Plenty of state ties in this year’s Big Dance

With UConn and Hartford, Connecticut has two teams in the NCAA tournament for the first time in five years, when both UConn and Yale got bids.

Fairfield nearly made it three Nutmeg-based teams, before Rick Pitino and Iona thwarted their dreams on Saturday. And imagine if the Ivy League had a season this year and Yale won for the fourth time in six years?

But we digress. Along with the Huskies and Hawks, there will be several other players and coaches with Connecticut ties in this year’s Big Dance. Here’s who:

TAHJ EADDY, USC

The West Haven product has had a terrific season as a grad transfer for the Trojans. He’s second on the team in scoring at 13.7 points per game, behind only 7-foot likely NBA lottery pick Evan Mobley. Eaddy, who played at Notre Dame-West Haven, began his college career at Southeast Missouri State, then played two seasons at Santa Clara before transferring to USC last spring. The 6-foot-2 guard shot 39.2 percent on 3-pointers, including a game-winner with 1.4 seconds left last week to beat rival UCLA.

JOSH REAVES, MOUNT ST. MARY’S

The Hamden product and former Notre Dame-Fairfield standout is a freshman at Mount St. Mary’s, which punched its ticket by beating Bryant University in the Northeast Conference finals on Tuesday. Reaves, a GameTimeCT second team All-State selection in 2017-18, is a 6-4 freshman guard who has started 18 of the Mountaineers’ 22 games, averaging 7.0 points.

AARON WHEELER, PURDUE

Stamford product is averaging 3.9 points and 4.6 rebounds as a key player off the bench for the Boilermakers. A 6-9 junior forward, Wheeler played two seasons at Trinity Catholic before heading off to prep school.

ALTERIQUE GILBERT, WICHITA STATE

Beloved former UConn guard transferred last spring to Wichita State as a grad student and

helped lead the Shockers to the AAC regular-season title. Gilbert, whose four years at UConn were marred by injuries, is Wichita’s second-leading scorer at 10.3 ppg while doling out a team-best 4.1 assists per game. He earned AAC third-team all-conference honors.

JORDAN BRUNER, ALABAMA

The talented 6-10 forward played three seasons at Yale, helping the Bulldogs to the Ivy League title in 2019. With one more year of eligibility left but none in the Ivy, Bruner transferred to Alabama, where he’s averaged 6.5 points and 4.3 rebounds in the 20 games (all starts) he’s played. Bruner did miss eight games due to injury.

STEVE PIKIELL, RUTGERS

The former UConn player and assistant coach to Jim Calhoun has led Rutgers to its first NCAA tournament berth in 30 years. In his fifth season as head coach, Pikiell has led the Scarlet Knights to a 15-11 record and sixth-place finish in the best conference

in America, the Big 10.

VANCE JACKSON, ARKANSAS

Along with Gilbert, a member of the UConn’s “Top 5” 2016 recruiting class, Jackson spent one season with the Huskies before transferring to New Mexico. Now a grad transfer at Arkansas, the 6-9 forward averages 3.8 points per game for the Razorbacks and shoots 35 percent from 3-point land.

EMMITT MATTHEWS, JR., WEST VIRGINIA

A 2018 UConn recruit from Tacoma, Washington, Matthews de-committed following Kevin Ollie’s firing and wound up at West Virginia. The 6-7 junior forward averages 7.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per game for the Mountaineers.

CHOL MARIAL, MARYLAND

Seven-foot sophomore from South Sudan spent a year at Cheshire Academy where, besides starring in hoops, he also played tennis! Marial has played sparingly for the Terps this season, averaging 1.6 ppg.

FINAL TOP 25

BALLOT OF THE SEASON

With everyone talking about the Big Dance, seedings, brackets, etc.,

the final AP Top 25 ballot of the season is by far the most inconsequential Top 25 ballot of the season. But here goes:

1. Gonzaga

2. Illinois

3. Baylor

4. Alabama

5. Michigan

6. Texas

7. Houston

8. Iowa

9. Oklahoma State

10. San Diego State

11. Ohio State

12. Arkansas

13. Georgia Tech

14. Florida State

15. Virginia

16. Loyola-Chicago

17. USC

18. Creighton

19. Kansas

20. Villanova

21. West Virginia

22. Virginia Tech

23. BYU

24. UConn

25. St. Bonaventure

Justin Casterline / Getty Images Former Husky and current Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell will lead his Scarlet Knights in this year’s NCAA Tournament.