5 Players to Watch in the Men's College Basketball Tournament

The time has finally arrived. The men's college basketball tournament's 68-team field has been revealed as the best postseason in all of sports tips off in a matter of days.

Many will be mulling over brackets for hours on end, being driven to the edge of insanity. FanDuel Research has you covered with plenty of useful information found in our best bets for each game in the men's college basketball tournament.

Knowing which star players could take over games is usually a big help for bracket season, and they should have meaningful impacts on FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball betting odds, as well. Here are five players you need to know for this year's tournament

Cooper Flagg, Duke

The elephant in the room is Cooper Flagg. Anyone who remotely pays attention to college basketball has probably heard the name. Since he was a freshman in high school, Flagg has lived on social media thanks to his elite skillset.

The hype has delivered as Flagg finished as KenPom and EvanMiya's most efficient player in the country. Flagg leads Duke with 18.9 points per game (PPG), 7.5 rebounds per game (RPG), 4.1 assists per game (APG), 1.5 steals per game, and 1.2 blocks per game. As if that wasn't enough, he's also the clear favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft as FanDuel is offering odds for which team will select Flagg.

Chances are you've seen Flagg play, but if you haven't, now's the time. He's the best player in college basketball on arguably the best team in the nation, for the Blue Devils rank first in KenPom. Plus, Duke is the favorite to win it all with +290 odds to win the national championship.

Flagg suffered an ankle injury in the ACC Tournament, but he's expected to play. He could become one of college basketball's brightest stars in years depending on how the tournament unfolds. If you're into standout true freshman, Tre Johnson (19.8 PPG) of Texas is another player to keep an eye on.

PJ Haggerty, Memphis

Among the 68 teams in the field, the leading scorer entering the men's tournament is PJ Haggerty at 21.8 PPG, which ranks as the third-most in the regular season.

This isn't simply due to high volume, either, for Haggerty sports a 48.4% field goal percentage (FG%) and drains 38.4% of his three-point attempts. He erupted for 27.7 PPG in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament, too.

Haggerty is capable of producing against the big dogs as he logged 25 points against Missouri and 22 points when facing UConn early in the non-conference schedule. Memphis' star guard was a one-man wrecking crew against Auburn by posting 27 points with a 55.0 FG%.

The Tigers are currently 2.5-point underdogs against Colorado State in the Round of 64. Will Haggerty shine on the big stage?

Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones, UC San Diego

Most of the best players on high-major teams are well-known, such as Johni Broome of Auburn or Kam Jones of Marquette. But what about stars on mid-majors? This is where mid-major standouts can become household names.

UC San Diego has been one of the nation's top mid-majors, sitting 36th in KenPom. The Tritons are dangerous for a variety of reasons, including forcing 15.6 turnovers per game (sixth-most). Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones -- the Big West Player of the Year -- is a part of the equation. He leads UC San Diego with 19.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.7 APG, and 0.4 blocks per game. The New Zealand prospect has reached 20 points in four of his last six and mainly looks to attack the rim by taking 72.5% of his shots at the rim, per Bart Torvik.

In KenPom's Game MVP leaders, he's tied for the seventh-most Game MVPs at 15. Additionally, Tait-Jones ranks as EvanMiya's 31st-most efficient player with a 6.58 Bayesian Performance Rating (BPR). With an all-around game as a 6-foot-6 wing, Tait-Jones' unique skillset could lead the Tritons to a Cinderella run.

Nique Clifford, Colorado State

While Tait-Jones is certainly an excellent mid-major player, I'd argue Nique Clifford of Colorado State is the best mid-major player in this field. He led KenPom's Game MVP's with 20 and ranks 20th in EvanMiya's BPR. Only one mid-major player appears in KenPom's top 10 standings for Player of the Year, and it's Clifford at sixth.

This is yet another player leading his squad in almost every major stat as Clifford averages 19.0 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 4.4 APG, and 1.2 steals per game -- which all lead the Rams. He's got a versatile offensive game, shooting 50.7% from the field and 39.8% from three-point land. Clifford even has a shot at being a first-round draft pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Jonathan Wasserman has Clifford ranked as the 26th-best prospect ahead of the tournament.

Over his last four games, Clifford is posting some mind-boggling numbers, totaling 27.8 PPG, 8.8 RPG, and 4.0 RPG while shooting 56.5% from the field and 47.8% from beyond the arc. As our list suggests, Colorado State-Memphis is must-see TV with two of the best scorers in the field colliding.

JT Toppin, Texas Tech

Most Power Five stars are well-known, but I'm not sure if that's the case for JT Toppin; he certainly deserves the recognition. After transferring from New Mexico, Toppin has been a home run hit by leading the Red Raiders with 18.1 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 1.3 blocks per game.

This is yet another potential first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, for he landed 34th overall in Jonathan Wasserman's latest mock. Elite efficiency is a huge talking point for his case as Toppin is 11th in EvanMiya's BPR. Toppin even finished fifth in KenPom's Player of the Year standings.

Few big men in this tournament can match his consistency, for he's logged 23.4 PPG and 10.5 RPG over his previous 11 outings. Toppin has even shot 36.7% from three over his last 11 compared to his season-long average of 32.0%. With the second-shortest odds to win the West Region (+550), Texas Tech could make some noise led by Toppin.

You can also download our FREE college basketball printable bracket.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.