Top 10 seniors with the most hype around them ahead of March Madness

March Madness is quickly approaching, and with it comes the final collegiate appearance for many of the nation's top seniors. These seniors have given college basketball fans many memorable moments during their careers at their respective schools, and will look to shine in this season's NCAA Tournament.

This list will rank the top 10 seniors who have captured the spotlight this season and have the most hype surrounding them going into March Madness. Any player listed as a senior will be taken into account, including fifth year seniors and seniors with one year of COVID eligibility remaining.

Top 10 seniors with the most hype around them ahead of March Madness

#10. Terrence Shannon Jr. (Ilinois Fighting Illini)

Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr. is the nation's ninth leading scorer this season, averaging 21.6 points per game. He has been a great two-way player for the Illini and has helped lead Illinois to a 20-7 record so far this season.

The Illini are currently ranked No. 13 in the AP Top 25 and have high expectations going into this year's tournament after falling short in years prior.

Illinois' ESPN Bracketology expected seed: 4

#9. Max Abmas (Texas Longhorns)

Texas guard Max Abmas caught the attention of schools and fans around the nation due to his impressive performances during previous March Madness tournaments while playing for Oral Roberts. Texas fans will be looking for Abmas to show up big again this year, assuming the Longhorns earn a tournament bid.

Abmas and fellow senior Dylan Disu are the two leaders on this squad, but Abmas' past history of eye-catching performances in the tournament gives him the advantage over Disu.

Texas' ESPN Bracketology expected seed: 10

#8. Cam Spencer (UConn Huskies)

The pressure for a repeat is on the Huskies in this year's March Madness tournament. Cam Spencer was not a member of their championship run last season, but the Rutgers transfer has been a great addition to Dan Hurley's team.

Spencer is not the only Husky on this list, but that is no surprise with a third-ranked Husky team that is filled with talent from top to bottom. Spencer averages 15.2 points, 1.4 steals, and is one of the top shooters in the country, shooting 91.7% from the free throw line and 44.6% from three.

UConn's ESPN Bracketology expected seed: 1

#7. Antonio Reeves (Kentucky Wildcats)

Wildcat guard Antonio Reeves returned to Kentucky for another chance to make a deep run in March Madness. Reeves and the Wildcats' tournament was disappointingly cut short last season by Kansas State in the second round.

After losing players like Oscar Tshiebwe, Jacob Toppin, Carson Wallace, and Chris Livingston to the NBA this year, the team was Reeves' to take over, and he didn't disappoint. Reeves leads the Wildcats in scoring with 19.9 points per game and shoots an outstanding 44.9% from outside the arc.

Kentucky's ESPN Bracketology expected seed: 5

#6. Tristen Newton (UConn Huskies)

Being a top-ranked team all season has its pros and cons. The nation will be expecting big things from the Huskies during their March Madness run this season. Tristen Newton will be at the forefront of those expectations as one of the leaders on this team.

Newton returned to UConn as an integral part of the Huskies' championship run last season. He leads the Huskies in three major statistical categories this season, including points, rebounds, and assists.

UConn's ESPN Bracketology expected seed: 1

#5. RJ Davis (North Carolina Tar Heels)

The Tar Heels missed out on March Madness last season, finishing with a record of 20-13. Although they would lose Caleb Love to the transfer portal along with Pete Nance and Leaky Black to the NBA, RJ Davis was among the returning players who have come back with a vengeance.

Davis has been a scoring machine for the Tar Heels, ranking seventh in the nation in scoring, averaging 21.7 points per game. The ninth-ranked Tar Heels just won their third consecutive game against Miami largely due to a 42 point scoring outburst from Davis on Monday.

North Carolina's ESPN Bracketology expected seed: 2

Read: RJ Davis Stats Last Night: How did the UNC star perform against Miami FL?

#4. Jamal Shead (Houston Cougars)

The Houston Cougars have just recently moved into the number-one overall spot in the AP Top 25. Much of their success can be attributed, in part, to Jamal Shead. Shead has been dominating the toughest conference in college basketball on both sides of the ball. His two-way ability makes him a potentially intriguing NBA Draft prospect.

The Houston Cougars earned a No. 1 seed in last year's March Madness Tournament but failed to make it past the Sweet Sixteen. They will look to earn back-to-back tournament bids and have their sights set on bigger things for this year's tournament.

Houston's ESPN Bracketology expected seed: 1

#3. Kevin McCullar Jr. (Kansas Jayhawks)

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Kevin McCullar Jr. transferred from Texas Tech to Kansas in 2022, but the Jayhawks' season came to a heartbreaking end last year with a one-point loss to Arkansas in the second round of March Madness.

McCullar returned to Kansas this season and leads the team in scoring, averaging 19.0 points per game. The Jayhawks have looked a bit shaky at times this season, but they've proven that they deserve a tournament bid and could easily make a deep run aided by McCullar.

Kansas' ESPN Bracketology expected seed: 2

#2. Armando Bacot (North Carolina Tar Heels)

Many thought Armando Bacot would be on his way to the NBA after North Carolina's disappointing finish to the 2022-23 season. But Bacot announced that he would return for one final season at North Carolina under Hubert Davis.

The soon-to-turn 24-year-old continues to impress this season and is averaging a double-double with points and rebounds while also being the team's rim protector on the defensive side of the ball. Bacot returned for another shot at his first NCAA Championship after the Heels missed out on March Madness last year, and this could be the season the trophy returns to Chapel Hill.

North Carolina's ESPN Bracketology expected seed: 2

#1. Zach Edey (Purdue Boilermakers)

Zach Edey has to be the player with the most hype surrounding him as the likely back-to-back NCAA men's basketball player of the year. Edey has been dominating all season with Purdue, leading the Boilermakers to a 25-3 record, which saw them become the No. 2 team in the nation at this level.

Edey comes in second in scoring average this season with 23.7 points and third in rebounding average with 11.8 boards per game.

Purdue have a chance to avenge their poor March Madness performances in past seasons. Edey will be the centerpiece of campaign and a lot rides on him.

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Edited by Sidharta Sikdar