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March Madness: 270 College Hoopers in the NCAA Tournament

By Greg Glasser, 03/13/23, 5:30PM EDT

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Seven area alums will compete for a national championship

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- If you're a hoops fan, then welcome to the best time of the year.

After the 68-team bracket was revealed for the 2023 Division I Men's NCAA Tournament, six teams feature former 270 Hoops alums that have all contributed to their programs in their quest to win a national championship.

Below are the seven players that you most likely watched in high school and can now catch on the biggest stage of college basketball.

Jerome Hunter (Xavier / Senior / Pickerington North 2018)

This is Hunter's second season with the Musketeers, after three seasons (including a redshirt) at Indiana. Hunter will be making his first appearance in the NCAA tournament and it comes after the most successful season of his collegiate career. Playing under accomplished head coach Sean Miller, Hunter's role was adjusted and it's paid off for both him and his team. Considered a candidate for Big East Sixth Man of the Year, Hunter has seen career highs in points (7.3), shooting percentage (58.8%) and rebounds (4.3).  The runner-up in the Big East season and conference tournament, Xavier is a 3 seed and has legitimate final four aspirations.

When to watch:  #3 Xavier plays #14 Kennesaw State on Friday at 12:40 p.m.

Matt Allocco (Princeton / Junior / Hilliard Bradley 2020) 

Allocco and the Tigers clinched a tournament bid after they defeated Yale in the Ivy League Championship. Similar to his role when he starred at Hilliard Bradley, Allocco has been a tremendous and productive leader for Princeton as he started every game, is third in team scoring (11 per game), third in rebounds (4.9) and second in assists (2). After COVID cancelled Allocco's freshman season, this will be his first appearance in the NCAA tournament.

When to watch: #15 Princeton plays #2 Arizona on Thursday at 4:10 p.m.

Sean Moore (Fairleigh Dickinson / Junior / Reynoldsburg 2020)

Moore spent his first two collegiate seasons at St. Thomas Aquinas, a Division II school in New York. When head coach Tobin Anderson took the job at Fairleigh Dickinson, he brought Moore along with him. The former Raider has made an impact in his first season as a Division I player, as he has started a majority of games and averages 6.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

When to watch: #16 Fairleigh Dickinson takes on #16 Texas Southern in the First Four matchup on Wednesday at 6:40 p.m. 

VonCameron Davis (Kent State / Sophomore (RS) / Walnut Ridge 2020)

The Golden Flashes survived the competitive Mid-American Conference tournament and were one of the best mid-major teams all season. The 2020 Mr. Ohio recipient, Davis has been a recent starter. In his second year of eligibility, Davis is averaging career highs in points (6.6) and rebounds (3.5).

When to watch: #13 Kent State plays #4 Indiana on Friday at 9:55 p.m.

Jalen Sullinger (Kent State/ Sophomore / Thomas Worthington 2021) 

Another March, another Sullinger in the NCAA tournament. Son of JJ and nephew of Jared and Julian (an assistant coach with Kent State), Jalen has had a breakout year in his second season with the Flashes. Jalen has showed off his hot-shooting ability that we were accustomed to seeing at Thomas Worthington, as he's connected on 42.9% of his three-point attempts and averages 8.6 points per game. Sullinger's spark off the bench earned him the Mid-American Conference Sixth Man of the Year and his play has only gotten better as the season progressed.

When to watch: #13 Kent State plays #4 Indiana on Friday at 9:55 p.m.

Tyrese Hughey (Furman / Sophomore / Thomas Worthington 2021)

Another graduate from the 2021 Thomas Worthington team, Hughey and the Paladins earned a tournament birth after they won the Southern Conference tournament and regular season. The Paladins nearly went dancing last year, but had a narrow loss in the conference tournament game. Hughey has provided quality minutes off the bench, averaging over 11 minutes, scoring 5 points and grabbing 2.3 rebounds per game in his second collegiate season.

When to watch: #13 Furman plays #4 Virginia Thursday at 12:40 p.m.

Sean Jones (Marquette / Freshman / Gahanna Lincoln 2022) 

One of the most accomplished players in 270 Hoops history, the all-time leader in Gahanna points and assists is going dancing in his first collegiate season. Jones has provided a key role off the bench for the Golden Eagles, who won the Big East outright in addition to the conference tournament. The former district player of the year averages over 12 minutes per game, along with 3.8 points and over 1 assist, but has been acknowledged for his tremendous on-ball defense. Out of all the teams that feature local players, Marquette has the best odds to win the tournament. The Golden Eagles will begin that journey in Jones' hometown, as Marquette will play their first two games at Nationwide Arena in Columbus. 

When to watch: #2 Marquette plays #15 Vermont on Friday at 2:45 p.m.

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