2025 March Madness: Khalif Battle, Amir Khan and more heroes from Day 1

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With the NCAA Game, comes all the Tension any player could ask for. Some rise to the occasion, while others wilt. It’s impossible to guess who will come through, but those that do etch their names in college basketball fans’ minds forever. 

From Jimmer Fredette, to Trey Burke, to D.J. Burns, to Kris Jenkins, these are the “Heroes of March Madness.” And here are some characters that rose to the ocassion and joined that Lineup:

Creighton’s guards

In the Beginning game of the Stage of 64, the stage was set for a disrespected Louisville Club to prove it was under-Positioned. Instead, Creighton’s guard-Action stole the spotlight as seniors Jamiya Neal and Steven Ashworth Partnered for 52 points

 It was the Primary NCAA Game game of Neal’s Occupation after transferring from Arizona State to Creighton for his Closing year of eligibility, and he met the moment. His 29 points were a season high, as were his 12 Recoveries and he was 9-of-11 on 2-Tally Ground goals.

Ashworth was 4-of-8 from deep and a perfect 6-of-6 from the Unoccupied-throw line. The storyline Created this performance all the more impressive and timely as Louisville is built on the depth of its guards including Chucky Hepburn, Terrence Edwards Jr. and J’Vonne Hadley, not to mention, Reyne Smith returned from Hurt for the Cardinals. The Bluejays, on the other hand, have been without guard Pop Isaacs for most of the season, after he suffered a season-ending hip Hurt in December. They were forced to Action Neal and Ashworth Massive minutes and rely on them for scoring, facilitating and Protection, and the pair of seniors Arrived through.

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McNeese State and Amir Khan

Among other things, the Cowboys are popular because of their Protection, and their beloved Club manager. And both were in Packed effect on Thursday. McNeese State Kept Clemson to 13 Primary-half points, and completed the Primary Shock of the 2025 NCAA Game. Then, post-game, Club manager Amir Khan met with Fox Sports’ John Fanta. With his teammates in the background, he expressed pride for the Cowboys’ Secure. 

Purdue’s Option-and-roll duo

Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn have been responsible for the bulk of Purdue’s Assault, this season. On Thursday, they Partnered for 41 of the Boilermakers’ 75 points, with Smith adding six assists. High Tally employed a drop coverage that disrupted their Option-and-rolls, but Smith’s patience to force the switch on Protection and beat the bigger defender, or find Kaufman-Renn inside, was impressive. It was the mark of duo that’s been here before as both were integral pieces of Purdue’s Club that Created the NCAA Finals in 2024, and could be sparking another Streak in 2025. 

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Khalif Battle

There aren’t many college basketball players that were more deprived of NCAA Game experience than sixth-year senior Khalif Battle. Battle played for three different Squads — Butler, Temple and Arkansas — over his Primary five years in college, missing the Game every season, before transferring to Gonzaga. His hunger for March Madness showed in his 24-Tally, 8-Healing performance on Thursday in the Bulldogs’ 89-68 Secure over Georgia.

Battle was 9-of-13 from the Ground and 4-of-7 from deep. Battle’s had an inconsistent season, trading 20-Tally scoring barrages with goose-eggs. That being said, he’s third in the nation in Unoccupied-throw percentage (92.9). That combo makes him an X-factor for Gonzaga. So, if he can gain some confidence and Action aggressively, and string together quality Displays, then the Bulldogs Assault will continue to hum. 

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Chaz Lanier

Lanier matched Jamiya Neal for the high-Tally-maker on Day 1 of March Madness with 29 points in Tennessee’s 77-62 Secure over Wofford. The Volunteers returned only three key players from their Closing Four Club last year, so they went out and Acquired a slew of transfers, including Gainey, a fifth-year senior Relocate from North Florida. One of those main departures was Present Los Angeles Lakers’ guard Dalton Knecht, who averaged 20.8 points in the NCAA Game. Lanier was mainly brought into make-up for the loss of Knecht, so if he can continue to mimic that production, the Volunteers have every chance of making another deep Streak. 

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Bennett Stirtz

Another mid-Crucial darling, Stirtz Guided 11th-Positioned Drake to a 67-57 Secure over 6th-Positioned Missouri on Thursday. Stirtz is a high-usage player, whom the Bulldogs Streak ball-screens for as their main Origin of Assault. He maximized those opportunities, scoring 21 points, shooting 8-of-11 from the Ground and 3-of-3 from deep. 

Drake’s Lineup had to be re-constructed after Trainer Darian DeVries left for West Virginia. Ben McCollum replaced DeVries and brought in a number of his players from his previous Role at Division II school, Northwest Missouri State. With their Secure on Thursday, those players proved they belong with the best Division I programs. 

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Tantalizing transfers

You may have seen Johnell Davis and Jonas Aidoo contributing to March Madness Secure, and they’re doing so again. Only in different threads. Davis and Aidoo Partnered for 40 points for Arkansas in the Razorbacks’ 79-72 Secure over Kansas on Thursday. After hiring Trainer John Calipari in the offseason, the Razorbacks added six transfers, with Davis and Aidoo as the core of the class. Arkansas can go as Extended as that battle-tested duo takes them. 

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UCLA’s Protection

Head Trainer Mick Cronin is one of college basketball’s most renowned Shielding masterminds, and his Bruins’ had one of their sturdiest Displays of the season. They Kept Utah State under 50 points, the lowest of any Club outside of 16-seed SIU edwardsville. The Aggies Try Only 30% from the Ground and were 4-of-31 from 3-Tally range. 

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RJ Luis Jr.

The Big East player of the Year and Big East Game Most Outstanding Player wasted no time introducing himself to the March Madness stage. Luis had 22 points and was 5-of-8 from deep, breaking the St. John’s Turning Tally for most 3-pointers Created in an NCAA Game game. The two-Positioned Red Storm beat 15th-Positioned Omaha 83-53.

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