March Madness: Long Islanders in the 2024 Men's NCAA Tournament
Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler reacts after hitting a three-point basket during the second half of an NCAA men's basketball game against Kentucky on March 9 in Knoxville, Tenn. Credit: AP/Wade Payne
Meet the 14 men's basketball players with Long Island ties who will compete in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
Brent Bland, Saint Peter’s
The redshirt sophomore guard from Wheatley Heights, who played at Half Hollow Hills West, has appeared in 32 games, including 20 starts, for the Peacocks this season. Bland is averaging 5.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.
First game: The 15th-seeded Peacocks will play No. 2 Tennessee in the first round of the Midwest Region on Thursday at 9:20 p.m. ET in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Where to watch: TNT
Fousseyni Drame, Duquesne
The graduate student played at Our Savior New American School in Centereach and played at Saint Peter’s and LaSalle before transferring to Duquesne. Drame has played in 36 games, including four starts, this season and is averaging 6.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Fousseyni and his twin brother, Hassan, are teammates.
First game: Duquesne, the No. 11 seed, plays No. 6 BYU in the first round of the East Region on Thursday at 12:40 p.m. ET in Omaha, Nebraska.
Where to watch: truTV
Hassan Drame, Duquesne
The graduate student played at Our Savior New American School in Centereach and played at Saint Peter’s and LaSalle before transferring to Duquesne. Drame has played in 13 games this season and is averaging 3.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Hassan and his twin brother, Fousseyni, are teammates.
First game: Duquesne, the No. 11 seed, plays No. 6 BYU in the first round of the East Region on Thursday at 12:40 p.m. ET in Omaha, Nebraska.
Where to watch: truTV
Ryan Dunn, Virginia
The sophomore guard from Freeport was an All-ACC honorable mention pick and was selected to the ACC All-Defensive team this season. Dunn started 33 games for the Cavaliers and averaged career highs of 8.2 points and 7 rebounds per game heading into the NCAA Tournament.
First game: Dunn scored five points and grabbed five rebounds as Virginia lost to Colorado State 67-42 in a First Four game in Dayton, Ohio, on Tuesday night.
Bryce Harris of Howard. Credit: Getty Images
Bryce Harris, Howard
The junior guard from Brentwood started 34 games for the Bison and averaged a team-high 16.6 points per game heading into the NCAA Tournament. Harris was named to the All-MEAC first team this season.
First game: Harris scored 16 points, grabbed six rebounds and had two steals in Howard’s 71-68 loss to Wagner in a First Four game in Dayton, Ohio, on Tuesday night.
Khalil London, Charleston
The redshirt freshman guard is from Wyandanch and played at St. Dominic. London has played in 33 games this season and is averaging three points per game. He scored a season-high 14 points against Hampton in January.
First game: Charleston, the No. 13 seed, will play fourth-seeded Alabama in the first round of the West Region on Friday at 7:35 p.m. ET in Spokane, Washington.
Where to watch: truTV
TJ Long, Vermont
The junior guard from Rockville Centre transferred to Vermont after two seasons at Fairfield. Long has played in 34 games this season, including 33 starts, and is averaging a team-leading 12.2 points per game. He was named to the Patriot League’s All-Conference third team.
First game: Vermont, the No. 13 seed, will play fourth-seeded Duke in the first round of the South Region on Friday at 7:10 p.m. ET at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Where to watch: CBS
Essam Mostafa, TCU
The senior forward played at Long Island Lutheran and played three seasons at Coastal Carolina before transferring. Mostafa has played in 29 games this season and is averaging 2.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.
First game: TCU, the No. 9 seed, plays No. 8 Utah State in the first round of the Midwest Region on Friday at 9:55 p.m. ET in Indianapolis.
Where to watch: TBS
Michael O'Connell of N.C. State. Credit: Getty Images
Michael O’Connell, N.C. State
The graduate student from Mineola played his first three seasons at Stanford before transferring. O’Connell, a guard, has played in 36 games, including 17 starts, and is averaging 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game with a team-leading 107 assists.
First game: The 11th-seeded Wolfpack play No. 6 Texas Tech in the first round of the South Region on Thursday at 9:40 p.m. ET in Pittsburgh.
Where to watch: CBS
Frankie Policelli, Charleston
The graduate student played at Long Island Lutheran and then played three seasons at Stony Brook before transferring. Policelli, a forward, has started all 34 games for the Cougars this season and is averaging 9.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
First game: Charleston, the No. 13 seed, will play No. 4 Alabama in the first round of the West Region on Friday 7:35 p.m. ET in Spokane, Washington.
Where to watch: truTV
Jayden Ross, UConn
Ross is from Bristow, Virginia, but played at Long Island Lutheran. The freshman forward has played in 17 games this season.
First game: Defending national champion and No. 1 seed UConn will play No. 16 seed Stetson in the first round of the East Region on Friday at 2:45 p.m. ET at Barclay Center in Brooklyn.
Where to watch: CBS
Finley Sheridan, Stetson
The redshirt freshman forward from Merrick, who played at Long Island Lutheran, has played in 15 games this season and is averaging two points and two rebounds per game.
First game: Stetson, the No. 16 seed, will play defending national champion and No. 1 seed UConn in the first round of the East Region on Friday at 2:45 p.m. ET at Barclay Center in Brooklyn.
Where to watch: CBS
Tyson Walker of Michigan State. Credit: Getty Images
Tyson Walker, Michigan State
The graduate student from Westbury played his first two seasons at Northeastern before transferring to Michigan State for the 2021-22 season. Walker, a guard, has started 32 games for the Spartans this season and leads the team in scoring (18.2 points per game) and steals (59). Walker was selected to the All-Big Ten second team.
First game: The ninth-seeded Spartans play No. 8 Mississippi State in the first round of the West Region on Thursday at 12:15 p.m. ET in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Where to watch: CBS
Armoni Zeigler, Saint Peter’s
The freshman guard from Amityville has appeared in 32 games, including 10 starts, for the Peacocks this season. He is averaging 6.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.
First game: The 15th-seeded Peacocks will play No. 2 Tennessee in the first round of the Midwest Region on Thursday at 9:20 p.m. ET in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Where to watch: TNT
Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee
The junior guard from Amityville, who is Armoni’s older brother, was picked for the All-SEC first team by the coaches and the All-SEC second team by the Associated Press. He was selected as the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and was also picked for the SEC All-Defensive team. Zeigler has played in 32 games this season, including 26 starts, and is averaging 11.9 points per game and leads the Vols with 187 assists and 58 steals.
First game: The second-seeded Vols will play No. 15 Saint Peter’s in the first round of the Midwest Region on Thursday at 9:20 p.m. ET in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Where to watch: TNT
