It’s officially March Madness, which, over the past decade or so, has seen Minnesota take center stage on multiple occasions. Although the Gophers themselves haven’t made any noise as of late, some memorable moments include Apple Valley native Tyus Jones coming up clutch to lead Duke to a nation al championship, and St. Paul native Jalen Suggs hitting a buzzer beater for Gonzaga that will be shown on highlight reels forever. Who’s going to be the next player to make a name of themselves? Here are all the Minnesotans competing in this year’s NCAA men’s tournament: Tre Holloman, Michigan State: Though he isn’t a starter for the Spartans, the Cretin-Derham Hall graduate has grown into a fan favorite off the bench, averaging 9.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, while serving as the heartbeat of the team whenever he’s on the court. Curtis Jones, Iowa State: Cretin-Derham Hall graduate wasn’t used as a starter until very recently but still averaged 17.1 points to lead the Cyclones in scoring. Demarion Watson, Iowa State: It’s unlikely this Totino-Grace graduate will make much of an impact for the Cyclones given his numbers to this point. Nate Heise, Iowa State: There is a good chance this Lincoln graduate is asked to take on more for the Cyclones with Keshon Gilbert out of the lineup for the foreseeable future. J’Vonne Hadley, Louisville: As a highly touted transfer, Cretin-Derham Hall grad averaged 12.1 points and 7.3 rebounds to help the Cardinals spark their turnaround. Nolan Winter, Wisconsin: Using his massive 6-foot-11, 235-pound frame to his advantage, the Lakeville North graduate burst onto the scene for the Badgers this season, averaging 9.5 points and 5.9 rebounds. Jack Robinson, Wisconsin: There wasn’t a spot in the rotation for this Lakeville North grad. Robinson has appeared in 13 games as a reserve. Steven Crowl, Wisconsin: As a longtime fixture in the starting lineup, this Eastview grad has played in more than 150 games for the Badgers throughout his career. Jack Janicki, Wisconsin: After betting on himself and walking on with the Badgers despite offers elsewhere, this White Bear Lake graduate has managed to carve out a niche for himself. Daniel Freitag, Wisconsin: Yet another Minnesotan in Madison, Breck grad has been somewhat lost in a logjam in the Badgers’ backcourt. Jon Mekonnen, Colorado State: The redshirt that this Eastview graduate used with the Rams could come in handy if head coach Niko Medved ends up taking the job with the Gophers. Kyle Jorgensen, Colorado State: After appearing in 32 games off the bench, Minneapolis Washburn grad could make sense as a potential transfer for the Gophers depending how everything play out. Pharrel Payne, Texas A&M: This Park of Cottage Grove graduate’s decision to leave the Gophers has worked out well as Payne has become an important piece for the Aggies on both ends of the floor. Adam Holod, American: Not much to note here as this St. Paul Academy grad has barely played for the Eagles. Dain Dainja, Memphis: The tenacity of this Park Center graduate has helped him average 14.4 points and 7.2 rebounds to lead the Tigers in the front court. Jackson McAndrew, Creighton: This Wayzata grad has grown into a major contributor for the Blue Jays. Camden Heide, Purdue: If the Boilermakers can somehow make a run, this Wayzata grad is somebody that could make his presence felt in a variety of ways. Kerwin Walton, Texas Tech: Though he doesn’t stuff the stat sheet for the Red Raiders, this Hopkins grad has a ton of experience that should be useful to everybody around him. Lincoln Palbicki, Omaha: Maple Grove graduate might see the floor if the result of the game is already well in hand. Ja’Sean Glover, Omaha: Madelia’s graduate’s presence could provide some firepower for Mavericks considering he has reached double figures a dozen times. Joshua Streit, Omaha: Statistics don’t show how valuable this Eden Valley-Watkins grad has been off the bench for the Mavericks. Will Tschetter, Michigan: As a holdover from the previous regime, Stewartville graduate has earned a role for the Wolverines despite an influx of transfers. Liam Carney, High Point: Though the Panthers are a trendy pick for a Cinderella run, Providence Academy grad will likely be watching the action unfold from the bench. Cham Okey, SIU Edwardsville: There hasn’t been much playing time for this Austin graduate as the Cougars have a number of upperclassmen in front of him. Related Articles College Sports | ‘Sickening’ draw against Kansas City set brutal club record for Minnesota United College Sports | Gophers’ Sam Rinzel named Big Ten’s top defender College Sports | Women’s basketball: High school tournament puts crimp in Gophers’ WBIT plans College Sports | Women’s basketball: Left out of NCAA, Gophers snapped up by WBIT College Sports | Women’s hockey: Gophers roll early, hold off Colgate to earn Frozen Four berth ...read more read less