Top 5 players to watch out for in the Final Four of 2024 Men's March Madness ft. Zach Edey, Mark Sears, and more
The 2024 NCAA Final Four is set, and it will be Purdue, NC State, UConn and Alabama.
The Boilermakers and the Huskies are the last two 1-seeds still standing, while the 4-seed Crimson Tide and 11-seed Wolfpack try to do what their programs haven`t achieved in a long time: break through to the national championship game.
On that note, these four teams have to rely on their talent pools to potentially take them to the promised land. Here are five players to watch in this year`s NCAA Final Four. Who among these guys are going to have legendary performances?
#1 DJ Burns Jr. (NC State)
March Madness has had its share of crowd favorites, but perhaps the only one left standing now is NC State big man DJ Burns Jr. The six-foot-nine, 275-lb fifth-year senior has been a literal tower of strength for the Wolfpack, and college hoops fans are giving him his well-deserved flowers.
Burns is averaging 18.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists in four NCAA Tournament games. His signature performance was a 29-point explosion against Duke, which sent his team to the Final Four for the first time in over four decades.
He`s proving that in a modern game full of big men moving and shooting like guards, there`s still a winning place for old school, back-to-the-basket bruisers like him.
DJ Burns` drop step and feathery touch in the lane has been almost a cheat code for NC State in this postseason. He will be expected to bring forth his A-game against one of the best teams in the nation.
#2 DJ Horne (NC State)
While DJ Burns has been doing his damage down low, fans shouldn`t be quick to forget that another man named DJ is actually the best scorer on the Wolfpack. DJ Horne, a senior guard out of Raleigh, NC, has also had a consistent March Madness run opposite his big man.
Horne is averaging 16.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists on 43.8% shooting this season. He was also notably the best player on the floor when the Wolfpack beat in-state rival UNC for the ACC championship this year, dropping 29 points on 60% FG shooting.
It means one thing: when the big man`s rythm is off, Horne can easily pick up the slack for NC State.
#3 Mark Sears (Alabama)
As one of the better scorers still left in March Madness, Mark Sears of Alabama comes in as the second-best scorer in this year`s NCAA Final Four. The senior Crimson Tide guard is averaging 24.2 PPG in the Tournament, including an elite 43.5% clip from downtown.
Sears` herculean efforts in terms of scoring are the single best reason why the Tide has made their first Final Four in program history. There`s no reason to believe he won`t continue scorching the nets in Glendale, Arizona.
#4 Tristen Newton (UConn)
UConn has always been known for its incredibly balanced offensive attack all year. It has been their calling card and the main reason why they`ve seemed almost unbeatable all season long.
However, alongside four other players who also average double figures in scoring, their best bucket-getter is still the El Paso, TX native Tristen Newton. A prototypical big combo guard at six-foot-five with great perimeter defense (think of someone like Jrue Holiday), Newton leads his team in both scoring and assists (15 PPG, 6.1 APG).
He's also their second-best perimeter defender, behind Cam Spencer. So not only can he score, but he also locks down the opposing team`s best guard, bothering him with his length and athleticism.
Mark Sears, as good as he is, would likely have trouble trying to score on Newton if he`s forced to rely on iso ball.
#5 Zach Edey (Purdue)
A two-time National Player of the Year (via PurdueSports.com), Zach Edey has been the face and voice of Purdue`s redemption arc in this year`s March Madness.
He has led the Boilermakers to their first Final Four appearance since 1980. Just like their opponents NC State, Purdue waited over four decades to get to this level, and Edey won`t let them stop here.
The seven-foot-four Toronto native has been putting up absolutely monstrous numbers in four NCAA Tournament games. He`s averaging 30 points, 16.2 rebounds and 1.75 blocks per game, which includes a 40-point, 16-rebound domination of Tennessee in the Elite Eight.
Look for Edey to battle down low with DJ Burns, in a low-post matchup of potentially mythical proportions.