Ranking Top 10 best players in Midwest Region of 2025 NCAA Tournament

March Madness has arrived, ready to celebrate the best college basketball has to offer over the next several weeks. Plenty players across the field now look to capitalize on the NCAA Tournament attention with big-time performances.

Each region is loaded with talent, but not every player with great stats is necessarily a household name entering March. This is the opportunity for players to show their skillset in front of the world.

Listed below are the Top 10 players in the Midwest Region of the 2025 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.

1 Tre Johnson (Texas)

2024-25 stats: 19.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists

Tre Johnson is among the most talented freshmen in college basketball this season, carrying the offensive load for large portions of the season on the way to an NCAA Tournament berth. He now gets an opportunity to make a March legacy like many NBA prospects before him. The volume scoring play-style will make him a fan-favorite early, and will help him build his brand as long as Texas can stick in the March Madness field.

2 Braden Smith (Purdue)

2024-25 stats: 16.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 8.7 assists

Braden Smith is the glue which has kept Purdue together all season. After losing a historic college star last season, the Boilermakers picked right back up as a top contender thanks to incredible point guard play. The well-rounded play of Smith has allowed new players to step up this season. His ability to contribute as a scorer, passer and rebounder is rare at any level.

3 LJ Cryer (Houston)

2024-25 stats: 15.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists

LJ Cryer is the go-to scoring option for Houston, providing them with a veteran presence on the perimeter. His growth on both ends of the floor has turned him into a key part of the Cougars gameplan, making him as important as any player this postseason. Cryer also brings a history of success. He is already a national champion from his time at Baylor, and has performed at a high level in the NCAA Tournament.

4 Asa Newell (Georgia)

2024-25 stats: 15.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.0 blocks

Two-time MVC Player of the Year Tucker DeVries is more than the star player on his father’s team, he is a college basketball star. Averaging more than 20 points per game, he has peaked the interest of NBA scouts and high-major schools alike. Time will tell if DeVries can follow in the footsteps of Doug McDermott, another mid-major legend who saw NCAA Tournament success playing for his father.

5 Trey Kaufman-Renn (Purdue)

2024-25 stats: 20.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists

Trey Kaufman-Renn has been the revelation Purdue needed to stick at the top of college basketball after losing a multi-time Player of the Year from the frontcourt. After taking on a new offensive role, he has continued to grow as a weapon on the interior. Also key to the Boilermakers is the connection developed throughout the season with his point guard.

6 Chaz Lanier (Tennessee)

2024-25 stats: 17.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists

Chaz Lanier came to Tennessee with the goal of becoming the go-to offensive engine which propelled an NCAA Tournament run for his predecessor. He immediately fit the mold, and has become a threat to go on scoring runs at any point throughout the game.

7 Zakai Zeigler (Tennessee)

2024-25 stats: 13.5 points, 7.3 assists, 1.9 steals

Zakai Zeigler is the heart and soul of the Tennessee program, and has been for a long time. He sets the tone for one of the best defenses in college basketball with his level of competition, also adding a scoring punch at multiple levels which often proves the difference-maker in the Volunteers big wins.

8 Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois)

2024-25 stats: 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists

Kasparas Jakucionis is among the top NBA prospects currently playing in college basketball, with a chance to improve his stock with a March Madness run. The foreign product does a little bit of everything for his teams while running the show as a jumbo guard.

9 Lamont Butler (Kentucky)

2024-25 stats: 11.5 points, 4.3 assists, 1.6 steals

Lamont Butler is not Kentucky’s leading scorer, but has proven to be one of the most important pieces on the roster with his all-around impact. He is the Wildcats’ best perimeter defender and brings NCAA Tournament success to the table as a veteran.

10 Milos Uzan (Houston)

2024-25 stats: 11.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists

Milos Uzan continues to emerge as one of the major reasons why Houston can make an NCAA Tournament run this season, developing into the point guard his team needs. His ability to perform could elevate him into a new standing this postseason.

Honorable Mentions: Ryan Conwell, Otega Oweh, Mason Falslev, Graham Ike, Chase Hunter.