NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament: 68 Names to Know Heading Into March Madness

It’s almost time for college basketball’s biggest stars to hit the dance floor and make their mark on March Madness. This year’s NCAA Men’s Tournament field is loaded with star power from freshman standout Cameron Boozer at No. 1-seeded Duke to junior forward TJ Power at 14th-seeded Penn. It’s a lot to know, but we’re here to sort through it all. Here are the 68 names to know heading into the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. [MEN’S BRACKET: NCAA Tournament Bracket] EAST REGION Cameron Boozer, Duke He’s the most dominant player in college basketball this season – full stop. The 6-foot-9, 250-pound freshman standout is averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, all of which lead the No. 1-seeded Blue Devils. Boozer is the betting favorite to take home both the Wooden and Naismith Awards and is the top-ranked player in FOX Sports’ Casey Jacobsen’s final Player of the Year Ladder. He has a chance to lead Duke to the program’s first national championship in 11 years. Bruce Thornton, Ohio State Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer is one of the top bucket-getters in the country. Thornton has the ability to take over a game with his deadly outside shooting and strength to dominate smaller guards. He is one of just 22 current power-conference players to play at the same school all four years. Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s The Red Storm are a dangerous 5-seed, and Eijofor is a big reason why. He plays the game in a throwback style and is instinctually gifted with the ability to finish strong around the basket. The 6-foot-9 senior big man leads St. John’s in scoring, rebounding, assists and blocks. It will be exciting to see how far he can carry the Johnnies in the Big Dance. Darryn Peterson, Kansas The most perplexing player in the sport, Peterson’s freshman campaign has not gone as expected due to his lack of availability throughout the season. When he’s at his best, he looks like a future NBA All-Star. But there have been too many questions surrounding his play and availability to feel confident about what version of Peterson is going to show up during the Big Dance. If it’s the version fans saw in the Jayhawks’ regular-season finale against Kansas State – 27 points, five rebounds, four assists on 10-15 shooting from the floor in 29 minutes – this is a Kansas team that could make a Final Four run. Dominique Daniels Jr., Cal Baptist The 5-foot-10 senior guard from Compton, California is the nation’s fifth leading scorer, putting up 23.2 points per contest. He has scored 30 or more points on seven occasions this season, including a massive 41-point outing in the Lancers’ WAC Tournament semifinal win over Utah Tech. Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville How healthy will Brown be for the Big Dance? Louisville announced that their star freshman guard will be out for the Cardinals’ first-round game against South Florida due to a back injury. His availability for a potential second-round game seems to be up in the air. If the Cardinals are going to make a run this March, they will need their standout freshman, who averages 18.2 points per game and put up a 45-point performance on 10-16 shooting from 3-point range in a regular-season win over NC State. Izaiyah Nelson, South Florida Nelson followed head coach Bryan Hodgson from Arkansas State to South Florida and developed into the American Conference Player of the Year. The 6-foot-10 senior forward is a double-double machine, recording 18 so far this season. He has played outstanding against good competition, with arguably the best game of his season coming against then-No. 16 Alabama, when he posted 25 points and 12 rebounds in a 104-93 loss to the Crimson Tide. Jeremy Fears, Michigan State One of the toughest players in the nation, Fears has enjoyed a memorable redshirt sophomore campaign. The Spartans’ do-it-all guard is averaging 15.7 points per game and leads the country in assists at 9.2 per contest. There have been a few questionable moments late in the season involving extracurricular activity, but that shouldn’t take away from what a magical year Tom Izzo’s point guard has had. Michigan State will go as far as Fears take them. Donovan Dent, UCLA No player has improved more throughout the season than Dent, who averaged 16 points and 11 assists per game during a seven-game stretch from Feb. 21-March 13 where the Bruins went 6-1 and cemented their spot in the Big Dance. His ability to get to the lane and create shots for his teammates is second to none. He recorded the first triple-double in Big Ten Tournament history with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in a quarterfinal win over Rutgers. Alex Karaban, UConn One of the most beloved players in college basketball, Karaban chose to forgo the NBA on multiple occasions to return to UConn. Now a senior, the 6-foot-8 forward has helped lead the Huskies to a 29-5 record and a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. He is the heart and soul of a UConn team that is looking to get back to college basketball’s biggest stage after winning back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024. Isaiah Evans, Duke Evans has also been one of the most improved players in college basketball, going from 6.8 points to 14.9 points per game while shooting 39% from 3-point range in ACC play. He is a mismatch for smaller guards, standing at 6-foot-6 with the ability to score in a variety of ways. Tarris Reed, UConn The 6-foot-11 senior is having a career year, averaging 13.7 points and 8.1 rebounds for the second-seeded Huskies. While Karaban is the emotional leader of this UConn team, Reed is the player who elevates this team’s ceiling. When he is at his best, Dan Hurley’s group can play with any team in the country. Jon Scheyer, Duke He did the impossible — taking over for a legend in Mike Krzyzewski and not allowing the Blue Devils to miss a beat. Since becoming Duke’s head coach in 2022, he has compiled a 121–24 record and now has his sights set on leading the program to its first national title of his tenure. Rick Pitino, St. John’s What he’s accomplished in just his third season as the head coach at St. John’s is nothing short of remarkable. After taking over a program that hadn’t won more than 21 games in a season since back in 1998, Pitino has compiled a 78-24 mark in three years, which includes back-to-back Big East regular-season and tournament titles. He has the Red Storm playing as well as any team in the nation right now, winning 19 of their last 20 games heading into the NCAA Tournament. Bill Self, Kansas This has been a tricky season for Self, who has had to answer question after question about his star freshman Darryn Peterson and his health. Nonetheless, Self has led the Jayhawks to another NCAA Tournament appearance, this time as a No. 4 seed in the loaded East Region. Self is just the seventh head coach in college basketball to win multiple NCAA Tournament championships since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. Tom Izzo, Michigan State The longest-tenured coach in the Big Ten, Izzo is a staple of the NCAA Tournament. He has guided the Spartans to 28 consecutive appearances in the Big Dance — the longest active streak in the nation. Izzo has also taken Michigan State to eight Final Fours, including winning a national championship in 2000 — the last time a Big Ten team won it all. Mick Cronin, UCLA Cronin has drawn some headlines this season, but the fiery head coach — now in his seventh year in Westwood — has helped turn the Bruins’ season around. After sitting at 17–9 and squarely on the tournament bubble in mid-February, Cronin’s team has won six of its last eight, including a trio of impressive ranked wins over Illinois, Nebraska, and Michigan State. Dan Hurley, UConn He’s 194-74 in eight seasons as UConn’s head coach. He has two national championships and has won 23 or more games in five straight years. He’s never finished worse than third in the conference standings since UConn moved back to the Big East ahead of the 2020 season. If Dan Hurly is on the sideline, UConn has a chance to win it all. [NCAA ODDS: Latest Men’s March Madness Odds, Favorites] SOUTH REGION Thomas Haugh, Florida There wasn’t a hotter team in college basketball at the end of the regular season than the Florida Gators. Haugh is the engine that makes this Florida team go, averaging 17.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game for the defending national champs. He has reached double figures in 30 of the Gators’ 33 games this season. Bennett Stirtz, Iowa A standout transfer from Drake, Stirtz is a do-it-all guard who averages 20 points and 4.5 assists per game for the ninth-seeded Hawkeyes. He has scored in double figures in all but two games this season en route to earning All-Big Ten honors. This Iowa team plays at one of the slowest paces in the nation under first-year head coach Ben McCollum, which makes Stritz’s scoring numbers all the more impressive. Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt Tanner is the floor general for a Vanderbilt team that is playing outstanding basketball heading into the NCAA Tournament. He leads the Commodores in both scoring and assists, putting up 19.1 points and 5.1 assists per game. Tanner’s 34-point, seven-assist, five-rebound outing against Ole Miss earlier this month was one of the top individual performances of the year. Larry Johnson, McNeese Johnson leads the Cowboys in scoring and rebounding, putting up 17.5 points and 5.5 boards per game this season. The redshirt freshman guard has a chance to make some noise in this year’s tournament and lead McNeese on another memorable March run. Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska An argument can be made that there hasn’t been a better story in college basketball this season than the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Having made just eight previous NCAA Tournament appearances and never won a game in the Big Dance, Sandfort has helped lead Nebraska to a 26-6 record to a No. 4 seed in this year’s Big Dance. The 6-foot-7 junior forward leads the Cornhuskers in scoring at 17.8 points per game on 47% shooting from the floor and 40% from 3-point territory. Henri Veesaar, North Carolina When star freshman Caleb Wilson went down with a season-ending injury, all eyes turned to the 7-foot junior.  After spending his first two years at Arizona, Veesaar transferred to UNC this offseason and has been a force on both ends of the floor for the Tar Heels. He has scored in double digits in 10 straight games, including a 28-point, 17-rebound outing against Clemson in the ACC Tournament. Keaton Wagler, Illinois One of the top breakout performers in college basketball this season, Wagler arrived at Illinois as a three-star prospect and quickly became the team’s go-to player. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year is averaging 17.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists for a roster loaded with talent from top to bottom. TJ Power, Penn The 6-foot-9 junior forward put together one of the single-best performances in college basketball this season, scoring 44 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in the Quakers’ win over Yale in the Ivy League Tournament championship game. He started his career at Duke before transferring to Virginia and eventually landing at Penn. Look for Power to make his presence felt in a first-round matchup against Illinois. Paulius Murauskas, Saint Mary’s Murauskas, a junior forward from Lithuania, has been the best player all season for a Saint Mary’s team that sits at 27-5 heading into the Big Dance. He averages 18.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game for the Gaels, who open up tournament play against Texas A&M. Murauskas has scored in double-digits in 30 of Saint Mary’s 32 games this season, including a 32-point, 15-rebound outburst against Pacific back on Feb. 15. Kingston Flemings, Houston The Big 12 Conference featured a flurry of freshman standouts this season and Flemings was among the best of the group. He is the top player for the second-seeded Cougars, averaging 16.4 points, 5.3 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game. If Houston is going to get back to the Final Four for a second consecutive year, Flemings will be a big reason why. Rueben Chinyelu, Florida Chinyelu is arguably the best defensive big man in college basketball. The 6-foot-10, 265-pound junior anchors a Florida defense that ranks sixth in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency. He is a stat-sheet stuffer, averaging 11.2 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game for the No. 1-seeded Gators. Todd Golden, Florida Considered by many to be the best young coach in the sport, Golden is looking to lead the Gators back to college basketball’s biggest stage after capturing the program’s third national championship last year. He is 159-76 in four years in Gainesville, including an impressive 16-2 mark in SEC play this season. Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska Nebraska has never won an NCAA Tournament game. After cruising to a 26-6 record and a No. 4 seed in this year’s Big Dance, that could change this year for Hoiberg and the Cornhuskers. A two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, Hoiberg owns a 110-114 record since being named Nebraska’s head coach ahead of the 2019 season. Brad Underwood, Illinois This marked the seventh straight year that Underwood has led the Illini to a 20-win campaign, finishing the regular season with a 24-8 record and 15-5 mark in Big Ten play. He is 189-109 in nine years as the program’s head coach, which includes two Big Ten Tournament titles and one regular-season championship. Despite his regular-season success, Underwood has only led the Illini past the Sweet 16 once, which came in 2024 when the team reached the Elite Eight before falling to eventual national champion UConn. Kelvin Sampson, Houston He is approaching 50 years in the college coaching profession after beginning his career as a graduate assistant at Michigan State under Jud Heathcote back in 1979. Now, 12 years into his fifth head coaching stop, Sampson has revived Houston’s program. He is 327-90 since taking over as the head coach of the Cougars back in 2014. Sampson has led Houston to the Sweet 16 or further in each of the past six NCAA Tournaments, including a trip to the national championship game last year. [MEN’S TOURNEY: 1 Thing To Know About Every Men’s Team] MIDWEST REGION Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan There isn’t a player in the sport who offers more positional versatility than Lendeborg. The Wolverines’ senior standout can guard all five positions, and there isn’t a weakness to his game. Lendeborg averaged 14.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while leading the Wolverines to a Big Ten regular-season title. He was also named the Big Ten Player of the Year, the first Michigan player to receive that honor since Nik Stauskas back in 2014. Robbie Avila, Saint Louis The Billikens have seven players averaging at least nine points per game, led by A-10 Conference Player of the Year, Robbie Avila. The 6-10 senior is a stat-sheet stuffer, averaging 12.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. After starting the season 24-1, Saint Louis has lost four of its last eight games. This group might not be ready for the big stage, especially with Avila dealing with a sore foot. Christian Anderson, Texas Tech After losing All-American JT Toppin to a season-ending injury, there was a fear that Anderson was the next Texas Tech star to go down after he lost his footing and limped to the sideline in the team’s Big 12 Tournament loss to Iowa State. However, Anderson appears to be good to go in the Big Dance, which is a huge relief for the Red Raiders. He is averaging 18.9 points per game and dishing out 7.6 assists, which ranks fourth in the nation. Tavari Johnson, Akron Johnson is a rarity in college basketball: a senior who has stayed at a Mid-Major program for four years. He has established himself as one of the premier mid-major scorers in the country, averaging 20.1 points per game while shooting 51.2% from the field. He is capable of big-time performances, which Akron will need if they are going to pull off a 12-5 upset over Texas Tech. Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama One of the top bucket-getters in America, Philon powered the Crimson Tide to a 23-9 record and a No. 4 seed in the Big Dance by averaging close to 22 points per game on 51% shooting from the floor and 40% from 3-point territory. When Philon is on, he’s as potent as any guard in the country. Cruz Davis, Hofstra After stops at Iona and St. John’s, Davis has found his place at Hofstra under head coach Speedy Claxton. The 6-foot-3, Plano, Texas native is averaging 20.2 points per game this season, which led all CAA players. Davis had a 30-point showing on 5-of-9 shooting from 3-point range in Hofstra’s CAA Tournament quarterfinal win over William & Mary. Nate Ament, Tennessee One of the top recruits in the nation, Ament has had an up-and-down freshman year for the Vols, but when he’s on his A-Game, there aren’t many better pure scorers in the sport. At 6-foot-10 with the ability to play multiple positions, Ament can be a mismatch for opposing players. He has scored 22 or more points in five of the Vols’ last 11 games. Peter Suder, Miami (OH) He’s the best player on the team that has been the best story in college basketball this season. Suder is averaging 14.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 43% from 3-point range for a Miami team that finished the regular season with a perfect 31-0 record. Thijs De Ridder, Virginia The 6-foot-9, 238-pound freshman from Belgium has been exceptional for the Virginia Cavaliers this season. He has scored in double-digits in eight of the team’s last nine games and has helped guide Virginia to a 29-5 mark and a No. 3 seed in the Big Dance. Otega Oweh, Kentucky The Wildcats reportedly spent over $20 million on their roster this year, which included retraining Oweh, the SEC’s preseason Player of the Year. The 6-foot-4 senior guard has averaged over 18 points per game for Kentucky this season, but things haven’t exactly gone accordingly to plan for Mark Pope’s team, which enters the tournament with a 4-6 record in their last 10 games. Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State Iowa State has been among the top teams in the country throughout the entire season, and Jefferson is a big reason why. The 6-foot-9, 240-pound senior forward averages 16.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game for the second-seeded Cyclones. Every hardcore college hoops fan knows him by now, but he hasn’t taken off with casual fans yet. That’s about to change. Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan While Lendeborg was the most valuable player for the Wolverines this season, it’s Johnson who might have the highest ceiling. The 6-foot-9 transfer from Illinois has been a stalwart on both sides of the ball for No. 1-seeded Michigan. He has made 67% of his attempts round the rim and has managed to hold opposing players to 46% on the same attempts. Aday Mara, Michigan The 7-foot-4 big man has been one of the most improved players in the sport this season. After starting only nine games at UCLA last season, Mara has developed into a dominant force down low for the Wolverines, averaging 11.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game for a team that ranks in the top 10 nationally in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State He is the top 3-shooter in the country and is on pace to have one of the greatest single seasons in college basketball history in that category, currently shooting it at a 49.6% clip from downtown. If Momcilovic is hitting from beyond the arc, this Iowa State team will be tough to beat. Dusty May, Michigan After a memorable six-year stretch at Florida Atlantic, which included leading the Owls to a Final Four in 2023, May has been a revelation in his second season in Ann Arbor. The 49-year-old head coach led the Wolverines to an impressive 31-3 mark this season, which included a Big Ten regular-season title and a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance. Nate Oats, Alabama Oats has brought this Alabama program back to national relevance after arriving in Tuscaloosa ahead of the 2019 season. He has posted an impressive 168-72 record in seven seasons, which includes six NCAA Tournament appearances, four Sweet 16s, three Elite Eights and one Final Four. He will have to navigate being without one of his top players this postseason after junior guard Aden Holloway was arrested Monday morning on a felony drug charge. Rick Barnes, Tennessee Barnes is one of the most successful coaches in college basketball history. His 858 career wins currently ranks second among all active coaches, trailing only Calipari. He has led the Volunteers to eight straight NCAA Tournament appearances, which includes four Sweet 16 and two Elite Eights. Mark Pope, Kentucky Pope, who is in his second season at Kentucky, has led the Wildcats back to the Big Dance this season, but the pressure is on to have a good showing on college basketball’s biggest stage. He has helped guide UK to a 21-13 mark and a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but that’s not enough for this fan base. They demand success. T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State He has had immense success since arriving at Iowa State in 2021, guiding the Cyclones to the Big Dance every season since he took over. Otzelberger has posted a 122-52 record at the helm, which includes three straight 25-plus win seasons, a conference tournament title and a pair of Sweet 16 appearances. [MEN’S TOURNEY: Expert Predictions and Analysis] WEST REGION Brayden Burries, Arizona The Wildcats feature one of, if not the best backcourt in college basketball, and Burries is one of the main reasons why. A five-star prospect out of San Bernardino, California, Burries made an immediate impact during his freshman campaign, helping guide the Wildcats to a 32-2 record and a Big 12 regular-season and conference tournament title. He is a pure scorer, putting up 20 points or more on 13 different occasions this season, including a 21-point outing against Houston in the Big 12 Tournament championship. MJ Collins Jr., Utah State Collis is at his third school in four years, but he’s finishing his senior season with the best scoring numbers of his career. The 6-foot-4 guard is averaging a team-high 17.6 points per game this season and has a 40-point outing to his name, which came in a 94-60 win over Davidson back in late November. Collins will play a big role if Utah State is going to get by Villanova in the first round. Nick Boyd, Wisconsin The Badgers’ sharp-shooting guard can get hot in an instant, which could spell trouble for High Point, or potentially Arkansas in the second round. This is a Wisconsin team that has wins over Michigan, Michigan State and Illinois (twice) this season. Boyd has scored 25-plus points on eight separate occasions, including a 38-point outburst against Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. Terry Anderson, High Point An elite-level wing who leads the Panthers in scoring and rebounding, Anderson has established himself as one of the top mid-major players in the nation. He has scored in double-digits in nine straight games, including a 25-point, 12-rebound outing in the Panthers’ Big South Tournament semifinal win over UNC Asheville. Darius Acuff Jr, Arkansas The SEC Player of the Year and AP first-team All-American rolls into the Big Dance playing his best basketball of the year, having scored 20 points in 13 of his last 14 games. He averaged 30.3 points and 7.6 assists per game in the SEC Tournament, leading the Razorbacks to a conference title. The NBA compassion to Stephon Marbury is spot on for this superstar freshman. AJ Dybantsa, BYU There is no better pure scorer in college basketball than Dybantsa. While the Cougars have lost five of their past nine entering the NCAA Tournament, this is a time for the freshman phenom to step up and show why he is worthy of the top pick in this year’s NBA Draft. He led the nation in scoring at 25.3 points per game and topped the 30-point mark on seven separate occasions this season. This is Dybantsa’s time to shine. Graham Ike, Gonzaga The WAC Player of the Year has been a force for the Zags this season. Ike leads Gonzaga in both scoring (19.7 PPG) and rebounding (8.2 RPG) and has produced 14 double-doubles while leading his team to an impressive 30-3 mark and a No. 3 seed heading into the Big Dance. He is the only active Division I player who has totaled 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in his college career. Malik Reneau, Miami The former Indiana big man has emerged as one of the top transfers in the sport this season. He’s averaging 18.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game en route to earning first-team all-conference honors. He has recorded nine double-doubles this season and has developed into one of the elite big men in college basketball, combining length with explosive athleticism. Mark Mitchell, Missouri After spending the first two years of his college career at Duke, Mitchell has blossomed into one of the top players in America since transferring to Missouri. Now in his second season at Mizzou, the 6-foot-9 wing is putting up 18.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 55.1% from the field. He is fresh off back-to-back 32-point games against Arkansas and Kentucky. Braden Smith, Purdue Smith is one of the most well-respected players in the nation. He’s a senior who has spent all four years of his collegiate career at the same school, which is rare in this day and age. He has also played incredible basketball for the Boilermakers, only needing two assists to pass former Duke star Bobby Hurley for the most in Division I history. Smith wants to finish his college career with a bang, and he has the chance to do that with the Final Four taking place in Indianapolis, which is 60 miles from Purdue’s campus. Jaden Bradley, Arizona He is the closer for an Arizona team that is a popular pick to cut down the nets this season. Bradley averages 13.3 points, 4.5 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game for the No. 1-seeded Wildcats and makes his presence felt on both sides of the ball. If Arizona is going to win the program’s first national title since 1997, Bradley will have a big part in that. Tommy Lloyd, Arizona Lloyd, who is in his fifth season at Arizona, has been as good as any head coach in the sport. In fact, his 144 wins in those five seasons is the most by any head coach in Division I history. Despite all the success in the regular season, Lloyd has yet to lead the Wildcats past the Sweet 16. John Calipari, Arkansas Calipari is one of the top coaches in the sport of college basketball, currently ranking fifth on the NCAA Division I all-time winningest coaches list. In his second year at Arkansas, Calipari helped guide the Razorbacks to a 26-8 record and a No. 4 seed in the Big Dance. He led the Razorbacks to a 15-5 record in SEC play this season, which included a conference tournament title. Sean Miller, Texas Miller has the Longhorns back in the NCAA Tournament in his first year at the helm. He helped guide Texas to a 19-14 mark and a win over NC State in a first-four game on Tuesday night. Now, Miller’s team faces a stiff test against the nation’s leading scorer, AJ Dybantsa, and the BYU Cougars. Mark Few, Gonzaga One of the most successful active coaches in college basketball, Few has been the head coach at Gonzaga since 1999, posting an impressive 722-155 record. He is a 14-time WCC Coach of the Year and two-time Naismith Coach of the Year, leading the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament every season he’s been at the helm. Matt Painter, Purdue A five-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, Painter is among the most successful head coaches in the sport. This will mark the 17th time he has guided the Boilermakers to the Big Dance in his 21 years at the helm. Painter has a 498-223 record during his time as Purdue’s head coach, which includes eight Sweet 16 appearances, two Elite Eight appearances, one Final Four and one title game appearance.