Its tough to boil down a game of basketball (or any sport for that matter) into one deciding factor. By its team sport nature, basketball requires a number of players working in unison for a common goal. A great performance from one, can outweigh a bad performance from another, but the same can happen in reverse.
However, although no single matchup or player can entirely dictate who wins and who loses, there will always be some important areas of contention. When the Cincinnati Bearcats face Kansas State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament tomorrow night, here will be the most vital matchups.