This is March: Five Big East Players who could make some noise in March

It is no secret that March Madness is where stars are born. We see unfamiliar to the masses, mid-major players turn into household names, and highly-touted players leap into superstardom every season. In a conference as deep and talented as the Big East, most of the league is capable of catching fire within the conference tournament and kickstarting a March to remember. Name a better place to begin a run than Madison Square Garden. You can't. As we prepare for the Big East conference tournament and beyond, below are five players poised to have a special month.

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1.     Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton

At this point in his college career, the fifth-year senior has nothing to prove. Whether this season ends in a national championship or not, he will leave Creighton with his head held high, and after a few seasons, he will have a banner in their rafters. As for this season, Kalkbrenner remains the most prolific rim protector in the sport, earning him his 4th Big East Defensive Player of the Year award. Although rim protection may be his greatest asset on a basketball court, opponents cannot overlook his offensive skillset. Kalkbrenner has never been as dominant on the offensive side as he is currently, averaging 19.4 ppg. His size will cause a matchup nightmare against whoever the Bluejays play, and if they make a run, you know who the driving force will be.

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2.     Eric Dixon, F/C, Villanova

If Villanova is going to make a run in the Big East tournament and propel themselves into the NCAA Tournament discussion, it will be on the back of the best scorer in college basketball (23.6ppg). Dixon has been a great player for years now, and it is a shame that if Villanova does not catch lightning in a bottle, Dixon could finish his individually prolific career without a trip to the Big Dance. But this is why I still have him ranked highly on this list. Dixon has the ability to keep Villanova competitive against any team they will face in the Big East tournament, and they have proven that they can beat the best teams in the conference with wins over Marquette, St. John’s, and UCONN. At this point, all Villanova (and Neptune, for his job's sake) can be thinking about is win (the conference) and in. If this team sneaks into the tournament, look for Dixon to put on a show.

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3.     Kam Jones, G, Marquette

Kam Jones is a player who has (somehow) flown under the radar this year, and honestly, the entire Marquette team has not garnered enough attention. The Golden Eagles have been overlooked, although never falling outside of the AP Top 25. Kam Jones has been their leader this season, with big shoes to fill following Tyler Kolek’s departure. A little more so than Kolek, Kam's style of play has March written all over it. The guy is a tough shot-taker and a tough shot-maker. When there is ever a doubt offensively, the team looks to Kam, and he (seemingly) always delivers. Even when Marquette fell just short on a heartbreaking buzzer beater vs St. John’s, Kam kept them alive with 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. That is what we call an all-around offensive masterclass. Rated as the #5 overall player in the country (per KenPom), he is ready to step up and make some noise throughout March.

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4.     Zach Freemantle, F/C, Xavier

Some players have a game that translates to March, and Freemantle is one of them. Through three games in the month, Freemantle is averaging 24 ppg while leading one of the hottest teams in America, the winners of seven straight games, on a run toward an NCAA tournament bid. Coming off foot injuries that caused him to miss the end of the 2022-2023 season and the entirety of the 2023-2024 season, Freemantle bounced back incredibly well, earning himself All-Big East Second Team honors. When on the court, Freemantle is a model of consistency, scoring double-digits in every single game this year. For being undersized as a Small-ball Center, he holds his own defensively and can exploit larger and slower interior defenders on the offensive side. He is the heartbeat of this team, and Xavier will only go as far as he can carry them.

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5.     Kadary Richmond, G, St. John’s

Every few years, we see a Point Guard who seemingly never wavers emotionally or physically and is consistently in full control of the game. Although we have seen some high-level PG play this season, none have been better than Kadary Richmond. Coming off St. John’s first triple-double since 1999 in an OT win against Marquette, Richmond's most unique ability may be how much he can affect a game, regardless of whether his shots are falling or not. A clutch performer, lockdown defender, and as savvy as they come, Kadary is ready to introduce himself to households all over the country.

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Happy March to all who celebrate. Enjoy it.