The Breakdown with Brayden: Top 10 Players to Watch during March Madness

It is finally the time of the year. March is here, and the stars are rising. This year could go down as the best college basketball season of all time.

The league has everything from four-year veteran leaders to the freshman phenoms competing for the number 1 pick in the draft.

These 10 players are the most talented and dangerous must-watch forces in the country, who are all capable of leading their team deep into the Madness and etching their name in college basketball history.

1. AJ Dybantsa, BYU
   If you’re a basketball fan, AJ Dybantsa is must-see TV.The 6´9¨ wing for BYU has made a perfect case for the number 1 pick in the NBA Draft. He has been ¨insane¨ during his freshman campaign. He leads the country in scoring with over 24 points per game for the Cougars.He has a strong skill set that combines his elite athleticism with sharp shooting. The standout player has shattered BYU records. Against Utah, he dropped a 43-point explosion at home.Once he finds his rhythm, he can’t be stopped. BYU has been struggling, but Dybantsa can single-handedly win games with minimal help from the Cougars squad.
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   He is not only playing for a national title, but to improve that draft stock and set himself apart from Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and Duke´s Cameron Boozer for the number 1 overall pick.

   2. Cameron Boozer, Duke
   Playing on the best team in the country, the standout freshman is in the running for 2026 Naismith National Player of the Year.The son of NBA legend Carlos Boozer, Cam plays with an IQ that can lead the Blue Devils to another title. He is the star of this Duke team, being the guy they give it to when they’re struggling to get a bucket. He’s not just a big man inside; he can step out and drain a three in the face of the defender with ease.

   Watch as the freshman phenom goes to work and tries to propel Duke to their second consecutive final four run and a national title for Jon Scheyer and the Duke faithful.

   
   3. Braden Smith, Purdue
   As the leader of the veteran Purdue Boilermakers squad, the elite passing guard plays with high energy while also showing off with difficult passes you didn’t know were possible.Whether he’s threading the needle, dumping it off down low for his big men, or pulling up from the midrange, he controls the game better than anyone in the country.

   With the all-time NCAA assist record within reach and the singular mission to finish his insane career by bringing home a national championship, Smith is the ultimate big game player who refuses to be overlooked.

   My advice to you is not to overlook Smith and the Boliermakers as they make a push deep into March.

   
   4. Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
   Once again, Coach Calapari has developed another amazing breakout guard.The Arkansas freshman is currently putting up historic numbers, averaging 22.2 points and 6.4 assists while maintaining an elite 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, a stat line no Division I player has ever maintained over a full season.

   Acuff is the “head of the snake” for John Calipari’s No. 20 Razorbacks, recently showing out with a 28-point, 13-assist game against Texas and a career-high 49-point explosion against Alabama while playing through an ankle injury.

   He can lead ´The Pigs´ to a deep tournament run that could cement his status as a Naismith Player of the Year candidate.

   
   5. Zuby Ejiofor, St. John´s
   Coached by legendary coach Rick Pitino, Zuby Ejifor is the engine behind St. John’s comeback and the leading candidate for Big East Player of the Year.The 6’9″ senior forward does it all becoming the only high-major player this season to lead his team in scoring, rebounding, assists, and blocks.

   As the heart of Rick Pitino’s squad, Ejiofor’s ability to dominate every facet of the game makes the Red Storm a dangerous “dark horse” for a deep March run.

   Zuby is a matchmup nightmare, and he is the reason you don’t want to run into the Johnnies in the big dance.

   
   6. Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
   The Cyclones are showing out this year, and Tamin Lipsey is a key reason for it. Lipsey is a premier defensive floor general in college basketball and the heartbeat of a championship-contending Iowa State team.The 6’1″ senior and Ames native is an elite defender, currently a finalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year after leading the Big 12 in steals and becoming the Cyclones all-time leader in that category.

   He is averaging 13.2 points and 5.0 assists per game. His “generational” leadership was on full display in a late-season comeback win over Baylor, where he shook off early foul trouble to score 20 second-half points.

   A projected 2026 NBA Draft prospect known for his elite 3.79 assist-to-turnover ratio, Lipsey’s ability to dictate the game’s tempo and stop opposing stars makes him the ultimate “March-ready” veteran.

   
   7. Alex Karaban, UConn
   The 6’8″ senior and UConn Huskies captain, who has already been inducted into the Huskies of Honor, is the only active player with two rings and is now seeking to join the legendary UCLA teams of the 1970s as the first three-time champion in over 50 years.A finalist for the Naismith Player of the Year and the Karl Malone Award, Karaban is an elite “floor-stretcher,” shooting 41.5% from three-point range while leading the Big East in minutes played.

   Karaban is looking to get the Huskies their third title in four years.

   
   8. Kingston Flemings, Houston
   The Houston guard broke out as one of the most explosive and efficient freshman guards in the country, leading the Cougs with a dynamic, three-level scoring threat.The freshman guard exploded for 42 against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in Lubbock. His ability to take over games in high-pressure moments makes him a must-watch prospect as he pushes Houston toward a potential national title run.

   
   9. Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State
   Milan Momcilovic is a must-watch performer whose elite shooting can propel the Cyclones to their first national championship. The junior has shattered the Cyclones’ single-season record for three-pointers while connecting on over 50% of his attempts from beyond the arc.He is lights out from three. His game also has a signature fadeaway that reminds you of Dirk Nowitzki.

   He is averaging 17.0 points per game, and he is hands down the most dangerous perimeter threat in the country and one of the players most likely to carry Iowa State on a deep run toward the Final Four.

   
   10. Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama
   Labaron Philon Jr. is a standout sophomore guard for the Alabama Crimson Tide, who has turned it on this year. He is averaging 21.5 points a game and is the star of the top 25 Crimson Tide team. Philon had a career-high 35-point performance against Arkansas and a game-winning shot to upset Tennessee in Neyland.Philon is projected as a first-round pick, but before he gets to the NBA, look for him to lead his team far into March.

Honorable Mentions
1. Thomas Haugh, Florida

2. Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan

3. Keaton Wagler, Illinois

4. Christian Anderson, Texas Tech

5. Flory Bidunga, Kansas

With so many elite talents ready to take on the biggest tournament in all of sports, this year’s postseason promises a level of star power and high-intensity games that very few seasons can match.

Whether it’s seasoned veterans hunting championships, freshmen looking to lift their draft stock, or breakout stars ready to shock the nation, these players have the talent and capability to define March.

As the bracket gets finalized and we wind down the days till the first round tips off, expect at least one of these names to deliver the iconic moments we’ll be talking about for years.

The only question now is who will stand in the spotlight and carry March when it’s all in line.