NCAA Tournament: Best Players Remaining in March Madness Power Rankings
The Sweet 16 will begin this Thursday with the remaining teams made up of Cinderella stories and preseason frontrunners, all having the national title within their view. Another weekend full of great games, with some incredible talents on full display, is on tap. Here are our rankings for the top five players remaining in the tournament and who to pay extra attention to. 5. Adama Sanogo – UConn
After watching UConn’s two opening games, I left enamored with Sanogo each time. Combining for 52 points and 21 rebounds across two games while shooting 73% from the field, Sanogo is an absolute freight train in the paint, and I don’t think anyone left in the tournament can limit him. His intelligence on both ends of the floor, surrounded by great chemistry, has transformed the Huskies into true title contenders. As basketball fans, we should all hope for an Elite 8 matchup between Drew Timme and Gonzaga for an old-school battle in the paint. What a game that could be.
4. Jaime Jaquez Jr. – UCLAJaime Jaquez Jr. unexpectedly returned for the 2022-23 but has made it all worth it for the Bruins. Jaquez has blossomed defensively, snagging five steals in the Round of 64, and has developed his offensive arsenal immensely throughout the season, averaging 17.5 points per game. With the loss of Jaylen Clark, much more has been placed on Jaquez’s shoulders to keep UCLA’s title hopes alive, but he’s shown the ability to meet the moment.
3. Drew Timme – GonzagaIt feels like Timme has played for Gonzaga for a decade, but this will be his final year as a Bulldog after he confirmed he would not be using his fifth-year eligibility to return next fall. For a final season, Timme leads the Bulldogs in minutes, points, assists, rebounds, and blocks while recently becoming Gonzaga’s all-time scoring leader after averaging 21.2 points per game this year. Combining for 49 points through Gonzaga’s first two tournament games, Timme’s team is flying under the radar after being a No. 1 seed in the previous three tournaments. Still, without continued dominating performances from Timme, the Bulldogs have no chance to finally hoist the trophy.
2. Marcus Sasser – HoustonWhile Marcus Sasser’s teammate Jarace Walker is the highly touted NBA prospect, the Cougars would be nothing without Sasser. He’s the engine that makes Houston’s title aspirations go on both ends of the floor. Averaging roughly 17 points per game, the senior guard is the offensive glue piece and lockdown defender. His value was evident when an injury scare left him out of a blowout loss to Memphis in the American conference tournament championship and the opening round of the NCAA tournament, where the Cougars looked like a mess frequently. After a strong Round of 32 showing, Sasser seems good to go for a title run that will be four years in the making.
1. Brandon Miller – AlabamaThe presumptive No. 3 prospect in this summer’s NBA Draft, Brandon Miller, is the best player remaining in the tournament. The freshman forward earned SEC Player of the Year honors averaging 19 points and eight rebounds per game on the national championship frontrunner on the FanDuel Sportsbook. Leaving the off-court questions aside, there is little Miller can’t do on the court. Operating in a 6’9â frame, Miller boasts tremendous versatility, the ability to get to the rim easily, and an effortless shot from beyond the arc. After a goose egg in the opening round, Miller dropped 19 in the Round of 32 against Maryland and will lead the Crimson Tide’s charge into the Sweet 16 against Miami.
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