10 names to know heading into the College Basketball Crown
The 2025 College Basketball Crown is set to get underway on Monday in Las Vegas as 16 teams battle for the right to be crowned champion.
The first-year event features plenty of star power, including Eric Dixon at Villanova and Tyson Degenhart at Boise State.
Before the action gets underway, here is a look at 10 names to know heading into the College Basketball Crown.
Pierre Brooks, Butler
Brooks transferred to Butler last year after spending his first two seasons at Michigan State. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound forward has blossomed into a star, averaging 15.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game this season for the Bulldogs. Brooks has scored 20 or more points on nine separate occasions this year, including a 30-point performance against fellow Crown participant Georgetown.
Rafael Castro, George Washington
Castro is a double-double threat every time he steps on the court. The 6-foot-11, 220-pound junior is averaging 14.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game for the Revolutionaries this season. He has posted 13 double-doubles this year, including a 22-point, 16-rebound performance in a win over A-10 foe La Salle earlier this month. A Castro vs. Degenhart matchup could be special in the opening round of the tournament.
Desmond Claude, USC
The 6-foot-6 junior guard was one of the top transfers in the Big Ten this season. After spending two seasons at Xavier, Claude made an immediate impact during his first season with the Trojans, averaging a team-high 16.3 points and 4.3 assists. He teamed up with Wesley Yates III to form one of the top backcourts in the nation this season. Look for Claude to put on a show in Sin City.
Tyson Degenhart, Boise State
One of the top players in this event, Degenhart was a first-team All-Mountain West performer this season. The do-it-all senior forward is averaging 17.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while helping lead the Broncos to an impressive 24-10 record. Degenhart recorded five double-doubles and topped the 20-point mark on 13 separate occasions this season, including a 32-point outing in a win over New Mexico.
Eric Dixon, Villanova
There isn't a better scorer in this tournament, or throughout the entire country for that matter. Dixon led all NCAA Division I players in scoring this season, averaging 23 points per game for the Wildcats, and is just eight points away from Kerry Kittle's program record for scoring (2,243 points). If the Wildcats can get past Colorado in the opening round and USC gets by Tulane, it would set up a fascinating second-round matchup between Dixon and Villanova vs. Claude and USC.
Jizzle James, Cincinnati
In addition to having the best name in the tournament, James has been the best player on a Cincinnati team that started the year 10-1 and finished 18-15. The sophomore guard is averaging 12.8 points per game this season and scored in double figures in 11 of his last 12 games. James and the Bearcats vs. DePaul should be a fascinating matchup.
Darius Johnson, UCF
Johnson was an All-Big 12 honorable mention selection, averaging 16.7 points and 4.3 assists per game this season for the Knights. The 6-foot-1 senior guard is a walking bucket, scoring 20 or more points in six straight games, including a 36-point outing in a win over Oklahoma State earlier this month. Johnson and the Knights open play against Oregon State on Tuesday.
Micah Peavy, Georgetown
Peavy is one of the top players in the tournament and is a matchup nightmare for opposing teams with his 6-foot-8, 220-pound frame and guard-like skills. The Hoyas senior is averaging 17.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 48% from the field. Peavy topped the 20-point mark in 15 games this season and is coming off a 26-point performance against fellow Crown participant DePaul in the Big East Tournament. Peavy and the Hoyas open up tournament play against Washington State on Monday.
Gabe Madsen, Utah
Madsen is the engine that makes this Utah team go, leading the Utes in points and steals this season. Madsen is averaging 15.1 points per game and should be the best player on the court when the Utes open up tournament play against Butler on Monday. A Madsen vs. Degenhart second-round matchup could be exciting.
Brice Williams, Nebraska
Williams is one of the best offensive players in this tournament. He has the ability to get to the basket and create his own shot, using his 6-foot-7, 214-pound frame to his advantage. Williams averaged 20 points per game for the Huskers this season, which ranked third in the Big Ten and in the top 20 in the country. He was one of only three players in the conference to average 20 or more points this year. In the Huskers' road finale against Ohio State, Williams dropped 43 points in a double-overtime loss.
Related Stories:
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Big Ten coach calls out anti-West Coast bias in College Football Playoff system
Big Ten coach calls out anti-West Coast bias in College Football Playoff system The first season of the 12-team College Football Playoff certainly created plenty of controversy. While ultimately, most people felt as though the selection committee took the correct 12 teams, the process of getting there was anything but smooth. This week, a Big Ten head coach called out the committee for alleged bias against West Coast schools. Interestingly, however, the coach in question is not in charge of a West Coast program himself. Rather, the man behind the comments, was, of all people, Penn State head coach James Franklin. "There's a lot of challenges," Franklin said, via CBS Sports. "You've got East Coast people voting on this, and they haven't watched enough of the West Coast games based on the time. All the different rankings that are out there. In my mind, a formula makes the most sense because it takes the bias out that we all have." Franklin's proposed solution to the matter was going back to a BCS-style formula to determine the rankings. "It's funny, because I think there's all these complaints about the BCS, but then we go to this, and I think it goes back to really, my answer is, the problem is, everybody voting and everybody involved in the process—whether you want to be biased or not, we all are biased. I think in a lot of ways, you could make the argument a formula could be better. But we didn't love the formula. So we went to this other system." USC fans know all too well, however, that leaving the rankings to the computers does not always work out. After all, back in 2003, the Trojans infamously got screwed out of the BCS Championship Game despite being ranked No. 1 in both the AP and Coaches Polls. However, Franklin's point about the current system having major issues is certainly a valid one. Perhaps one day, college football will be able to come up with a method of selecting a postseason field that will not inevitably make people mad. Right now, however, that day feels like a long way in the distance. As for Franklin, his comment was not entirely altruistic. Given that Penn State plays in the same conference as four West Coast schools, USC, Oregon, Washington, and UCLA getting more national respect could certainly help the Nittany Lions' resume in seasons to come.
USA Today
5 hours ago
- USA Today
Former USC star pitcher Caden Aoki commits to Georgia
Former USC star pitcher Caden Aoki commits to Georgia Last week, USC baseball ace Caden Aoki made headlines when he surprisingly announced his intention to enter the transfer portal. On Monday, Aoki made his new home official: He will play for the Georgia Bulldogs in 2026. After spending his freshman year at Notre Dame in 2022, Aoki transferred to USC prior to the 2023 season. He emerged as the Trojans' top starting pitcher over the better part of the past three seasons. In 2025, he went 6-4 with a 3.99 ERA. However, it was the NCAA Tournament where Aoki forever etched himself into Trojans lore. In USC's tournament opener against TCU, Aoki allowed just one run over eight innings, throwing 114 pitches. For his performance, he was named to the all-Corvallis Regional team. Despite being a senior this past season, Aoki was granted an additional year of eligibility by the NCAA. However, it appears he will spend that year in Athens, Georgia, rather than in Los Angeles. USC's lacked significant pitching depth behind Aoki in 2025. The Trojans will need to improve on that front next year if they want to have any chance of making it further in the postseason.
USA Today
8 hours ago
- USA Today
USC football countdown to kickoff continues—Randall Telfer in focus
USC football countdown to kickoff continues—Randall Telfer in focus The countdown to USC's 2025 football season is officially on! The Trojans kick off their new campaign 82 days from today. You need something to help you while away the days and hours in the spring and summer. This is one way to do so. In this new series, countdown to kickoff, we will be counting down the days by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number. Today, we take a look at former USC tight end Randall Telfer. Position: Tight end Years played at USC: 2010-2014 Career highlights: Telfer was one of two tight ends Lane Kiffin brought in in his first USC recruiting class in 2010, alongside Xavier Grimble. The two both redshirted their first year on campus, before forming a dynamic duo at tight end over the next three seasons. After Grimble declared for the 2014 NFL draft, Telfer became the go-to guy at the position his final season. Telfer finished his USC career with 65 receptions for 648 yards and 12 touchdowns. He established himself as a big game player during his time with the Trojans, with 7 of his 12 scores coming against either UCLA, Notre Dame, or a top 10 opponent. After USC: Telfer was selected in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns. He played two seasons with Cleveland, catching five passes for 40 yards. After being released by the Browns in 2018 and subsequently failing a physical with the Indianapolis Colts, Telfer announced his retirement from football. Telfer received his master's degree from USC in 2017. According to his LinkedIn page, he currently works as Vice President of Digital Marketing at Interscope Records in Los Angeles.
