ON TODAY'S SCORECARD
Oozing Talent Everywhere

One thing in this year’s NCAA Tournament is for certain: The freshman class is loaded, mid-major talent stands out, and at least one of these players will have a shining moment in the NCAA tournament.

This is college basketball’s most talented season of the 21st century. 

The freshman class is absolutely loaded, and could produce the most one-and-done lottery picks in NBA draft history this summer. Experienced stars are staying in college longer thanks to seven-figure NIL deals. And top European talent that never considered college before are now the faces of some high-profile teams that are dancing this March. 

All that sets the stage for an NCAA tournament with the potential to be epic. If the grind-it-out, sometimes-ugly games of the 2010s weren’t your speed, don’t fear. Scoring and efficiency is up all season, and you can expect that trend to continue into the Big Dance, thanks in large part to all this impressive star power.

With that in mind, Sports Illustrated ranks the top 10 players in this year’s Big Dance…

1. Cameron Boozer, Duke

Boozer is a shoo-in All-American for the NCAA tournament’s top overall seed and has performed as advertised as one of the NBA’s top prospects in the draft later this summer. In the meantime, Boozer is trying to will his team to a national title after averaging a double-double and doing it all on both ends for Jon Scheyer’s best team to-date.

2. AJ Dybantsa, BYU

BYU has struggled significantly on both ends of the floor since the season-ending ACL tear to star wing Richie Saunders, but future top-three pick Dybantsa has done his best to keep the program afloat. Much like Boozer, Dybantsa has lived up to the hype this season, averaging over 25 points per game on 52% shooting. He’s a special player.

3. Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan

The UAB transfer didn’t skip a beat in his move up to the high-major level, earning Big Ten Player of the Year honors with the dominant Wolverines. Michigan’s remarkable depth prevents Lendeborg from putting up gaudy numbers, but his efficiency and lockdown defensive ability make him one of the most well-rounded players in the NCAA tournament field.

4. Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

Acuff, averaging over 20 points and six assists per game, is on pace to become the first player since Pete Maravich to lead the SEC in scoring and assists in the same season. The uber-efficient Arkansas star guard, who has made countless clutch shots for the Razorbacks this season, has a game meant for the bright lights of March Madness.

5. Christian Anderson, Texas Tech

A standout at last year’s FIBA U19 World Cup, Anderson’s had a breakout sophomore season for the Red Raiders. He’s one of the best three-point shooters in the nation, connecting on his eight attempts per game at a 42.7% clip. If that’s not enough, Anderson is even better as a creator. He’s third in the nation with 7.8 dimes per game as the straw that stirs the drink for Texas Tech.

6. Keaton Wagler, Illinois

The fast-rising Wagler was not expected to have this kind of impact as a freshman, but he’s been one of the best players in college basketball this season for the Illini. Wagler’s defense has been better than anticipated, and he's been Illinois’s best playmaker on the offensive end this season, where he is averaging 18/4/4 on 45% shooting.

7. Darryn Peterson, Kansas

When he’s healthy, few players in the country are better—ask Kansas State, which allowed Peterson 27 points in the Jayhawks’ regular-season finale. However, ‘when’ is the operative word here, as he’s been shuttled in and out of the Kansas lineup all season due to various injuries.

8. Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State

Hysteria over Fears’s alleged dirty play overshadowed a breakout season for the Joliet, Ill., native. Through March 8, his 9.1 assists per game led the country, and he’s assisted on more of his team’s buckets percentage-wise than any player in the history of Division I men’s college basketball.

9. Braden Smith, Purdue

Smith continues to chase the NCAA’s all-time assist record of 1,076 held by Bobby Hurley, and he will likely break the mark in the first round of the NCAA tournament. He’s an All-American point guard for good reason, and the most important piece of a deep Purdue run.

10. Thomas Haugh, Florida

Haugh, a junior, stepped into a full-time starting role this season for the reigning national champions and has not disappointed. In 33.4 minutes per game, Haugh is averaging a career-high 17.2 points to go along with 6.1 rebounds on greater than 47% shooting from the floor. The 6' 9" junior is converting on just 34% of his three-point attempts, but can get hot from beyond the arc, which will be something to keep an eye on if the Gators are going to reach their offensive ceiling this postseason.

Four head coaches in this year NCAA Tournament are 83-16 combined overall in first round games.

Mark Few 22-3, Tom Izzo 21-5, Rick Pitino 17-5, and Bill Self 23-3

Fresh for the 2026 PLAYBOOK March Madness Tournament Guide are these trend nuggets for the first round of this event...

NCAA 1ST ROUND NOTES

• #1 Seeds are 12-4 ATS vs opp off SU loss

• #2 Seed favs < 17 pts are 23-10-1 ATS

• #3 Seeds off a SU favorite loss are 40-15-1 ATS

• #4 Seeds off a DD ATS win are 1-12-1 ATS

• #5 Seed favs 7 > pts are 4-12 ATS

• #7 Seeds are 2-11 ATS vs opp off BB SU losses

• #8 Seed favs 5 < pts are 13-30-1 ATS

• 1st Round teams off BB SU losses are 24-9 ATS L10Y

Conference Tournament Champs in this round

AAC: 3-2 ATS, ACC: 3-0 ATS, A-10: 2-5 ATS, Big 10: 4-6 ATS, Big 12: 4-0 ATS, Big East: 4-0 ATS, Big West: 4-2 ATS, Colonial: 1-5 ATS, CUSA: 1-3 ATS, Horizon: 3-0 ATS, MAC: 0-3 ATS, Miss Valley: 1-3 ATS, Mountain West: 3-9 ATS, Sun Belt: 3-1 ATS, SEC: 1-5 ATS, West Coast: 2-6 ATS.

Best Team SU records in this round

Gonzaga 16-0, Duke, Villanova 8-0, Houston, Michigan St, UCLA 7-0, Michigan 6-0, Tennessee 4-0, Connecticut, N Iowa, Texas 3-0, Kansas 17-1, Florida 9-1, Auburn 8-1, Arkansas 7-1, Illinois 6-1, Alabama 5-1.

Worst Team SU records in this round

Nebraska 0-7, Akron, Missouri 0-6, Georgia 0-4, Utah St 1-10, Vanderbilt 1-5, BYU, VCU 1-4, Clemson 2-7, Hawaii, St Johns, Virginia 1-3. NC State 2-4.

Best Team ATS records in this round

Michigan St, N Iowa, Villanova 4-0, Texas 3-0, St Louis 5-1-1, Texas A&M 9-2, Michigan 4-1, Purdue 10-3, Iowa St 9-3, UCLA 5-2, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kansas 7-3, Gonzaga 4-2.

Worst Team ATS records in this round

Nebraska 0-7, Virginia 0-5, Arizona 1-7-1, Missouri, Utah St 1-6, BYU 1-5, Alabama, Iowa, St Johns, TCU 1-4, NC State 1-4-1, Clemson 2-7, Georgia 2-5, N Carolina 3-7, Tennessee, Vanderbilt 2-4.

Best Conference ATS records in this round

ACC: 5-1 as dogs 2 > pts, Big East: 10-2 as favs 2 > pts, Big 12: 13-3 as favs > 5 pts, Horizon: 4-1, Big 10: 18-6 L3Y.

Worst Conference ATS records in this round

MAC: 0-3 L3Y, Colonial 1-5, Mountain West: 2-8 as favs, ACC: 9-27 as favs > 4 pts, Big East: 3-11 as pick or dogs.