Five Sleepers to Watch for in the 2024 NCAA Tourney

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Photo: Colorado Athletics

If you're like me, and I am sure you are, having one extra day in February was totally uncalled for. Make us wait one extra day before we get to celebrate one of, if not the best, month in all of basketball and the celebration of March Madness. With conference tournaments just a few days from tipping off, let's take a look at some players that could help their draft stock and keep your bracket moving this month. 


Jaxson Robinson - BYU 


In the school’s first season in the Big 12, the BYU Cougars had one of their biggest regular season wins in school history. The unranked Cougars went into Kansas and knocked off the Jayhawks with a dominant display in the second half. Robinson led BYU with 18 points off the bench, as he has done numerous times this season. 


BYU goes as Robinson does, his length and size making him a matchup nightmare. Robinson averages 14 points per game, helping BYU to be one of the best 3 point shooting teams in the country. They could be a team that makes a run to the elite 8.


Trey Alexander – Creighton 


The junior point guard leads one of the best offenses in the country. The #12 ranked Blue Jays are currently projected to reach the second round of the March tourney, and Alexander can up his draft stock significantly with a run through the brackets. Alexander is averaging 17 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists on the season. He's exploded for 25 points or more in five games this year alone and had a season high 10 assists last week against Seton Hall. 


DaRon Holmes II - Dayton


Holmes is one of the best scorers in the country that you may not have ever heard of. Holmes is averaging 20 points and 8 rebounds per game and had outbursts of 29, 34 and 33 point games this season. The Flyers find themselves in the Top 25 in a very tough Atlantic 10 conference. Dayton has it in them to make a Sweet 16 run, and if they do, it will be on the back of Holmes.


KJ Simpson - Colorado  


The Buffaloes are destined to make the NCAA Tournament with a record currently 10 games over the .500 mark and it's been because of the play of KJ Simpson. In his last three games, Simpson has put up 30, 27 and 28 points respectively. The Buffaloes currently are projected to make the NCAA tourney as an 11th seed. With a big run in the Pac 12 tournament, Colorado can make some noise as a double-digit seed in the tournament. 


Isaac Jones - Washington State


The Cougars were projected to finish in the bottom half of the regular season standings, but a surge late in the season has WSU solidly in the NCAA tourney field. Jones averages 15 points and 8 rebounds per game and shoots 58% from the field. He is a menace down low and will pose matchup nightmares for anyone entering March Madness. 


Final Analysis


There are plenty of game changers and Top 15 picks to be on display in March Madness. The five players mentioned above might not be household names, but they could make or break your bracket. Be warned…

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