2024 NCAA Tournament: Ranking the Top 20 players from the East Region

10. Tucker DeVries (Drake)

It’s almost hard to believe that DeVries is only a junior, as he’s already scored more than 1850 points in the three years he’s played at Drake under father Darian. Certainly considered a major-level prospect, he’s helped turn the Bulldogs into a phenomenal mid-major program and clearly was the driving force in another MVC Tournament title.

DeVries won MVC Player of the Year honors for a second consecutive season after averaging 21.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game this year. His shooting numbers continue to be excellent at 36% from outside the arc. DeVries has been the MVC’s top scorer the last two seasons, even dropping 39 points on UIC a few weeks back before some nice efforts in the postseason, including 27 to knock out Indiana State in the MVC title game. DeVries is a lethal weapon that should scare other teams in this region.

9. Cam Spencer (Connecticut)

Already a fantastic basketball player before this season, Spencer has taken it to another level with the Huskies. He was at Loyola-Maryland for three years before a great senior season at Rutgers. Connecticut has really appreciated his contributions in the backcourt and his addition is certainly part of why the Huskies are in this phenomenal position.

Spencer averages 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game on the year while hitting 44% of his shots outside the arc. He’s become the Big East’s best long-range shooter and had some great performances as well, such as a 25-point effort on North Carolina earlier in the year. Adding that kind of weapon to the national champions is how a team like Connecticut ends up favorites to repeat that title, especially with a recent 20-point, 9-assist game in the Big East Tournament from Castle.