Similar to that, the insanity of March has largely surpassed us. The faculty hoops world descends on Indianapolis this weekend for the game’s annual grand finale on the Last 4, the place two No. 1 seeds, a No. 2 seed and a No. 3 seed will compete for the possibility to affix school basketball’s listing of immortal groups.
Earlier than they do, nonetheless, it’s solely proper that we acknowledge the MVPs of every NCAA Event area after a dance the place so many statements have been made. Not like the standard Most Excellent Participant award for the event, you don’t essentially have to win (on this case your area) to earn this hypothetical honor.
March Insanity Protection: NCAA Teaching Change Tracker | East Area Tracker | South Area Tracker | Midwest Area Tracker | West Area Tracker | What Occurred to Cinderella? | Prime 6 Upsets So Far | Elliot Cadeau Q & A | One other Double Last 4 For UConn | Was UConn’s Escape the Final March Miracle?
Extra NCAA: East Area Preview | South Area Preview | Midwest Area Preview | West Area Preview | Ballislife Author’s picks | Ballislife Candy 16 Author’s picks
East Area
Tarris Reed, UConn
Tarris Reed has been probably the most dominant participant within the event to date, posting video game-esque numbers in probably the most literal sense. Reed registered one of many nice performances in NCAA Event historical past in UConn’s first spherical win over Furman, tallying 31 factors and 27 (!) rebounds to guide the Huskies to an 11-point win over the upset minded Paladins. Reed briefly reverted again to human kind within the second spherical, earlier than dropping 20 factors in opposition to Michigan State and 26 factors in opposition to Duke to assist push UConn again to the Last 4 for the third time in 4 seasons. If the event ended in the present day, Reed could be the apparent selection because the Most Excellent Participant. Nonetheless, he’ll should proceed this run he’s led all the way in which to the trophy if he desires to affix the distinguished listing.
I’ve a sense Tarris Reed Jr. goes to finish up being the most effective bigs of this draft class, irrespective of the place he will get drafted. Nice vitality. Good on the boards. Can shield the rim. Good contact within the paint. Has some passing chops. Actually productive participant.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) March 29, 2026
South Area
Bennet Stirtz, Iowa
Bennet Stirtz and No. 9 seed Iowa fell in need of a shock journey to Indianapolis, however the driving drive behind the Hawkeyes’ deepest event run since 1999 was the play of their former Division II nationwide champion level guard. Stirtz led the staff in scoring in three of its 4 video games, dropping 16 factors in a primary spherical over Clemson and 20 factors in a Candy 16 win over Huge 10 foe Nebraska. Regardless of dropping to Illinois within the Elite Eight, Stirtz’s 24 factors had Iowa able to probably win deep into the second half. Stirtz is anticipated to be a primary spherical decide in June’s NBA Draft, although his efficiency in March could have presumably boosted him into lottery territory.
Bennett Stirtz IS Cinderella.
Two D-2 gives out of HS. Goes to NW Missouri State.
Follows Coach to Drake, leads Bulldogs to NCAA tourney.
Coach goes to Iowa, he doesn’t go to NBA Draft, as a substitute takes thousands and thousands much less to observe McCullum to Iowa.
Leads Hawkeyes to Elite 8. pic.twitter.com/bi3q1uvkrp
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 27, 2026
Midwest Area
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
To say Yaxel Lendeborg has been a superb funding for Michigan could be an understatement, particularly after how the Huge Ten Participant of the Yr has carried out for the Wolverines throughout their NCAA Event run. Lendeborg’s 28 factors in opposition to St. Louis paced Michigan in a decisive win, whereas his 23 factors in opposition to Alabama and 27 factors in opposition to Tennessee additionally led the staff en path to its ninth Last 4 at school historical past and third since 2018. Lendeborg has additionally led the Wolverines in rebounding twice through the event, grabbing 12 boards in opposition to Alabama and 7 in opposition to Tennessee. And naturally, he’s added a number of high-flying jams to his spotlight tape, too.
“Lendeborg is a mix of being an ideal participant on an ideal staff, which maximizes his abilities to the fullest.”@wallyball ideas on the Yaxel Lendeborg’s efficiency within the NCAA Event. pic.twitter.com/ahJdqVafi4
— CBS Sports activities School Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 29, 2026
West Area MVP
Darius Acuff, Arkansas
It’s considerably laborious to justify choosing Darius Acuff because the West Area MVP after Arkansas was so handily crushed in opposition to Arizona within the Candy 16, however Arizona is so collectively dominant that you would be able to hardly pinpoint who the Wildcats’ staff MVP has been this event. Braden Smith is much and away the very best participant on Purdue, however the Boilermakers additionally bought main performances from Trey Kaufmann-Renn and Fletcher Loyer. That leads us to again to Acuff, who fairly unanimously earned the crown as the very best guard in school basketball this season with 24 factors within the Razorbacks’ first spherical win over Hawaii and 36 of their second spherical win over Excessive Level. To not point out what he did within the SEC Event. Sadly, his 28 factors in opposition to Arizona was a mere footnote in comparison with the Wildcats’ dominance.
Darius Acuff Jr. in event play this 12 months:
30.2 PPG7.2 APG45.6% FG48.6% 3P87.0% FT
His 3 video games of 30+ factors in event play is probably the most EVER by a Freshman pic.twitter.com/2E5EPTQ7O2
— Underdog (@Underdog) March 22, 2026
