Top 3 Big East players who will dominate in 2025 NCAA Tournament ft. Liam McNeeley

The Big East has been one of the most competitive conferences in college basketball this season. It has seen the emergence of coach Rick Pitino's St. John's Red Storm as the dominant power as the UConn Huskies have regressed to third.

In the process, several players have emerged onto the national stage as ones to watch ahead of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

Big East players to watch at the NCAA Tournament

Below, we take a look at three Big East players who could take the much-anticipated 2025 NCAA Tournament by storm.

#3. Kam Jones

Marquette Golden Eagles star Kam Jones has emerged from the shadow of Tyler Kolek who departed for the NBA last year. Jones has averaged 19.3 points on 48.4% shooting from the floor and 31.2% shooting from beyond the arc, 4.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists for the Golden Eagles this season.

He will get a chance to show his talent when Marquette faces the New Mexico Lobos in the first round of the Big Dance.

In a clip posted on his X page, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas highlighted Jones as a player to watch in the Southern Region of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. He heaped praise on the guard over stars like Duke Blue Devils' Cooper Flagg.

"Kam Jones took over the point guard position at Marquette from Tyler Kolek, who went into the NBA and has done a magnificent job," Jay Bilas said. "Early in the season, he was right there in the discussion for NPOY.

"Flagg and Broome kind of took off on everybody and made it a two-horse race, but Kam Jones has had a spectacular season for Marquette and he is really difficult to deal with. Scores, assists, defends, he does it all."

#2. Ryan Kalkbrenner

Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner has had a sensational season for the Bluejays. He has averaged 19.4 points on 65.5% shooting from the floor and 33.3% shooting from beyond the arc, 8.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists this season. He also matched NBA great Patrick Ewing by bagging his fourth Big East Defensive Player of the Year.

Kalkbrenner is poised to go to the NBA after opting out of the draft last year for a fifth season with the Bluejays, during which they finished No. 2 in the Big East.

#1. Liam McNeeley

UConn Huskies forward Liam McNeeley has averaged 14.5 points on 39.1% shooting from the floor and 33.3% shooting from beyond the arc. He has also registered, on average, 6.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists for charismatic coach Dan Hurley's defending champions this season. For his stellar season, McNeeley was named the Big East Freshman of the Year last week.

While talking to the media after being pitted against the Oklahoma Sooners in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Hurley revealed whether the Huskies needed McNeeley to step up during March Madness.

"He (Liam McNeeley) does and he doesn't," Hurley said. "He doesn't in the sense that he cares so much about UConn, he cares so much about his performance, he cares about not letting people down. The coaches, the team, his family and I mean everyone that's invested in him. I mean, he's wired to absolutes, the right and wrong way for somebody that way.

"But then, he also has a mental toughness and swagger about him. Several big spots this year that we've needed him. Baylor at home and no Alex (Karaban), Gonzaga at the Garden, at Creighton. The guy played rare games."

The Big East has produced the last two national champions with players from the conference taking the NCAA Tournament by storm. This year is no different with several stars poised to take center stage on the biggest stage of them all.