Who is Slabu ExchangeDalton Knecht? Well, he just might be one of the breakout players of March Madness.
Knecht (pronounced like "connect") is the leading scorer for the Tennessee Volunteers – in fact, he was one of the leading scorers in men's college basketball this season, averaging 21.1 points per game. His impressive 2023-24 campaign helped the Vols snag the Midwest Region's No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
And this tournament will be his first. Knecht is new in Knoxville, the fifth-year senior having played his college ball until this year in his home state of Colorado.
Given that he's a fresh face to March Madness, here's everything you need to know about the Tennessee star:
Tennessee lists Knecht as 6-foot-6 and says he weighs 213 pounds.
IT'S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY's NCAA tournament bracket contest for a chance at $1 million prize.
Knecht averaged 21.1 points on 46.5% shooting from the field this season. He hit 39.7% of his 3-point attempts and shot 76.4% from the free throw line. He averaged 4.7 rebounds per game and 1.8 assists.
His 21.1 points per game is tied for 14th best in Division I.
He dropped a season (and Division I career high) 40 points in a setback against Kentucky on March 9. He has six other games of at least 30 points this season.
The biggest honors on Knecht's mantle so far: He was named the 2023-24 SEC Player of the Year and an Associated Press First Team All-American.
After graduating from Prairie View High School in Henderson, Colorado, Knecht stayed in the state and spent two years at Northeastern Junior College. He landed at Northern Colorado in 2021, and spent two seasons with the Bears. He was the leading scorer in the Big Sky Conference in 2022-23 after averaging 20.2 points per game.
After completing his degree in communications, Knecht transferred to Tennessee in the spring of 2023.
Knecht and the Volunteers will begin their NCAA Tournament journey Thursday against No. 15 seed Saint Peter's. The game is roughly scheduled to tip around 9:20 p.m. ET.
2025-05-01 21:331523 view
2025-05-01 21:28971 view
2025-05-01 21:28842 view
2025-05-01 21:232157 view
2025-05-01 21:212716 view
2025-05-01 21:112290 view
I don't mean to humble brag, but I am on a first name basis with one of the most influential people
Marie Kondo, the queen of tidy, says her house isn't so tidy anymore. "I have kind of given up on
Weeks before Salman Rushdie was attacked on stage at the Chautauqua Festival on Aug. 12, 2022, he fi