From the perspective of hoping for upsets and chaos, day two of March Madness disappointed again. It was an excellent day for prospects, though, as a handful of future lottery picks had excellent performances. Let’s break down four more notable prospect performances from the second day of NCAA Tournament hoops.
Jeremiah Fears vs UConn
20 points (5-14), 4 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 turnovers, 2 steals
Jeremiah Fears won’t turn 19 until the fall but he carved the defending National Champion Huskies. His teammates couldn’t generate enough offense to vault them over the finish, but Fears’s creation kept the game close. He lived at the basket, threw dimes out of the pick and roll and drilled two threes, marking one of his more impressive games of the season.
As a smaller guard, Fears can struggle to score at the rim and finish over taller defenders. He shot 3-10 at the rim against UConn, but he added eight points at the free-throw line, sinking all of his attempts. Even without great finishing numbers, the value of Fears’s incessant paint pressure is always clear.
jeremiah fears vs uconn — lived at the rim off the dribble, surgical pick and roll passing, struggled to score at the rim. phenomenal cap to his season
— Ben Pfeifer (@bjpf.bsky.social) March 21, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Dailyn Swain vs Illinois
27 points (10-17), 3 assists, 8 rebounds, 0 turnovers, 3 steals
Despite Xavier’s loss, sophomore wing Dailyn Swain had the best game of his college career. He thrived as a scorer, generating tons of paint pressure with his excellent burst, handle and physicality. Swain always disrupts on defense, blowing up actions and clogging passing lanes with his excellent length.
Shooting has been Swain’s main limitation, but he canned three of his five 3-point attempts against Illinois. The Illini sagged off of Swain, allowing him to shoot in favor of guarding his drives. If Swain can continue to progress as a shooter, it’s easy to see a player as big, skilled and athletic as him becoming a valuable NBA prospect.
Derik Queen vs Grand Canyon
12 points (4-9), 3 assists, 15 rebounds, 3 turnovers, 2 blocks
Queen’s Terrapins rolled against an experienced Grand Canyon team. He let other teammates carry the bulk of the scoring, but Queen still imposed himself with a few impressive drives and post-ups. He threw a few absurd passes, highlighted by a long outlet pass in transition and a lefty skip pass.
The Antelopes didn’t challenge Queen much on defense, but NBA teams will monitor how he fares against an excellent Colorado State team in the round of 32. He flashed the traits that give Queen one of the highest ceilings in the draft as a dominant offensive chess piece.
derik queen vs grand canyon — threw some ridiculous full court, skip and interior passes, scored at the hoop, turned it over a few times barging into traffic. high, high level player
— Ben Pfeifer (@bjpf.bsky.social) March 21, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Will Riley vs Xavier
22 points (8-12), 0 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 turnovers, 2 blocks
Riley’s ascension late in the season peaked in Illinois’s win over Xavier. He showcased his natural scoring talent, draining difficult shots and driving to the hoop a bit. Phenomenal off-ball play helps boost Riley’s value, spacing and cutting off of his team’s collection of excellent playmakers.
He added some defensive value as well, protecting the paint with his size. Riley will need tons of physical growth to thrive in the NBA, but he displayed his obvious offensive talent in the biggest game of his life to this point. He’s a clear first-round prospect with the potential to boost his stock higher.
