From viral moments to game winners, here’s a round-by-round look at the players — and personalities — who defined March Madness.
One of the joys of March Madness is the chance for every player to shine. Whether they’re playing for a top seed or an underdog, each athlete has an equal shot at etching their name into tournament lore as they fight through the bracket for a national title.
This year’s tournaments might be light on Cinderella runs — seven of the eight Final Four teams are No. 1 seeds, with Geno Auriemma’s UConn women’s team as the lone No. 2.
But that hasn’t stopped new stars from emerging.
From clutch plays to captivating personalities, the road to the Final Four has been filled with players making their mark.
Here’s a round-by-round look at the main characters of March Madness.
Amir Khan: Manager, McNeese CowboysBen Solomon/NCAA Photos via
Affectionately known as « Aura », Khan went viral in February after leading McNeese down locker room tunnels with a boombox in hand, rapping along to Lud Foe’s « In & Out » — the team’s designated walkout song. His March moment grew bigger when the 12-seed Cowboys upset No. 5 Clemson in the first round of the men’s tournament.
Before McNeese fell to Purdue in the second round, Khan kept gaining traction, leading to him becoming the first student-manager to sign an NIL deal, landing multiple.
Deja Kelly: Oregon Ducks
Despite blowing a 19-point second-half lead, 10-seed Oregon outlasted 7-seed Vanderbilt in overtime to advance to the second round.
North Carolina transfer Deja Kelly led the charge, finishing with 20 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. With just under three minutes left in OT, she grabbed a key defensive rebound and dished to Nani Falatea for a go-ahead 3-pointer. Kelly’s clutch free throws also helped seal the 77-73 win.
Derik Queen, Maryland Terrapins; John Calipari, Arkansas Razorbacks
With six seconds left, Colorado State guard Jalen Lake buried a rainbow 3 over Derik Queen to give the 12-seed Rams the lead.
Then, the 6-foot-10 freshman from Baltimore, Maryland, had a « March moment » for the ages.
Trailing 71-70 with 3.
