Ranking Top 10 best players in West Region of NCAA Tournament

As the NCAA Tournament gets under way in full swing on Thursday and Friday, star players will emerge from every corner of the bracket and cement themselves in history as March Madness legends. Some will come by surprise, but most simply continue their dominance from the season.

Each region is loaded with talent, but not every player with great stats is necessarily a household name entering March. Much has been made all season about the need for college basketball players to rise into the spotlight and drive viewership, and this is the chance.

Listed below are the Top 10 players in the West Region of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, plus five honorable mentions who were just too good to leave off completely. The list is not complete, with plenty of cuts made which could prove valuable in March Madness, but still offers a glimpse at who to watch for this week.

1 RJ Davis (North Carolina)

2023-24 stats: 21.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists

RJ Davis took a big step forward this season on his way to winning ACC Player of the Year. The veteran guard has really found his game playing alongside Armando Bacot as a two-man operation surrounded by shooters.

North Carolina has looked like an entirely different team this season, and Davis deserve a lot of credit.

2 Caleb Love (Arizona)

2023-24 stats: 18.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists

When Caleb Love left North Carolina, much as made of the decision from all angles. Now, he is the Pac-12 Player of the Year, so it seems to have worked out well for all parties involved.

The opportunity to see his old North Carolina teammates in the NCAA Tournament is a storyline every fan is hoping to watch come to fruition.

3 Armando Bacot (North Carolina)

2023-24 stats: 14.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.5 blocks

Armando Bacot has remained the steady force at North Carolina as a four-time All-ACC selection. After writing his name in the Tar Heels record books, he will look to become a March Madness icon with another deep run.

Making sure North Carolina closes the season more like 2022 than 2023 will be important for Bacot in his final season.

4 Mark Sears (Alabama)

2023-24 stats: 21.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists

Mark Sears came to Alabama last season from Ohio to play a complementary role beside Brandon Miller. Now the Crimson Tide is his team, and he has made the most of it with All-American recognition.

Sears looks to prove himself further this postseason by getting in front of scouts to showcase that he has NBA skills at his size.

5 DaRon Holmes (Dayton)

2023-24 stats: 20.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.1 blocks

Each year, DaRon Holmes appears to get better at Dayton. The A-10 Player of the Year is now a three-time All-A-10 selection with an expanded game which includes perimeter shooting and defensive playmaking.

Holmes and Dayton have a unique opportunity with this talented team to go on a March Madness run that the last great Flyers team was unable to complete in 2020.

6 Tolu Smith (Mississippi State)

2023-24 stats: 15.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists

Under Chris Jans at Mississippi State, Tolu Smith remains a consistent presence putting up big numbers each game. He brings great size and strength along with leadership as a veteran star.

Freshman teammate Josh Hubbard will display show-stopping plays, but Smith is ultimately the engine which makes this team go.

7 Tyson Walker (Michigan State)

2023-24 stats: 18.2 points, 2.9 assists, 1.8 steals

Michigan State has seen plenty of ups and downs throughout the season, but Tyson Walker has been the steady presence Tom Izzo needed through most of it. The veteran point guard leads the team and brings all the characteristics his coach is looking for.

The success of Walker will be big for the Spartans, who have seen on-and-off production from the rest of the roster at different points.

8 Jaelen House (New Mexico)

2023-24 stats: 16.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists

Jaelen House leads a New Mexico team entering the NCAA Tournament with a chip on their shoulder. After a Mountain West title run which rose their analytic numbers but still was not enough to impress the Selection Committee.

The Lobos were already a threat to make a March Madness run, but as an 11-seed the path seems ever more clear for them to create problems.

9 Tyon Grant-Foster (Grand Canyon)

2023-24 stats: 19.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals

Tyon Grant-Foster made stops at Kansas and DePaul before landing with Bryce Drew at Grand Canyon but has found a home now. The WAC Player of the Year and WAC Tournament MVP looks to continue his best season by pulling off an upset or two.

Grand Canyon is another 12-seed, putting added eyes on the exciting brand of basketball Grant-Foster plays.

10 Augustas Marciulionis (St. Mary’s)

2023-24 stats: 12.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.2 assists

Coming into the season Aidan Mahoney was probably the top St. Mary’s player on this list – and he still deserves a look – but Augustus Marciulionis has made a huge leap forward to become WCC Player of the Year and WCC Tournament MVP.

That backcourt duo makes the Gaels incredibly dangerous entering the NCAA Tournament as a 5-seed playing closer to home than team around them.

Honorable Mentions: Ja’Kobe Walter (Baylor), Yves Missi (Baylor), Aidan Mahoney (St. Mary’s), PJ Hall (Clemson), Josh Hubbard (Mississippi State)