The magic of March Madness centers around the man or men who rise to the occasion, often unexpectedly, to dash dreams, bust brackets and deliver in drama-filled moments.
In 2022, for instance, Kansas’ fifth-leading scorer — Remy Martin! — caught fire in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 14.0 points and shooting a blistering 47.6% from 3-point range in leading the Jayhawks to a national title.
In 2024, Stephon Castle stepped up his game with a pair of star showings in the Final Four and national championship as UConn secured its second consecutive championship.
In 2025? Well, we’re about to find out who will imprint their name into March history.
2025 March Madness bracket picks: NCAA Tournament Cinderella teams to consider when filling out your bracket
David Cobb
I’ve got some ideas, though, and I’ve whittled down 10 players — from role players to stars to somewhere in between — whose outsized impact could be felt most this month.
Let’s get to it.
The secret’s out here with Uzan: he’s a star. The transfer from Oklahoma broke out on a big stage at the Big 12 Tournament last week punctuated by a 25-point career-high in the title game to pace Houston over Arizona. Houston’s got guards for days led by LJ Cryer and Emanuel Sharp — and the laughable luxury of having Uzan makes this team one of the most fearsome in the field.
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If Louisville makes a real run from the top left of the loaded bracket in the South Region then Reyne Smith will presumably play a large role in that. Smith has not played since March 5 because of an ankle injury but is expected to return to the court Thursday for the Cardinals. He’s the team’s best shooter and a knockdown 3-point weapon, making 38.3% from distance on the season.
With star Cooper Flagg’s status (ankle) still up in the air, fellow freshman Isaiah Evans could be thrust into a larger role and asked to shoulder a significant load on offense.
The former five-star recruit scored 14 points vs. Georgia Tech when Flagg went down to lead Duke to a win after trailing by 14. He could be a vital piece of the formula for Duke down the stretch even if Flagg is back at full strength — but especially if Flagg is in any way hampered.
Keshon Gilbert’s season-ending injury announced Sunday will put Heise in a spot where his services alongside Curtis Jones and Milan Momcilovic will be necessary. Heise has started five games since Feb. 22 — including the last three games for the Cyclones — and posted season-highs in minutes played in four of those games. Jones and Momcilovic will continue to run the show alongside Joshua Jefferson, but with Gilbert out and guard Tamin Lipsey battling a groin injury, Heise has no choice but to be an X-factor for an Iowa State team that has legitimate title potential.
March Madness 2025: Iowa State announces star ‘won’t be available’ for Big Dance moments after getting 3-seed
Kyle Boone
Alright, remember the 2023 Final Four? It may have been low on brand power, but the first game of Saturday evening — San Diego State vs. Florida Atlantic — had a terrific buzzer-beating shot, with a junior named Lamont Butler drilling a dagger that lifted the Aztecs into the national championship game.
Two years later, Butler is at Kentucky. He led the Wildcats in assists per game this season and will be vital to any run UK makes, especially with UK down two other playmaking guards, including Jaxson Robinson.
Butler leads the team this season in on/off splits, per EvanMiya.com data, and is efficient both as a scorer and set-up guy for a UK team that lacks depth. The below clip is of Butler just destroying Louisville earlier this season with an all-time stat line.
Illinois is built around a trio of freshmen in Kasparas Jakučionis, Will Riley and Tomislav Ivišić — and Riley’s star power as a scorer is the X-factor that could hold the keys to a deep March run for the Illini. He’s scored 15, 21 and 22 points in his last three outings and is one of only a few reliable options on this team that can create in isolation when possessions stall. Synergy Sports data rates him in the 94th percentile this season as an isolation creator and he doubles as a man-beater who can elevate through tight defenses. Illinois will play the winner of Xavier vs. Texas in Round 1.
You remember that viral mean-mugger from conference tournament week? That was High Point’s Trae Benham. And his Panthers are dancing for the first time in school history behind an offense that ranks second among all NCAA Tournament teams in raw offensive efficiency at KenPom — behind only Duke. Benham’s infamous scowl is just a slice of his brilliance: he’s fourth on the team among regular rotation players in 3-point percentage and a lethal jump shooter for a team that can consistently bury teams with its depth.
JT Toppin gets the headlines for No. 3 seed Texas Tech but its chances of advancing to the Final Four may rest on the shoulders of shot-making star Chance McMillian. McMillian is the third-leading scorer and the team-leader in 3-point shooting percentage for a Red Raiders squad that has already made the most 3s in a single-season in program history. They have made 10 or more 3s in 20 games this season — including three of the last four — and are poised to make a deep run by relying on that formula.
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said after losing to Florida in the SEC Tournament that the Gators have “the best front line in college basketball.” So you could point at any of its frontcourt and make a case here. For my money, Condon’s the X-factor of the litter; at 6-foot-11 his ability to run in transition and space the floor for the No. 1-ranked offense in the country is vital. And get this: two of his five-best scoring games this season came against teams ranked inside the top 10. He’s a gamer.
It feels like low-hanging fruit tagging the second-leading scorer on a team that spent most of the season ranked No. 1 as an X-factor. But he may be an X-factor for Auburn just as much as he is to the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Baker-Mazara was ejected for a flagrant 2 foul in Auburn’s stunning first-round loss to No. 13 seed Yale just minutes into the game, and he was ejected earlier this month for a flagrant 2 foul vs. Alabama as well. Staying on the floor and with a level head may be a challenge — but if he can, his fiery play can ignite a Tigers team that earned the No. 1 overall seed despite losses in three of its last four games entering the Big Dance.
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