ESPN.com
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These five players aren't All-Americans. None is even the best player on his team. They have emerged, though, as critical components of clubs that have given us a Madness Makeover. Watch for these five in the regionals:
Patrick O'Bryant, Bradley
The NCAA Tournament creates stars every March, and there is always at least one player who makes himself millions of dollars in the process. Well, the makeover being done by Patrick O'Bryant is nearly complete.
Brian Bahr/Getty Images
Has Patrick O'Bryant played his way into first-round consideration?
"We turned him into a lottery pick,'' Pitt's Jamie Dixon said after O'Bryant scored 28 points and grabbed seven boards in Bradley's second-round upset of Pitt.
In one weekend, O'Bryant, a 7-foot, 260-pound sophomore center, might have played himself into declaring for the NBA draft. Bradley coach Jim Les will have to recruit O'Bryant as hard as any potential incoming player this spring.
O'Bryant, who was suspended for the first eight games this season, continued to improve throughout the season, averaging 13 points and eight boards. Against Pitt, he showed his improved ability to get fouled -- and he knocked down the free throws. A 61 percent free-throw shooter, O'Bryant made 8 of 9 free throws against Pitt.
"His length is really impressive,'' Dixon said. "He was dunking everything. He has good hands and runs well.''
If O'Bryant keeps this up, he might play his way onto the sport's biggest stage at the Final Four and then onto the podium in New York at the NBA draft in June.
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